Fresh off a one-year contract extension, Senior Coach Justin Longmuir has named his first 23 players for the Club’s round one clash with Brisbane at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
The side is headlined by Nat Fyfe’s return to the midfield with the dual Brownlow medallist lining up alongside midfield stars Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong.
Luke Jackson has been given the nod to lead the team as the solo ruck, while Club debutant Jeremy Sharp has been named on the wing in place of the experienced Jaeger O’Meara, who is sidelined for medical reasons.
Oscar McDonald has been named at half back, while Brennan Cox has proved his fitness after a stress reaction in his fibula that disrupted his preseason. The 102-game player has been named on the bench.
Cox joins Bailey Banfield, Karl Worner, Neil Erasmus and Hayden Young on the five-man interchange, with one of them to be confirmed as the substitute an hour before bouncedown.
Speaking at the press conference on Thursday, Longmuir said the two Club debutants have earned their place in the team through consistent hard work.
“I’ve been rapt with the way they’ve gone about it (McDonald and Sharp),” Longmuir said.
“Whether it’s been in the gym or building relationships out on the track, neither of them have missed a session all preseason, and they will both play really important roles for us.”
Bouncedown for Sunday’s clash is 3.50pm WST with the game to be broadcast live on Channel 7 and Fox Footy, as well as streamed live on Kayo Sports.
TEAM v BRISBANE
B: James Aish, Alex Pearce, Jordan Clark
HB: Luke Ryan, Ethan Hughes, Oscar McDonald
C: Matthew Johnson, Nat Fyfe, Jeremy Sharp
HF: Tom Emmett, Josh Treacy, Michael Frederick
F: Sam Switkowski, Jye Amiss, Michael Walters
R/Fol: Luke Jackson, Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw
Interchange: Brennan Cox, Bailey Banfield, Karl Worner, Hayden Young, Neil Erasmus
Emergencies: Cooper Simpson, Will Brodie, Liam Reidy
Sharp eagerly awaiting Club debut
'I love this Club and I love my job': Longmuir
