Richmond midfielder Charlie Thompson played six games at State level last season.

“It would be very good for us (if he can play up to nine games),” Hawks’ football operations manager Barry Sullivan said.

“He’s only 19 and he’s still got aspirations of being drafted and playing in the AFL.

“Hopefully under (first-year coach) Daryn (Cresswell) he gets a bit more exposure and he’ll have a good combination of Richmond VFL and ourselves.”

Thompson shares a link to Wangaratta as his cousin Darren Steele was a product of the city, prior to a 137-game career with North Melbourne and Geelong.

“He’s got really good endurance and he’s got a few things that he’s working on so he can catch of the eye of AFL recruiters and there has been some clubs seriously looking at him,” Sullivan said.

“We hope we can help with his ambitions and he can play some good footy and enjoy it as well with us.

“We also hope he can set the standard with our group, which is also a developing group.”

Rovers have been one of the league’s most active clubs in the off-season, particularly with profile players.

Max Spencer is the only player signed straight from an AFL list after five games with the Gold Coast Suns over the past two years.

He’s also set to play VFL and use the Hawks as his second base, so the biggest query hanging over the club will be how much time they get with the ‘name’ recruits.

Former Wodonga Raider Tom McCaffrey will also play at State level for Casey Demons, so the Hawks will be sweating on his availability.

The Hawks are coming off their first winless wooden spoon, but Cresswell showed in his four years at Raiders, he can quickly lift a club.

Raiders finished second bottom, with only three wins, prior to Cresswell’s arrival and they proceeded to play finals every time during his four-year stint.

The VFL draw hasn’t been released.