The Sunday AFL teams have been finalised.
As expected, the Crows have named recruit Izak Rankine and father-son draftee Max Michalanney for their first games. Rory Sloane will also be like a new recruit in Adelaide’s side, being named after an ACL injury derailed most of his 2023 season.
The Giants have a good news story of their own however, naming Brett Daniels on the bench. The small forward last played in Round 21, 2021 and was battling another hamstring complaint in the pre-season.
As revealed earlier on Friday, Peter Wright will miss for Essendon against Hawthorn after suffering a dislocated shoulder at training.
Sam Weideman will take the key forward duties in his absence in the former Demon’s first game for Essendon. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has been named as an emergency, with Alwyn Davey jnr instead getting a look in for his debut.
In a further twist, mid-season draftee Massimo D’Ambrosio has been left out of Brad Scott’s best 22, instead finding himself an emergency.
Jack Scrimshaw and Conor Nash have been named as emergencies for Hawthorn, perhaps the club’s biggest selection surprises.
For the round’s final game, Mattaes Phillipou and Anthony Caminiti have both been selected to debut off the back of strong pre-seasons. Zaine Cordy and Liam Stocker also make their club debuts, while Marcus Windhager has curiously been named as an emergency.
Tom Campbell is also not in Ross Lyon’s 22, meaning Rowan Marshall will ruck solo.
Jaeger O’Meara and Luke Jackson will make their Fremantle debuts in the final game.