The Northern Blues face the most difficult test in the competition on Saturday, when they host the Box Hill Hawks at Preston City Oval.

In the Blues' final home game of the season, they will face a visit from the ladder leaders who will be looking to all but consolidate top spot on the table.

The Hawks have lost just the three games this season, having won their last three comfortably after a slip-up against Werribee in Round 15.

After appearing in the AFL side for their better part of two months, Nick Holman returns to the Northern line-up along with Clem Smith, who have both been dropped from Carlton.

Jason Tutt and Troy Menzel come out of the team who lost to Sandringham last weekend, with the Carlton-listed contingent sitting at 10 against the Hawks.

After playing his scheduled fortnight for the Northern Blues in the VFL, Bailey Rice comes out of the squad following two impressive games, while Paul Dirago will also miss.

After struggling to curtail Tim Membrey last week on his way to five goals, the Blues will have their work cut out for them against the three-pronged attack of Sam Grimley, Tim O’Brien and James Sicily.

Grimley poses a particular threat for the Blues, having been the most prolific goal-kicker in the VFL with 39 goals from 16 games.

Hawthorn AFL premiership player Will Langford has been named to play for Box Hill, as has Jonathan Simpkin: the winner of the 2013 Norm Goss Memorial Medal for best afield in the Grand Final.

Simpkin has been one of the Hawk’s prime movers this year, being named 10 times in his side’s best players from his coaches this season.

The Hawks’ ladder position has come about from having the most miserly defence in the league, conceding the least amount of points in the competition (1027 points conceded from 16 games).

Liam Jones, Matthew Watson and Blaine Johnson will have their work cut out for them as a result, with any chance of an upset victory resting on their work up forward.

Jones is expected to assist Cameron Wood at times in the ruck, who will be pitted against Hawks ruckman Marc Pittonet in his second VFL game of the year.

After a good spell in the Development League, reliable defender Chris McCabe has been named to play his VFL debut against the toughest of opposition.

The Blues will again have a youthful feel to their side, with Jones and acting captain Tom Wilson again providing the experience this weekend.

Chris Yarran will again look to give the Blues drive off half back after again being named in the VFL side, as will Jack Johnston who was named as his side’s best player in the loss to the Zebras.

In Development, Cameron Giles will continue his return from a long injury layoff with increased game time against the undefeated Hawks.

After being sidelined with a navicular injury for 16 months, Giles made a successful return last weekend in the Development League. Carlton rookie Fraser Russell has also been named.

The VFL game will commence from Preston City Oval at 2pm, while the Development game kicks off from 11am.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Blaine Johnson: Fresh off the back of four goals last week against the Zebras, Blaine Johnson will have to make the most of what is sure to be limited opportunity on Saturday afternoon. Second only to Matthew Watson in the club’s goal-kicking, Johnson has hit the scoreboard in all but one VFL game this season. Johnson could yet be opposed to Box Hill’s premiership captain David Mirra.

Tom Fields: Having taken the mantle of the Blues’ number one defender all year, Carlton rookie Tom Fields will look to get the first job on danger man Sam Grimley. Known primarily for his booming left foot kick, Fields has also shown a tendency to quell the influence of his direct opponent at VFL level: his task doesn’t get much bigger against the competition’s in-form forward.

Nick Holman: After leading the competition in tackles before being called into the AFL side for an extended run, Holman returns to the Northern Blues for the first time in two months. One of the side’s better-performed players before his promotion, Holman could reprise his role as a tagger against Jonathan O’Rourke or Jed Anderson, who have both been named for Box Hill. Alongside Brad Walsh, Holman will have a big role to play in getting the Blues first use out of the middle.