Brett Deledio, Andy Otten, Josh Deluca head Box Hill Hawks’ recruits
With 20 new signings for the 2020 VFL season, including a pair of ex-AFL stars and nine young guns straight out of the NAB League, Box Hill Hawks have rejuvenated a list that is less than two years removed from winning the premiership.
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Box Hill Hawks hijacked off-season VFL headlines with their signings of Brett Deledio and Andy Otten.
Deledio may well be the most high-profile recruit to the state league since its revamp in 2000.
But a list of 20 newcomers unveiled by the club includes much youthful talent to absorb the experience of the former Tiger and Giant and ex-Crow Otten.
The Hawks have signed nine players out of the NAB League, six of them from the Eastern Ranges: James Ross, James Blanck, Chayce Black, Mihaele Zalac, Todd Garner and Billy McCormack.
Black is the son of former AFL dasher Heath Black, and McCormack is ex-Fitzroy and Brisbane midfielder Brendan’s boy.
The Hawks have another “son of’’ in Tom Graham, former Hawthorn defender Mark’s son.
Tom is a key position type who had some standout matches last year for the Oakleigh Chargers.
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Zane Barzen (Murray Bushrangers) and Josh Le Grice (Sandringham Dragons) are also at the City Oval as the Hawks boosted their stock of young players ahead of new VFL rules.
Each week teams must select a 19-year-old as well as the 23rd player as the AFL strives to expose more NAB League graduates and over-age players to senior football.
Ross, the brother of Eastern league champion Robbie, captained the Ranges last year, was the bulwark of their backline and finished third in their best and fairest.
He was also among the best players in their grand final loss to Oakleigh Chargers.
Ross was a priority for Hawks recruiting and list manager Chris Monaghan.
Defender Garner is the brother of Port Adelaide player Joel, and was a member of the Hawthorn Next Generation Academy. He was also in Eastern’s best in the under-18 decider.
Onballer Black, tall midfielder Zalac and key forward McCormack were also in the Ranges’ grand final team, having been home-and-away regulars.
Blanck, a tall, raw backman, had a back injury last year but played in an AFL Victoria Young Guns game and did well in defence.
Barzen, a 191cm forward, also had his injuries in 2019 and also played in the Young Guns series.
He first played for the Bushies in 2017.
Graham, who figured in the Chargers’ premiership, has impressed during the pre-season and is seen as having scope for sharp improvement given his sporting focus was on basketball until two years ago.
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Morwell pair Kuiy Jiath and Isaac Abas are other signings.
They played senior football last year under former VFA and Eastern league champion Denis Knight.
Jiath is the brother of emerging Hawthorn flanker Changkuoth. Big man Abas was a Hawthorn scholarship holder in 2017 and had a run with the Box Hill Hawk reserves.
Andy Wall (Wenthworth), Dylan Stone (Wangaratta Rovers) and Cody Howard (Coreen Daysdale Hopefield Buraja United) also come from country ranks.
The Hawks have strengthened their ruck division by snaffling former Dandenong Stingray and Sandringham Dragon Riley Bowman, and bolstered their backline with the acquisition of James Harrold from the WAFL.
Deledio, 32, and Otten, 30, will play in the VFL with the Hawks as part of their development coaching roles with Hawthorn, giving the team the benefit of 384 AFL matches and comfortably covering the experience lost with the departures of captain Andrew Moore (North Adelaide) and Luke Meadow (Williamstown).
The Hawks have gained two other players from AFL lists, both midfielders: Josh Deluca, the experienced WAFL player who was Carlton’s mid-season signing last year, and Trent Mynott, who had two seasons at Essendon after coming through Eastern Ranges.
Deluca, 23, made six appearances for Carlton, to go with four at Fremantle Dockers from 2015-17.
Mynott finished equal-third in the VFL Bombers’ best and fairest last year and, like Deluca, can be expected to push his claims for a second chance at AFL level.
Max Bailey is coaching Box Hill Hawks for a second season.