Matt Maguire and Luke Power are set to play their first matches of 2011 after being included in the Brisbane Lions’ side that will face the Western Bulldogs this Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
Both players return after minor injuries kept them sidelined for the team’s season opener against the Dockers. Power has recovered from a sore back while Maguire looks ready to resume his post in defence following a quad strain.
Maguire and Power come in to replace injured duo Jonathan Brown (face) and Brent Staker (knee) with Jared Polec, Tom Collier and Broc McCauley listed as the team’s three emergencies.
Polec and McCauley will now have to wait at least another week before making their senior AFL debuts. Polec - the Club’s first round pick in the 2010 NAB AFL National Draft - has impressed the coaching staff with his efforts with the Lions Reserves recently while rookie ruckman McCauley was only recently elevated to the senior list in place of Callum Bartlett who was moved onto the long term injury list.
Last week’s debutants Rohan Bewick, Ryan Lester and Claye Beams have all retained their positions in the senior side for another week and will line up for their second AFL games this Sunday.
Lester and Bewick have been named at forward and half-forward respectively, with Beams occupying one of four spots on the interchange bench.
Beams was passed fit to play after receiving a heavy knock to his hip during the second quarter of last week’s match.
The Lions midfield remains the same as Round 1, with veteran superstar Simon Black lining up alongside young guns Tom Rockliff, Jack Redden, Daniel Rich and Matthew Leuenberger in the middle.
The squad also includes fellow regular faces James Polkinghorne, Todd Banfield and Daniel Rich.
Joel Patfull, who played his 100th game for the Lions last week against Fremantle, has been named at full-forward in the absence of skipper Jonathan Brown, with Mitch Clark positioned at centre half-forward.
The final Lions team for Round 2 is as follows:
B: Jed Adcock (7), Daniel Merrett (21), Pearce Hanley (11)
HB: Cheynee Stiller (32), Matt Maguire (36), Ash McGrath (9)
C: Jack Redden (30), Simon Black (20), Tom Rockliff (38)
HF: Todd Banfield (18), Mitchell Clark (1), Rohan Bewick (43)
F: Ryan Lester (35), Joel Patfull (24), James Polkinghorne (31)
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger (23), Andrew Raines (29), Daniel Rich (10)
Int: Claye Beams (17), Jesse O’Brien (34), Amon Buchanan (33), Luke Power (6)
Emerg: Jared Polec (4), Tom Collier (22), Broc McCauley (46)
IN: Luke Power, Matt Maguire
OUT: Jonathan Brown (face), Brent Staker (knee)
