FORMER Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen will make his long-awaited return to Greater Western Sydney's midfield in Thursday night's JLT Community Series match-up with Collingwood.
Griffen hasn't played for the Giants' senior team since round three last year, having missed the rest of the season with a persistent ankle injury.
The 31-year-old was close to returning for the Giants' finals campaign, but will enter their 2018 campaign in better shape by featuring in their first pre-season contest.
He is out of contract at the end of this season.
JLT Community Series: When's your team playing?
Josh Kelly, Jeremy Cameron, Callan Ward and Stephen Coniglio are among the high-profile Giants to take on the Pies at UNSW Canberra Oval.
The Pies will be without big names Adam Treloar, Jamie Elliott, Jeremy Howe, Daniel Wells and Darcy Moore, but will be blooding first-round draft pick Jaidyn Stephenson after he showed some exciting signs in the recent AFLX competition.
Rookies Brodie Mihocek and Flynn Appleby have also been named for the Pies in defence, while captain Scott Pendlebury will play in the clash.
Banished youngster Jordan De Goey is unavailable for selection despite playing in the club's intraclub hit-out last week.
Thursday, March 1
Greater Western Sydney v Collingwood at UNSW Oval, 7.10pm
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
B: H.Perryman 36, P.Davis 1, J.Finlayson 31
HB: T.Mohr 39, A.Tomlinson 20, H.Shaw 23
C: L.Whitfield 6, C.Ward 8, J.Kelly 22
HF: S.Reid 50, J.Cameron 18, D.Shiel 5
F: M.de Boer 24, J.Patton 12, H.Himmelberg 27
Foll: D.Simpson 26, S.Coniglio 3, R.Griffen 32
I/C: N.Shipley 34, T.Taranto 14, Z.Langdon 17, L.Tiziani 33, L.Keeffe 25, M.Flynn 30, D.Lloyd 38
Emerg: J.Stein 42, J.Buckley 41, D.Buckley 43
Notable absentees: Toby Greene, Rory Lobb, Brett Deledio, Tom Scully, Jacob Hopper, Zac Williams, Nick Haynes, Will Setterfield, Aidan Corr, Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy
COLLINGWOOD
B: L.Dunn 15, B.Mihocek 41, F.Appleby 31
HB: J.Crisp 25, A.Oxley 43, T.Langdon 8
C: J.Smith 40, T.Adams 13, J.Aish 14
HF: T.Varcoe 18, C.Mayne 16, T.Broomhead 29
F: C.Brown 17, M.Cox 46, B.Maynard 37
Foll: B.Grundy 4, S.Pendlebury 10, S.Sidebottom 22
I/C: J.Blair 11, J.Stephenson 35, J.Thomas 24, T.Goldsack 6, W.Hoskin-Elliott 32, S.McLarty 23, B Reid 20, T.Phillips 21
Emerg: S.Murray 9, B.Crocker 39, J.Daicos 26, M.Scharenberg 12
Notable absentees: Daniel Wells, Adam Treloar, Jamie Elliott, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe, Jordan De Goey, Alex Fasolo, Levi Greenwood
Wednesday, February 28
Carlton v St Kilda at Ikon Park, 7.10pm AEST
CARLTON
B: L.Plowman 20, L.Jones 14, C.Marchbank 22
HB: K.Simpson 6, J.Weitering 23, C.Byrne 38
C: A.Mullett 18, P.Cripps 9, D.Thomas 39
HF: D.Cuningham 28, C.Curnow 30, J.Garlett 21
F: M.Wright 46, H.McKay 10, L.Casboult 41
Foll: M.Kreuzer 8, M.Murphy 3, P.Dow 2
I/C: J.Lamb 13, M.Kennedy 7, L.O'Brien 4, J.Silvagni 1, S.Petrevski-Seton 5, J.Pickett 33, E.Curnow 35, Z.Fisher 25
Emerg: T.Williamson 31, C.Polson 29, C.O'Shea 24, M.Lobbe 27
Notable absentees: Darcy Lang, Sam Docherty, Sam Rowe, Sam Kerridge
ST KILDA
B: J.Geary 14, N.Brown 22, D.Roberton 17
HB: J.Webster 29, J.Carlisle 2, S.Savage 5
C: J.Newnes 16, D.Armitage 20, J.Sinclair 35
HF: B.Long 21, P.McCartin 32, N.Wright 34
F: J.Gresham 4 , T.Membrey 28, M.Weller 44
Foll: B.Longer 18, S.Ross 6, J.Steven 3
I/C: L.Dunstan 7, B.Acres 8, J.Steele 9, H.Clark 11, J.Lonie 13, S.Gilbert 19, N.Coffield 33, R.Marshall 43
Emerg: K.Stevens 25, B.White 31, L Austin 24, B.Rice 37
Notable absentees: Jack Billings, Tom Hickey, Josh Bruce, Nathan Freeman, Josh Battle, Hugh Goddard
