- Two draftees to make debuts for Cats
- Ex-Giant misses out at Hawks
- Former Demons Mitch Clark and James Frawley both named
EXCITING Geelong draftee Nakia Cockatoo will make his debut for the Cats against Hawthorn on Monday, having been included in the side's final line up.
Cockatoo wowed the football world with his exploits during the NAB Challenge, particularly with his thrilling supergoal from a centre bounce against Adelaide.
Fellow draftee Cory Gregson will also play his first game after impressing coach Chris Scott with his training ethic.
Darcy Lang and Dawson Simpson were also named on the interchange bench, with Billie Smedts, Jordan Murdoch and George Horlin-Smith the emergencies.
Hawthorn will start the game with Matt Suckling, Jed Anderson, Jonathon Ceglar and Taylor Duryea on the bench.
Ex-Giant Jono O'Rourke was named as an emergency, along with Billy Hartung and Ryan Schoenmakers.
Adelaide veteran James Podsiadly and Fremantle midfielder Tendai Mzungu have been left out of their teams' season openers on Sunday.
Podsiadly makes way from a side which features plenty of tall timber in attack and should stretch North Melbourne's defence at the Adelaide Oval.
The Roos have left out key backman Lachie Hansen due to a lack of match fitness, but Joel Tippett gets his chance after bulking up 6kg over summer.
Robin Nahas has narrowly missed a spot after being upgraded from the rookie list this week, with young forward Kayne Turner preferred.
For the Crows, young midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen will play just the second match of his career, while former Hawks defender Kyle Cheney is also in the 22 for Phil Walsh's first game as coach.
Podsiadly, Mitch Grigg and Brodie Martin are the emergencies.
St Kilda upgraded Ahmed Saad, Adam Schneider and Jack Sinclair from the rookie list ahead of team selection for Sunday's Etihad Stadium clash with Greater Western Sydney, and all three were named in the 22-man squad.
Tom Hickey, Tom Curren and Tom Lee missed the cut.
Skipper Nick Riewoldt, who didn't play through the summer following the death of his sister, has been selected, as has running defender Shane Savage, who missed the entire pre-season competition with a hamstring strain.
For the first time entering a new season, there are no AFL first-gamers in the Giants' line-up, but experienced pair Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs) and Joel Patfull (Brisbane Lions) step straight into the side for their official debut in orange.
Freo coach Ross Lyon has chopped Mzungu due to a lack of match practice caused by a hamstring injury.
Dockers draftee Connor Blakely will have to wait a little longer to make his AFL debut, with the 19-year-old named as an emergency alongside Mzungu and Hayden Crozier.
Michael Barlow (ankle), Nick Suban (hamstring) and Paul Duffield (shoulder) have been picked after injury concerns, while Danyle Pearce will play his 50th game for the club against his former side, Port Adelaide.
The Power has included stars Chad Wingard (knee), Hamish Hartlett (groin) and Jackson Trengove (shoulder) for the trip west.
Despite some injury worries over pre-season, coach Ken Hinkley has nearly a full-strength side to pick from and has included recruit Paddy Ryder for his first game. Ryder was named as first ruck with Matthew Lobbe selected in the forward pocket.
Ryder didn't feature for the Power during the NAB Challenge while awaiting the outcome of the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal. Angus Monfries, who missed the pre-season competition for for the same reason, has been named on the bench.
Forward John Butcher, hard-running midfielder Kane Mitchell and Aaron Young have been dropped from the squad.
Reigning champs Hawthorn will unveil their 2014 premiership flag in the traditional Easter Monday clash against Geelong at the MCG. Free agent acquisition James Frawley steps straight into the backline while exciting midfielder Jed Anderson is on the expanded interchange bench, where he will be joined by former Giants No.2 draft pick, onballer Jonathan O'Rourke.
Experienced defender Grant Birchall hasn't recovered from a knee injury to play in time, while fellow premiership players David Hale and Matt Spangher have also not been named.
The Cats have named former Lions and Melbourne forward Mitch Clark for his first game and their squad also includes pacy draftees Nakia Cockatoo and Cory Gregson. Darcy Lang, who played one game last year coming off the bench as a sub, is also in line for a game.
See list of all the AFL debutants below
MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST
MCG, Saturday April 4, 1.40pm AEDT
Melbourne
NEW: Jesse Hogan (Claremont), Aaron vandenBerg (Ainslie), Angus Brayshaw (Sandringham U18)
Gold Coast
NEW: Touk Miller (Calder U18), Jarrod Garlett (South Fremantle), Adam Saad (Coburg VFL)
SYDNEY SWANS v ESSENDON
ANZ Stadium, Saturday April 4, 4.35pm AEDT
Sydney Swans
NEW: Isaac Heeney (Swans Academy)
Essendon
Nil
BRISBANE LIONS v COLLINGWOOD
Gabba, Saturday April 4, 6.20pm AEST
Brisbane Lions
NEW: Jaden McGrath (Bendigo U18)
Collingwood
NEW: Jordan De Goey (Oakleigh U18)
WESTERN BULLDOGS v WEST COAST
Etihad Stadium, Saturday April 4, 7.20pm AEDT
Western Bulldogs
Nil
West Coast
NEW: Tom Lamb (Dandenong U18), Jackson Nelson (Geelong U18)
ST KILDA v GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Etihad Stadium, Sunday April 5, 1.10pm AEST
St Kilda
NEW: Jack Lonie (Dandenong U18), Jack Sinclair (Oakleigh U18)
Greater Western Sydney
Nil
ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE
Adelaide Oval, Sunday April 5, 2.50pm ACST
Adelaide
Nil
North Melbourne
Nil
FREMANTLE v PORT ADELAIDE
Domain Stadium, Sunday April 5, 4.40pm AWST
Fremantle
Nil
Port Adelaide
Nil
HAWTHORN v GEELONG
MCG, Monday April 6, 3.20pm AEST
Hawthorn
Nil
Geelong
NEW: Nakia Cockatoo (NT Thunder), Cory Gregson (Glenelg)
