WAFL premiership star Josh Deluca signs with VFL club Box Hill for 2020

Nathan SchmookThe West Australian
Camera IconJosh Deluca played six games for Carlton after being picked up in the mid-season draft. Credit: AFL Photos

Former Fremantle and Carlton midfielder Josh Deluca has signed with Hawthorn VFL affiliate Box Hill for 2020, where he will aim to earn a third AFL chance.

Deluca attracted interest from several VFL clubs after being cut suddenly by Carlton in October after half a season on the Blues’ list.

A premiership player with WAFL clubs Subiaco and Peel Thunder, the 23-year-old decided not to return to Perth and represents a recruiting coup for Box Hill.

Despite equalisation measures imposed on Subiaco by the WAFL, the Lions would have been able to re-list their premiership midfielder, who was taken from them during the AFL’s 2019 mid-season draft.

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“He is such a talented player with a fantastic work rate, and his AFL experience will be invaluable for our playing group,” Box Hill football manager Daniel Napoli said.

“He’s a tough competitor with great speed and versatility.”

After winning the 2014 WAFL premiership with Subiaco, Deluca was drafted by Fremantle with pick No.68 in the national draft.

He finally debuted in 2017 after being delisted and re-rookied twice in three seasons, playing four senior games before being delisted at the end of 2017.

Camera IconSubiaco footballer Josh Deluca at Leederville Oval after being picked up by Carlton in the mid-season draft. Credit: The West Australian

A premiership player with the Dockers’ WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder in 2016 and 2017, he returned to Subiaco in 2018 and won his fourth premiership before the Blues came calling this year.

Recruited with the first pick in the mid-season draft, Deluca said he had been assured his stint at the Blues would last more than half a season.

“It’s a big move just for six months, and I’m not really keen on a six-month gig, and they were pretty reassuring that it wouldn’t be,” he told SEN this month.

“I was pretty flat to hear when that result came back and circumstances had changed.”

He said he had “100 per cent” thought the Blues would keep him for the 2020 season and was “pretty devastated and shocked” to be cut so soon.

“I would have loved the opportunity just to get a pre-season in and really have a good crack at it next year, even if that did look like a (one-) year contract.

“I was pretty flat to hear the news.”

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