HAWTHORN Football manager Mark Evans has expressed his delight at the return to action this weekend of 2007 Best and Fairest winner Brad Sewell.
Sewell had surgery to remove his appendix just last Wednesday having already missed four matches due to a shoulder injury.
His return will bolster the midfield department which is without Jordan Lewis due to a quad injury.“We’ve been really pleased with his progress,” Evans said.
“He trained really strongly all week and it’s great for him to be able to come into the team. It’s certainly good news for us.”
Simon Taylor also returns to the side to aid ruck partner Robbie Campbell with Brent Renouf suspended for two weeks. However it is still uncertain whether Chance Bateman will return from injury this week but he is named on an extended interchange bench.
“We’ll give him the rest of the week to press for selection,” Evans said.
Travis Tuck and Josh Kennedy have also been named on the extended bench and Evans took the time to praise the performances of the pair in the VFL.
“They’ve been in cracking form for most of the year. Travis’s games in the VFL have been outstanding and Josh has had a few senior games but his form in the VFL has been very good. It’s good to see the pressure back into the side not just from some of the experienced guys coming back from injury but from the younger guys pushing up as well. It’s a good mix to have.”
It’s not all good news from the Box Hill Hawks, with forward Tim Boyle being withdrawn from the side’s clash with the Coburg Tigers last Sunday due to a hip injury.
“It’s unlikely that he will play (in the reserves) this week but I’m not too certain how long he’ll be out for. He’ll need to rest this week though.”
Despite this week’s big inclusions, Evans believes the side will be in a much stronger position in a few weeks.
“We’ve still got Jordan Lewis, Stuart Dew, Ben McGlynn and Tim Boyle to come back in. And some of the players that are back in haven’t had a lot of games in succession. If we don’t lose players due to injury over the next few weeks we’ll be in a much stronger position in a month.”
