FIRST-YEAR Hawk Daniel Howe has earned his second opportunity at AFL level through consistent VFL form, says Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
The 19-year-old, who the Hawks drafted with pick 31 in last year’s AFL draft, made his debut as the substitute against Gold Coast Suns in Round 9.
It was a one-off appearance – but the utility has now done the hard work to demand a recall.
“He’s played terrific footy at Box Hill all season really,” Clarkson said of Howe.
“He got a chance earlier in the year… and he went out of the side the following week because one of our more senior players came back into the side.
"It's just sheer good performance over a long, long period of time gives him his opportunity this week.”
Howe effectively comes into the side for small defender Taylor Duryea, who Clarkson said would benefit from game time at Box Hill.
"Taylor Duryea's been a little bit handicapped over the last couple of weeks with a couple of injuries and not having enough game time,” Clarkson said.
“We really just need to get him some game time in the Box Hill side and hopefully he’ll come back into contention in a short frame of time."
Duryea will be joined at Box Hill by swingman Ryan Schoenmakers, who Clarkson said was omitted partly due to form and partly due to match-ups against Geelong.
He said Schoenmakers has been “pretty valuable” over the past eight to 10 weeks and would benefit from playing for Box Hill.
