VFL Round 11 Team

The Box Hill Hawks have named a 28-man squad for Saturday’s visit of Williamstown.

At present the group is comprised of 14 AFL-listed and nine VFL-listed Hawks, with five players held over as emergencies.

Into the squad come Josh Ward, Jack O’Sullivan, Stu Horner and Mitch Sruk – the last of whom has been designated Box Hill’s 23rd man.

Ward has overcome a foot complaint which has kept him sidelined in recent times and is a welcome addition to Zane Littlejohn’s midfield, while Jack O’Sullivan is back in the mix following a week off with a slight knock.

The ever-reliable, hard-as-nails Stu Horner returns from a hamstring strain which has sidelined him since round four. Box Hill’s Vice Captain will slot straight back into the back six, offering plenty of experience and leadership to an area of the ground which is in excellent form of late.

Mitch Sruk is the fourth and final addition to the team for its assignment against the Seagulls. The Rowville ball-winner is an all-energy option in the engine room or either half-forward or half-back flanks and features for a second time in 2023.

Two in form Hawks have departed City Oval in the aftermath of Wednesday’s mid-season draft, with Ryan Maric and Ethan Stanley both jetting west to chase their AFL dreams.

Maric was selected first overall by the West Coast Eagles, while Stanley was taken at pick eight by Fremantle.

Bailey Macdonald and Jack Scrimshaw have both been elevated to the Hawks’ senior squad for their match-up with Port Adelaide.

Joel Trudgeon, Liam Serong, Lachie Wynd, Darcy Murr and Liam Coghlan have been named as emergencies, with any late changes to the selected 23 to be confirmed prior to Saturday’s first bounce – which is scheduled for 2:05pm.

Ins: J. Ward, J. O’Sullivan, S. Horner, M. Sruk

Outs: R. Maric (drafted – West Coast), E. Stanley (drafted – Fremantle), B. Macdonald (AFL), J. Scrimshaw (AFL)

Squad: 1. H Morrison, 21. C Stephens, 24. D Grainger-Barrass, 25. J Ward, 26. F Greene, 27. N Long, 29. J Serong, 32. F Maginness, 34. F O’Hara, 35. J Morris, 38. M Ramsden, 41. J Bennetts, 43. J O’Sullivan, 44. H Hustwaite, 50. D Mascitti, 53. H Beasley, 55. C Porter, 60. E Phillips, 61. M Hall, 62. S Horner, 66. C Brown, 75. C Tucker, 80. M Sruk (23rd man)

Emergencies: 54. J Trudgeon, 58. L Serong, 63. L Wynd, 67. D Murr, 74. L Coghlan