HAWTHORN captain Richard Vandenberg survived his firstserious hit-out at the weekend after a month on the sidelines with a shoulderinjury.

Vandenberg played a half of football with Box Hill Hawks,and is expected to extend his time in the middle this weekend with the VFLteam.

The 30-year-old has managed just one senior match in 2007 – inround six against Essendon – after suffering a back-related hamstring problem,and later a shoulder injury.

Hawks football operations manager Mark Evans said Vandenberggot through the weekend’s match against Port Melbourne unscathed.

“He played across the half-back line for the first half,”Evans said on Monday.

“He received approval from the surgeon last Wednesday andthen trained really well on Thursday.

“We thought if he pulled up okay from training, we’d usematch-play as part of his conditioning program.

“Vanders caught a solid hip and shoulder early in the game,and it didn’t seem to trouble him, he just kept on running up the ground.”

Evans said Vandenberg, the Hawks most-respected and popularleader, is expected to play three quarters this week when the Box Hill Hawks meetTasmania.

The Hawthorn selection committee can expect to have itsoptions widened this week with the availability of forward Ben Dixon.

Dixonhas missed the past four rounds with a hamstring strain.

After managing a total of just four goals at AAMI stadium,the Hawks’ lowest score since 1975, the experience and accuracy of Dixon will be a welcomebonus.

The Hawks will wait until later in the week on theassessment of Danny Jacobs (ankle) and Chance Bateman (knee), both injured inthe round 14 match against Adelaide.