HAWTHORN defender Brian Lake could be set for another stint on the sidelines after hurting his left knee against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night, leading sports medico Dr Peter Larkins says.

Lake was making his return from three weeks on the sidelines with a medial strain last Saturday night when he re-injured his left knee late in the first quarter.

The former Western Bulldog briefly went to the rooms for treatment but returned soon afterwards and played out the game. 

Larkins told AFL.com.au the incident that forced Lake from the ground was very similar to the one he was injured in against Port Adelaide in round four.

"There's no doubt he gave his medial another tweak," Larkins said.

"Unfortunately, he got caught up in a tangle of legs and had another valgus strain, which means the medial gets pushed in towards the other knee.

"He was able to go back on the ground but he'll be really sore early this week.

"It doesn't rule him out for this week but he'll certainly have a lot more treatment and he'd have to be a lot less sore by the end of the week for the Hawks to risk him again."

Larkins says Carlton could be without vice-captain Bryce Gibbs for Friday night's crucial game against the Swans after he was substituted out of the Blues' loss to Geelong with a spasm in the lower back/hip region. 

"He's unlikely to be able to train much early this week and it depends a little bit on what the scan results show," Larkins said.

"It didn't look like it was a massive incident but he had a spasm so my suspicion is he's going to miss."

But Larkins expects Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich to be fit to play Adelaide on Saturday night after he was subbed out of the Dockers' win over North Melbourne early in the final quarter.

"All the reports listed it as a hip injury but Pavlich was actually getting massage and physio treatment on his adductor around the inside of his hip," he said.

"It looked to me that he was subbed more as a management issue and I don't think it's something that's going to interrupt him this week."

Who starred - or sinned - in the state leagues?

Larkins also said:

- Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher (left knee) should be available for his 400^th game against Richmond on Saturday night, while teammate Paul Chapman (corked hamstring) is also expected to be fit for the Dreamtime at the 'G game. 

- St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt (concussion) is likely to return against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, but fellow veteran Sam Fisher (hamstring) will miss three to four weeks and Jimmy Webster (concussion) is only 50-50 to play against the Lions.

-  North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow is likely to miss at least another two weeks with the broken thumb that kept him out of the Roos' loss to Fremantle, with Collingwood midfielder Steele Sidebottom missing six rounds this year with a similar injury.

-  Roos forward Ben Brown (knee) is likely to miss Sunday's clash against Collingwood but should be in contention to return from round 10.

- Carlton spearhead Lachie Henderson (hamstring) should return for Friday night's game against the Swans after training well last week, while full-back Michael Jamison (calf) and midfielder Andrew Carrazzo (calf) should both train fully this week and also push for returns.

- Collingwood key defender Jack Frost suffered a bleed in his right hamstring when he was kneed heavily there in the Gold Coast win. He will be assessed later this week but given he avoided a muscle tear he is a better-than-even chance to play against North Melbourne on Sunday.

- West Coast's Mark Hutchings (back tightness) was a late withdrawal last round after pulling up sore from training but should train fully this week and push for selection in Sunday's game against Geelong.

- Adelaide utility Sam Kerridge (right ankle) is in doubt for Saturday night's clash against Fremantle after pulling up sore from the Greater Western Sydney loss, while teammate Rory Laird (concussion) is also an uncertain starter.

- Brisbane Lions midfielder Jack Redden (back) was a late withdrawal from Sunday's loss to Essendon and is likely to miss another week.

- Melbourne's Matt Jones (concussion) is in doubt for Saturday's game against Port Adelaide given the Demons' six-day turnaround.