Maric, who played 157 AFL games, will take to the field for the Hawks on Saturday in their round 13 clash against Hawkesdale-Macarthur.

It is set to be a massive day for the club, with former Tatyoon and current Richmond footballer David Astbury to run a clinic for the under-12 footballers in the morning before Maric’s country football debut.

The club will also celebrate 20 years since its 1998 premiership this weekend.

Tatyoon president Max Vallance said there is “great excitement” about Saturday.

“Everyone is really looking forward to it, it should be a fantastic day,” he said.

“As far as I know we also have all the players from the 1998 premiership side coming down on the day to.”

Vallance said Astbury, who hails from Tatyoon, may bring some Richmond teammates with him to the game to watch the current Tigers ruck coach run around for the Hawks.

Richmond play their match this weekend on Friday night.

Tatyoon coach Simon Brearley said Maric’s inclusion will be boost for his players, in particular ruckman Geoff Jolly.

“We will play him (Maric) in a few positions so he gets a bit of a go all around the ground and we aren’t just purely using him in the ruck,” he said.

“Geoff Jolly, who has done a great job in the ruck for us all year, will take a lot out of it I think. Being Richmond’s ruck coach, he (Maric) should have plenty of pointers for a lot of our guys.”

Despite the fanfare of Maric’s inclusion, there is still a match of football to be played between the Hawks and the Eagles for four premiership points.

The Eagles have won just three games this season but Brearley said he believes the side is more competitive than their record shows.

“They have been competitive against some of the better sides and I think they are a lot better than their ladder position suggests,” he said.

“We still have to play our best footy over four quarters and make sure the game is played on our terms.”

The Hawks go into the match off the back of their biggest win of the season, having demolished Ararat Eagles last weekend.

Brearley said the best thing to come out of that match was the percentage boost.

“It was our biggest win but I don’t think it was our best,” he said.

“Hopefully we come out on Saturday with the same desire to score and impact the contest as we did last week.”