Deluca joins the Hawks

In huge news on the recruiting front, Josh Deluca has signed with the Box Hill Hawks ahead of the 2020 season.

The versatile midfielder joins the club following a six-month stint with Carlton, after being picked up with the first selection in the 2019 mid-season draft.

GM-Football Daniel Napoli says the club is thrilled to have secured Deluca’s services, particularly given the 23-year-old had attracted significant interest from multiple VFL clubs.

“We’re really pleased Josh has committed to Box Hill for the 2020 season,” Napoli said.

“He is such a talented player with a fantastic work rate, and his AFL experience will be invaluable for our playing group.

“He’s a tough competitor with great speed and versatility.

“The fact that we’ve been able to lure another player of Josh’s calibre is a great reflection of our program, and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into our system in the weeks ahead.”

Deluca’s football journey has been a unique one; after winning the 2014 WAFL Grand Final with Subiaco, his AFL dream was realised when Fremantle nabbed him with Pick 68 in the National Draft.

He was delisted and re-rookied twice by Fremantle, before finally breaking into the senior team in Round 14, 2017. He would go onto play four games in the purple that year, before continuing his AFL journey 18 months later with the Blues.

Deluca’s state-league career has been prolific. After his first WAFL flag in 2014, he joined Fremantle’s WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder, where he played part in the 2016 and 2017 premierships, before returning to Subiaco and cementing his own three-peat in 2018.

The classy midfielder will commence pre-season training with the Hawks this week, in preparation for his first official VFL campaign in 2020.