World Footy News

5pm update - Kurt is now named as Emergency for Sundays game and not in the selected 22.

Hawthorn has included midfielder Will Langford, key forward Tim O’Brien and Kiwi defender Kurt Heatherley in an extended squad to face Richmond on Sunday.

All three have been named on the bench in the Hawks’ 25-man squad.

Heatherley continued his push for a senior debut last week racking up 17 disposals, eight marks and five rebound 50s for Box Hill.
Hawthorn will finalise its side tomorrow afternoon ahead of Sunday’s clash at the MCG, which will be Sam Mitchell’s 300th AFL game.
 

If he makes the final 22 for Sunday’s game he will be the first player to learn the game as a junior outside Australia and come through the development pathway to play in the AFL. A number of others from PNG have made it to AFL clubs as International Scholarship players and Gideon Simon was an International Rookie at Richmond but Heatherley would be the first to debut in the AFL.

He will also be the first born and bred New Zealander (and South Pacific representative) to achieve this feat.

Heatherley has put together two and a half solid seasons in the VFL as a defender and more recently as a key defender. The 193cm backman was elevated to the club’s senior list in 2015 after being selected as an International Rookie in 2013. He finished third in Box Hill's best and fairest last year.