Hawthorn is set to have a full list to choose from for Saturday night's Second Preliminary Final against St Kilda at the MCG.
It is a major boost to the Hawks' chances of reaching their first grand final since 1991 with the club declaring on Monday that its most experienced defender Trent Croad was a virtual certain starter against the Saints.
Croad suffered a foot injury during the Hawks' qualifying-final victory over the Bulldogs a fortnight ago and his presence is crucial against the Saints - particularly now that Justin Koschitzke has been cleared to line up alongside Nick Riewoldt in attack after having his rough-conduct charge thrown out by the match review panel on Monday.
That pair booted eight goals between them in the Saints' semi-final win over Collingwood on Saturday night and loom as the biggest obstacle standing between the Hawks and their first grand final appearance in nearly two decades.
Croad - an All-Australian in 2005 and one of just two survivors (along with Shane Crawford) from the Hawks' last preliminary final appearance in 2001 - is likely to be given first crack at Riewoldt should he be passed fit to play.
Hawthorn football operations manager Mark Evans told Sportal on Monday that Croad was set to play against the Saints.
"He could have played last weekend (had the Hawks played instead of having the weekend off)," Evans said.
"He was running towards the end of last week and he has pulled up fine."
The Hawks are also confident fellow defender Campbell Brown will play despite dislocating his thumb in the first week of the finals.
And the Hawks' defence is also set to be boosted by the return of Stephen Gilham - another candidate to play on either Riewoldt or Koschitzke - after he was a late withdrawal from the qualifying-final win over the Bulldogs due to a virus.
"A lot of players had bumps and bruises (after the Bulldogs) game but they have pulled up well and we will virtually have a full list to pick from," Evans said.
Evans said such was the Hawks' depth that the club had six players - Simon Taylor, Xavier Ellis, Tim Clarke, Jarryd Morton, Travis Tuck and Gilham - that were all in contention to come into the 22 that beat the Bulldogs should the Hawks decide they want to make any changes to their successful qualifying-final side.
"That is what you want at this time of year," Evans said of the Hawks being in such a strong position in terms of their number of players available for senior selection.
While youngster Cameron Stokes - a last-minute replacement for late withdrawal Gilham in the qualifying final - seems the obvious player to make way for Gilham's return, the only other selection dilemma for the Hawks is which player they take in as their back-up ruckman.
The Hawks will also have to decide whether to stick with youngster Brent Renouf in that role against the Saints - after the 20-year-old impressed in only his sixth game during the win over the Bulldogs - or whether to recall the more experienced Simon Taylor, who has played 18 games this season but has been out of the side in Round 21.