Brendan Whitecross will make his return to AFL after being named in the final team ahead of Sunday's Round 3 clash with the Western Bulldogs.
Whitecross has not played senior football since rupturing his ACL during the fourth quarter of the 2013 Preliminary Final.
Since he joined the Hawthorn list at pick No. 29 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft he's watched from the sidelines as his teammates played in four Grand Finals for three wins.
Despite not featuring during the Hawks NAB Challenge campaign, Whitecross was a standout performer in Box Hill’s VFL win over Williamstown on the weekend.
After being named as late withdrawals before last Sunday’s match, Josh Gibson and Sam Mitchell wil also return.
Hawthorn will be without key defender James Frawley, who will miss 4-6 weeks after sustaining a pectoral injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Bombers, while midfielder Jonathan O’Rourke and forward James Sicily have been omitted.
Round 3
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs
Sunday 19 April
Aurora Stadium, 1.10pm
B: Burgoyne, Lake, McEvoy
HB: Birchall, Gibson, Stratton
C: Smith, Mitchell, Hill
HF: Breust, Gunston, Langford
F: Puopolo, Roughead, Rioli
Foll: Ceglar, Hodge, Lewis
I/C: Whitecross, Duryea, Anderson, Suckling
Emg: Sicily, Hartung, Schoenmakers
In: Mitchell, Gibson, Whitecross
Out: Frawley (Pectoral), O'Rourke (Omitted), Sicily (Omitted)
Find out all you need to know about Round 3 match-day.
