Hawthorn

Speaking at the AFL Captains Day on Thursday, the Hawk captain said he would enter 2016 at the same weight as last year – 88kg – and a reason why was the possibility of spending more time up forward.

"You'll have to ask 'Clarko' that," Hodge said when asked whether he would see more time up forward as the Hawks restructure their side in the absence of the injured Jarryd Roughead for the first half of the season.

Lewis wasn't training at the Ricoh Centre, despite it being a light session mostly consisting of goalkicking.

Hawthorn stand-in coach Cameron Bruce said it wasn't a big concern, and doesn't anticipate any problems for Lewis heading into round one against Geelong on Easter Monday.

Now the athletic defender is on the fringes of breaking into Alastair Clarkson's powerhouse team and becoming the first born-and-bred Kiwi to play AFL.

It's no small achievement, although the 21-year-old is impatient to make his debut just like any other footballer.