HAWTHORN utility Brendan Whitecross will make his long-awaited return to football on Saturday afternoon.

Whitecross will play for the club’s VFL affiliate Box Hill in a practice match against Casey at Casey Fields at 1pm.

It will be the Hawk’s first game since the 2013 Preliminary Final, where he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the final quarter against Geelong.

He has been forced to watch on as his teammates went on to win the 2013 premiership a week later and missed the entire 2014 season too, while recovering.

It was the second time in as many years Whitecross tore his ACL – the first injury occurring in the 2012 Qualifying Final against Collingwood.

In that time the Hawks won back-to-back premierships.

Whitecross has played just 12 games since first injuring his ACL.