IN A frustrating blow for the Hawks, captain Richard Vandenberg will miss this Sunday’s match at Subiaco with a back injury.

Vandenberg, who did not play the opening five rounds of the season because of a hamstring strain, will be rested as the Hawks embark on their first long-haul road-trip of 2007.

Dreadlocked speedster Chance Bateman replaces Vandenberg in the 23-man squad to play Fremantle on Sunday.

Bateman, battling a calf strain over recent weeks, was a late withdrawal against Essendon last week because of a corked calf.

Selected on the half-forward flank, the West Australian adores the space and wide expanses of Subiaco, and relishes the challenge of playing in front of his home-town crowd.

Xavier Ellis, Ben McGlynn, Garry Moss, Thomas Murphy, Simon Taylor, Josh Thurgood and Jarryd Roughead are named on the extended interchange.

Vandenberg’s injury is a bitter setback for the veteran. He played his first game for the season last week and was among the Hawks’ best in the team’s 35-point victory against the Bombers.

Hurt during the second term when he was kneed in the lower back, the injury tightened as the game progressed, limiting the midfielder’s run and ability to train this week.

However, it was the travel factor – the three hour trip to Perth - which swayed selectors to rest the popular clubman, according to general manager, football operations Mark Evans.

“Playing a match at Subiaco would cause him some problems,” Evans said.

“We think sitting on a plane is not the best for him at the moment.”

For consecutive weeks, teenager Garry Moss has been named in the mix. The former East Perth midfielder impressed again for Box Hill Hawks, gathering 24 possessions against Tasmania.

He’ll have to wait until 5pm Friday before being told whether he’s on the plane to Perth. The small running forward, no doubt, would love to make his senior AFL debut in front of family and friends in his native WA.

Experienced campaigner Joel Smith was overlooked for senior selection after making his first appearance in the brown and gold for Box Hill Hawks against Tasmania last weekend.

Smith has had an interrupted pre-season with a knee injury.

“He got through a full game last week, and he’ll have to step up over the next few weeks,” Evans said.