HAWTHORN will not rush utility Brendan Whitecross in his anticipated return to the AFL after he successfully completed his first match since 2013 with VFL team Box Hill on Saturday.
Whitecross, who underwent two knee reconstructions in the space of 12 months, has not played since the Hawks' 2013 preliminary final win over Geelong.
Football manager Chris Fagan said the 25-year-old was understandably scratchy in his return to football, and the club would give him time to push for senior selection again.
"He didn't set the world on fire, but there was no expectation that he would," Fagan told AFL.com.au.
"It was more about getting out there and getting that game under his belt.
"He played as a half-forward and on-baller in the first half, and then spent a little bit of time at half-back.
"It was successful, in that he got to run around for four quarters and feel what it was like to play football again."
Whitecross, who missed the Hawks' back-to-back premierships as a result of his knee injuries, will get his next chance to push for AFL selection when Box Hill takes on Werribee on March 28 in a practice match.
Despite running out Saturday's match well, Fagan said the Hawks wouldn't be able to rush the 25-year-old in to Thursday's NAB Challenge team to face St Kilda.
"He hasn't got enough time to recover, so he's going to have to work his way back into the AFL team via Box Hill, which he fully understands," Fagan said.
"If he strikes form and the form is good enough for him to work his way into the AFL team, then we'll put him in [for round one].
"We probably think it's going to take a while, but he might do better than that. I hope he does."
Fagan was pleased with the form of young forward James Sicily, midfielder Jonathan Simpkin and half-back Angus Litherland in Saturday's practice match.
Tall defender Daniel Howe, who was recruited with pick No.31 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, was also eye-catching before suffering a knock to the shoulder and leaving the ground.
"We took him off because we didn't want him to get another knock, but he was very good in the first quarter. We've got high hopes for him," Fagan said.
The Hawks are preparing to field their best available team for Thursday night's clash with St Kilda, in what will be their final hit-out before round one.
