Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis says the hunger is back and the 2008 AFL premiers are ready to prove that last year's finals miss was an aberration.

And he says the squad is in much better physical shape than a year ago, with a star-studded side set to take on Richmond in Saturday night's opening round pre-season match in Launceston.

Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge, as well as ex-North Melbourne recruit Josh Gibson, are all expected to play.

Premiership running player Rick Ladson is also ready to go, after being stalled by a knee injury last season.

It is a vastly different scenario from last year, when the Hawks' start to their premiership defence was hampered by a long injury list, as they lost three of their first four home and away matches.

A trimmed-down Lewis, who has shed 7kg in the off-season, said it was not just a case of greater availability, but also having most players in better shape, given a longer preparation.

"We had some stats put up the other day, which was pretty mind-boggling," Lewis said.

"The amount of running we've done over pre-season, we obviously came back a month earlier than we did the previous year.

"We're feeling good, everyone's training well, I suppose every team is training well at this time of the year, but we're looking forward at getting into it this weekend, we can't wait."

Aside from long-term absentee Max Bailey, recovering from a third knee reconstruction, the notable names missing through injury on Saturday night will be ex-Port Adelaide midfielder Shaun Burgoyne and classy forward Cyril Rioli, both expected to play later in the pre-season.

Along with the squad's physical improvement, Lewis can also sense the return of a steelier mentality.

"Every guy that was on the list last year is very disappointed in how it played out and to only win nine games after winning the premiership in 2008 was very disappointing," he said.

"This year is not about revenge, but it's about getting that hunger back that we got over pre-season and hopefully having a successful year.

"Any side that finishes out of the top eight in a season wants to prove that that's not the real side that they are.

"Our main aim is to play finals and if we don't play finals we've let ourselves down again."

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