HAWTHORN captain Richard Vandenberg is expected to make hislong-awaited return to senior football for this Sunday’s crunch game againstthe Kangaroos at Aurora Stadium inLaunceston.
The 30-year-old has been named in the Hawks’ 25-man squadafter a carefully managed return from shoulder surgery.
Reliable defender Danny Jacobs is also back in the team afterovercoming an ankle injury and stint in the VFL, alongside Tom Murphy, MitchThorp and Travis Tuck.
That quartet, Vandenberg, ruckman Robert Campbell andflanker Clinton Young, have been selected on the extended interchange.
The versatile Xavier Ellis will miss after suffering acorked hip in last week’s match against St Kilda at Telstra Dome. Small forwardMatt Little has been omitted.
Gritty midfielder Vandenberg played his one and only seniorgame for 2007 in round six against Essendon at the MCG.
After early-season setbacks with back and hamstring problems,he hurt his shoulder in the VFL with Box Hill Hawks.
After a month out of the game, he tempered his recoveryplans and simulated match practice in his training.
Hawks football operations manager Mark Evans said Vandenberg’srecovery has been expertly managed by club fitness staff.
“He’s completed three games at VFL level for Box Hill. Firstgame he played a half, second was for three-quarters and last week he completeda full game,” Evans said.
“He played with good intensity, copped plenty of knocks andwas one of the best players at Box Hill.
“We thought he would have needed three to four weeks. He’scertainly had three good weeks … Richie will be in consideration for the teamthis week.”
Evans said other good performers at Box Hill have been Tuck,Josh Kennedy, Brent Renouf and Beau Dowler.
Tuck, named as an emergency over recent weeks, is creepingcloser to a senior start.
“He has had good form at Box Hill which is a real credit tothe way he has prepared himself,” Evans said.
Meanwhile, the possible returns of exciting forward MarkWilliams and run-with player Tim Clarke this season are looking shaky.
The injured duo is racing against time in their bid torecover from injury.
Williams has been sidelined with a knee injury since round fourand resumed running only recently.
Clarke, who last played in round two against Melbourne, has been stoicin his battle to overcome an achilles problem.
The Hawthorn match committee, fitness and medical staff areexpected to make the call soon on the immediate playing futures of the pair,according to Evans.
“Mark started running a few weeks ago and was progressingokay. He’s just had a bit of swelling in his knee that has persisted. We mayhave to lighten him off again,” Evans said.
“We were hopeful he would be back into skill training thisweek, but that’s unlikely to occur now.”
Asked whether it was time to put the star into cottonwool,Evans replied: “It will need to be soon. He’s going to run out of time, butwe’ll just see how he goes with his knee.
And on Clarke: “Not yet. Like Mark Williams, the time isgetting close where we need to make a decision.
“He’s progressing with his rehab. He’s had some days wherehe’s running well, but still trying to manage the recovery from his operation.
“There bodies will tell us if they keep progressing in theirrecovery. If they get to the stage where they need to be backed off in any way,to allow their recovery to go better, then they will lose their window ofopportunity to play.”
The team:
B: Guerra, Croad, Brown
HB: Ladson, Gilham, Birchall
C: Lewis, Mitchell, Smith
HF: McGlynn, Franklin, Bateman
F: Dixon, Roughead, Hodge
FOLL: Taylor, Crawford, Sewell
I/C: Campbell, Jacobs, Murphy, Thorp, Tuck,Vandenberg, Young
In: Jacobs, Murphy, Thorp, Tuck,Vandenberg
Out: Ellis (corked hip), Little(omitted)
