MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 21: Callum Brown of Collingwood gathers the ball during the match between the AFL Academy and Collingwood Magpies at Skybus Stadium on May 21, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

Ex-Magpie Callum Brown has linked up with VFL outfit Box Hill for the 2023 season after the 24-year-old failed to find an AFL lifeline during the off-season.

The shift comes after Brown's stay at the AIA Centre came to a close in September following six seasons and 70 games in black-and-white bars.

The son of 1990 premiership hero Gavin Brown stated that he had been blindsided by the club's choice to cull him, despite only featuring under Craig McRae on six occasions.

“I went into (the exit meeting) completely blind,” the second-gen Pie divulged.

“My manager had spoken to ‘Wrighty' (Collingwood footy boss Graham Wright) for a while before and they were still sort of umming and ahhing.

“We hadn't really got an answer yet. I walked in, and they just straight up got told I wouldn't be offered another contract.”

Though he and his younger brother, Tyler, had been shopped to clubs during the off-season, Brown will return to familiar terrain in 2023, with the Eastern Ranges product set to make Box Hill City Oval home again.

The Hawks announced via social media on Friday that they had got their man, with Brown claiming that the choice to trade black and white for brown and gold had been an easy one.

"I had a few offers but Box Hill stood out," Brown told Box Hill's media team.

"I spoke to 'Collo' (Andy Collins) and Zane (Littlejohn) and they were really keen to have me which made it an easy call."

Brown featured at VFL level on 13 occasions throughout 2022, averaging 26.3 touches and 5.5 tackles per week.

The midfielder will be joined on Middleborough Road by fellow father-son delistee Patrick Naish after the Hawks swooped on the ex-Tiger and Eagle earlier in the week.

Box Hill finished the 2022 VFL season in 8th position, seeing their season conclude during the first week of finals after being bested by Gold Coast at Carrara.