HDFNL - "I'll just get out there and have a crack and see how I go." - Guerra set for White Hills debut

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HIGH-PROFILE mid-season recruit Brent Guerra hopes to play the majority of games for the remainder of 2021 for White Hills, starting with Saturday's round nine Heathcote District league match against Huntly.

Dual Hawthorn premiership player Guerra is the latest addition to the star-studded Demons side after joining the club last week as it desperately strives to break a flag drought back to 1988.

Guerra, 39, played 255 AFL games between 2000 and 2013 where he was renowned for his lethal left foot, but it has been three years since he last pulled on the boots and, as such, expects to be somewhat rusty in his comeback match at Strauch Reserve.

"I'm working out at Sunbury and just went for a bit of a run to blow some cobwebs out at Sunbury oval and felt alright, which is good," Guerra said on Thursday morning.

"I haven't played a game since 2018 in the Amateurs in Perth, so it has been a while.

"I've been running every second or third day and was going to the gym every day before we got locked down, so I'm feeling alright, but I certainly won't be the Brent Guerra of 2012-13, that's for sure.

"I'll just get out there and have a crack and see how I go. I know I won't be able to last a full game, so, hopefully, there's no cap on the rotations in country footy."

Just like he did in Hawthorn's premiership teams of 2008 and 2013, Guerra is anticipating he'll most likely slot into the Demons' defence.

"I certainly won't be going through the midfield... I definitely know that. Most likely it will be down back, so we'll see how we go," Guerra said.

Guerra - originally from Koondrook - had hoped he could have made the trip up to White Hills on Thursday night for training, but with travel restrictions still having been in place then, he will meet the majority of his new team-mates for the first time on game-day.

With the addition of Guerra the Demons now have three former AFL players on their list, with coach Sam Kerridge (ex-Adelaide and Carlton, 69 games) and the competition's leading goalkicker, Jed Lamb (ex-Sydney, GWS Giants and Carlton, 66 games), both having joined the club in 2019.

Guerra's 255 AFL games took in stints with three clubs - Port Adelaide (65), St Kilda (31) and Hawthorn (159) - after he was drafted from the Bendigo Pioneers.

Guerra joins a White Hills side that is sitting second on the ladder with a 7-1 record.

"Through work commitments I don't think I'll be able to play every game from here, but I'd hope to play the majority depending on how the body pulls up from week to week," Guerra said.

"The first game on Saturday is obviously going to be the hardest in terms of conditioning, but you know the saying... I'll just take it week by week."

* Saturday's games - Elmore v Heathcote, LBU v North Bendigo, Huntly v White Hills, Mount Pleasant v Colbinabbin. Leitchville-Gunbower bye.

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