Melbourne Heart will welcome key central defender Michael Beauchamp for Friday night's away clash with Central Coast Mariners.

The 29-year old Australian international has missed the past two matches, including the club's first-ever A-League win on the weekend, because of an ankle injury but is expected to slot straight back into the defensive four after getting through training.

"I trained on the weekend and pulled up not too bad, and today I did the full session so I'm happy with the way it's progressed," Beauchamp said yesterday.

"I was a couple of days short (of playing in Saturday's game against North Queensland) and wouldn't have felt stable enough to go into that game and give 100 per cent, so it was a good decision to sit out."

Beauchamp is likely to replace youngster Brendan Hamill in the Heart's starting line-up.