HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarksonsays debutant Mitch Thorp is a crucial cog in the team’s future designs, but heisn’t expecting fireworks from the young Tasmanian when he plays his first AFLgame on Sunday.

Thorp, taken by Hawthorn as thesixth pick in last year’s AFL Draft, gets his opportunity after continued goodform with VFL affiliate side Box Hill, and injuries to several playersincluding forwards Tim Boyle, Mark Williams and Chance Bateman.

“I ampretty excited about playing my first game, and playing it at the MCG,” Thorpsaid.

"It's been great coming to a clublike Hawthorn and I am looking forward to running out with my teammates onSunday.”

Thorp has predominantly played asa forward in the VFL, but Clarkson said he was impressed by the 18-year-old’s versatilityat both ends of the ground.

“He’ll probably start the game upforward for us, but I’d imagine at different stages throughout his whole careerhe’s going to be flipped between forward and defence,” he said.

“He’s shown that flexibility inhis game, that’s one of the attributes we liked about him, he can play withaplomb at both ends of the ground.”

Clarkson said he was pleased tosee Thorp finally break into Hawthorn best available 22 after nine months of training.

Thorp will become the 845thplayer to pull on the brown and gold stripes, and the third Hawk to make hisAFL debut in season 2007, following Xavier Ellis and Garry Moss.

“It’s exciting for our footballclub,” Clarkson said. “He came to us with a bit of hip and groin soreness, butit’s taken us until now to get his body right to be able to compete and play.

“He’san enormous part of our future.

“Pretty much in their first gameyou’re just really hoping that they enjoy the opportunity and get used to thespeed of the game at that level, because hopefully he will be a very importantcontributor for us in the years ahead.”

After last week’s rout in Adelaide, Clarkson saidit was back to basics for the third-placed Hawks.

“We know we are a good side, we’vewon a lot of games of footy this year, but (we need) to get back to that sortof flamboyant style that we had in some of our earlier games and we’ll take itfrom there,” he said.