Scans on the injured calf of rebounding defender have produced encouraging images – to such an extent that he has not been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

Subbed out early in the first quarter of last Saturday’s 14-point loss to Port Adelaide, there was always going to be a nervous wait on the scans because it was a much more severe incident on the same calf that sidelined Ellis for the best part of a season.

Ellis was injured in the 2012 grand final when playing for Hawthorn, battled on before eventually being subbed out and then played just two senior games with the Hawks last year.

Senior coach Adam Simpson, an assistant with the Hawks for four years, holds Ellis in the highest regard and that faith has been more than vindicated in the first month, before the scare on Saturday.

It was assessed as a low-grade strain at the time, but the medical staff and Ellis, who came to the club as a free agent at the end of last year, could be excused for being conservative given the injury history of the experienced half-back.

Of the other players on the injury list, fellow defender Shannon Hurn is also edging closer to a return.

He injured his knee early in the round two clash against Melbourne at the MCG, but is listed as missing a maximum of just two more games.   

Clever forward Mark LeCras is two to three weeks away from resuming from a broken arm, which means he is likely to return after the club’s round nine bye.

Click here to read the full injury list.