JAEGER O'Meara set many Hawthorn hearts at ease on Saturday as he moved freely in a superb display in his long-awaited return in the VFL.
In his first hit-out at any level in 15 weeks – since succumbing to bone stress in his right knee after Hawthorn's loss to St Kilda in Round 6 – O'Meara was best-afield for three quarters for the Box Hill Hawks against Essendon at Windy Hill.
The former Sun amassed 29 possessions (16 contested), six clearances, seven tackles, and booted three goals, before sitting out the entire last quarter as planned, as the ladder leader went down by a goal in windy conditions.
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It was such a polished performance that it might even tempt the Hawks to pick the 23-year-old for their clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium next Saturday night.
Donning a No.80 guernsey and minor strapping on his right knee, O'Meara started in the middle and was immediately into the action, sharking the first tap from Hawks ruckman Marc Pittonet before being dispossessed.
Inside the opening two-and-a-half minutes he also hacked forward a kick, dished off two quick handballs in the clinches and laid a heavy tackle.
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At the seven-minute mark, Pittonet found him again at a forward stoppage and O'Meara nailed a left-foot snap from 20 metres.
By the first change, he'd gathered nine possessions and kicked two goals, which could easily have been three given he missed a regulation set shot from 45 metres with a strong wind at his back.
He finally got his third major just before the last change.
The prized recruit, who was sidelined for the 2015 and 2016 seasons after undergoing operations on both knees, has played four AFL games for Hawthorn this season.
Earlier on Saturday, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson expressed his wish for O'Meara to finish off the season with some continuity.
"We had to make sure the bone stress in his knee was fully repaired," Clarkson said.
"Because there has been so much hysteria around his recruitment, I think it's important for him and our footy club and supporters and just quietening down the hysteria on whether he's ever going to return.
"He gets a reminder of what it's like to play footy again. He has played very little over three years now, so any game is fantastic for him."
Images courtesy of Kadek Thatcher Photography
