VFL Round 17 Team Selection
The Box Hill Hawks welcome back Harry Morrison and Jaylon Thorpe ahead of Saturday’s big test at Arden Street, while Billy Hicks will make his VFL debut and Jake Arundell returns to the mix following a stint in the SANFL for the clash with the Kangaroos.
Hicks, out of Blackburn and Whitefriars, is pacy and skilful finisher who could find himself deployed across half-forward, meanwhile Arundell shapes as the perfect replacement for Ben Cavarra in the small forward slot, with ‘Cav’ set to miss the trip to North Melbourne having tweaked his hamstring early in the second half last weekend.
Arundell is a former Eastern Ranges product and booted eight goals in his seven Box Hill Hawks games across two campaigns at City Oval, including three in the round 19, 2023 win over Sandringham and two in the semi-final win over Footscray just a few weeks later.
Comfortable at the foot of a pack in forward 50 or as a roaming high half-forward, ‘Snake’ possesses clean hands, is an excellent decision maker and has a keen eye for goal.
High flyer Jaylon Thorpe provides cover in a multiple of positions across the ground and is a welcome in, while Morrison’s class and experience is always an asset at the VFL level.
Among the outs are Cavarra, who will miss at least this week with the aforementioned hamstring, Finn Maginness, who has been elevated to the Hawks’ senior side, Daniel Wood and Ned Maginness.
The first bounce at Arden Street is scheduled for 2:05pm, with any changes to the selected side to be communicated prior.
Ins: H. Morrison, J. Thorpe, B. Hicks (NEW), J. Arundell
Outs: F. Maginness (AFL), B. Cavarra (inj), D. Wood, N. Maginness
Squad: 1. H Morrison, 7. N Reeves, 21. C Stephens, 24. D Grainger-Barras, 26. B Ryan, 27. W McCabe, 29. J Serong, 37. Eth. Phillips, 38. M Ramsden, 40. S Mitchell, 41. J Bennetts, 42. B Macdonald, 43. J O’Sullivan, 44. H Hustwaite, 45. C Tucker, 55. C Porter, 57. J Thorpe, 60. Ed Phillips, 62. S Horner, 63. B Hicks, 65. A Stefanakis, 70. J Arundell, 99. T Brown
Emergencies: 68. D Wood, 72. A Mathieson, 73. S Amoroso, 77. B De Bolfo, 78. K Agosta, 80. M Sruk, 84. J Peacock
