Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan is likely to return to the Demons' line-up in time for this weekend's clash with Hawthorn after returning to the club following personal time-off.
Hogan flew to Adelaide late last week to be with his family following the death of his father Tony, but rejoined his teammates at training on Tuesday and is expected to train on Thursday and be available for selection.
A Melbourne spokesperson told the Herald Sun on Tuesday the club were giving Hogan their support and time to deal with the issue.
With Hogan returning so early in the week, all signs are pointing towards the star forward taking the field against the Hawks on Sunday.
Last weekend, Demons coach Simon Goodwin said he would give Hogan all the time he needed and allow the 22-year-old to decide when it was the right time for him to return to the field.
“We will speak to Jesse tomorrow. We have given him some time away. I will give Jesse and update and it’s up to Jesse. His welfare is first and foremost for us,” Goodwin said.
“We will wait and see. We have got to let the dust settle. We will work through the steps slowly.
“There is no pressure from the footy club. It’s really up to Jesse, he’s going through a lot.”
