• Joel Selwood over hamstring injury
• Hamish McIntosh named for Cats debut
• James Podsiadly to face former teammates
Click here to see the teams for Thursday's night game
GEELONG captain Joel Selwood has been officially declared fit to play, named to take on Adelaide at Simonds Stadium on Thursday night.
Selwood suffered a light strain in his hamstring in the club's NAB Challenge match against Melbourne on February 28 in what was his first game back after foot surgery in late January.
The injury forced him to miss the Cats' last practice match with North Melbourne on March 7, but Geelong has always maintained its confidence that he would be fit for round one.
The Cats' skipper will be joined in the team by ruckman Hamish McIntosh, who is set to make his long-awaited debut in the blue and white hoops.
Geelong has opted to go with the pairing of McIntosh and Mark Blicavs while Dawson Simpson has been named as an emergency.
McIntosh last played an AFL game in round 7, 2012 for North Melbourne, with knee and Achilles injuries interrupting his Geelong career since.
Highly rated small forward Lincoln McCarthy has been given the nod in Jimmy Bartel's milestone 250th game.
Former Cat, turned Crow, James Podsiadly has been selected to take on his old side for the first time.
The veteran forward kicked 169 goals in 83 games for Geelong and will be relied upon to lead the Crows' forward line in the absence of Taylor Walker.
Brad Crouch has been passed fit to play for the Crows, while brother Matt and forward Josh Jenkins have been listed as emergencies.
In some ways, Thursday night's clash has turned into a survival of the fittest with both clubs missing a number of first-choice players.
Adelaide is without captain Nathan van Berlo (Achilles), Tom Lynch (shoulder), Richard Douglas (groin), Ricky Henderson (broken leg), Taylor Walker (knee), Andy Otten (knee) and Rory Laird (adductor).
The Cats are missing Steven Motlop (knee tendinitis), Allen Christensen (back), Nathan Vardy (knee), Daniel Menzel (knee), Shane Kersten (knee), (knee), George Burbury (jaw) and Billie Smedts (bone bruising).
