NORTH Melbourne young gun Jason Horne-Francis will play his first pre-season game for the Kangaroos on Thursday after being named in the 26-man squad alongside the other four players the club recruited in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft.
But Horne-Francis and his new Roos teammates will come up against the reigning premiers at nearly full strength after Melbourne named 19 of its premiership 23 for the practice match on Thursday.
While all eyes will be on the No.1 pick at Casey Fields, Kangaroos coach David Noble will also take a close look at second-round picks Josh Goater, Paul Curtis and Miller Bergman, as well father-son recruit Jackson Archer – the son of North's Shinboner of the Century, Glenn Archer.
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New recruit Callum Coleman-Jones has been named as he looks to ignite an AFL career that was starved by opportunity at Richmond, while former Greater Western Sydney defender Aidan Corr will aim to put an injury-plagued first season at Arden Street behind him when he faces the reigning premiers at their training base in Cranbourne.
North Melbourne midfielders Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke won’t play due to illness, but are expected to be fit for the AAMI Community Series game.
Melbourne key defender Adam Tomlinson will return for his first game since rupturing his ACL in round seven last year, as he looks to reclaim the spot taken by teammate Harrison Petty last year.
The Demons have included most of their flag team in their 26-man squad, including Therabody AFL All-Australians Christian Petracca, Steven May, Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver. Jake Lever, Jack Viney and six-goal Grand Final hero Bayley Fritsch won't play, while Petty recovers from surgery on a badly corked calf.
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After falling out of favour last year and only managing five senior games, young key forward Sam Weideman has been named for Simon Goodwin's side, alongside Ben Brown and Tom McDonald in attack.
Injury-ravaged Saint Jade Gresham will continue his preparations for a round one return when St Kilda faces Carlton at Princes Park.
With Rowan Marshall, Dan Hannebery, Paddy Ryder and Jarryn Geary all missing, Gresham will increase his minutes after playing in last Thursday night's intra-club, after rupturing his Achilles tendon in round three last year.
St Kilda will take a closer look at train-on duo Jarrod Lienert and Jack Hayes ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection deadline on March 9. Hayes is expected to earn a contract, while former Port defender Lienert is in the box seat for the other spot, ahead of ex-Tiger Patrick Naish.
New Carlton midfield acquisitions Adam Cerra and George Hewett will wear the navy blue for the first time on Thursday after arriving at Princes Park in October.
The Blues will be without Sam Walsh and Harry McKay for the first hit-out against opposition for the pre-season.
But with Liam Jones' spot in the back six up for grabs, new Carlton coach Michael Voss will take a close look at Oscar McDonald and Mitch McGovern in repurposed defensive roles.
Thursday, February 24
Carlton v St Kilda at Ikon Park, 10am AEDT
CARLTON
1. Jack Silvagni, 2. Paddy Dow, 4. Lochie O'Brien, 5. Adam Cerra, 6. Zac Williams, 7. Matthew Kennedy, 8. Lachie Fogarty, 9. Patrick Cripps, 11. Mitch McGovern, 17. Brodie Kemp, 19. Corey Durdin, 23. Jacob Weitering, 24. Nic Newman, 25. Zac Fisher, 27. Marc Pittonet, 29. George Hewett, 30. Charlie Curnow, 31. Thomas Williamson, 32. Jack Newnes, 34. Sam Philp, 37. Jordan Boyd, 39. Oscar McDonald, 42. Adam Saad, 43. Will Setterfield, 44. Matthew Owies, 45. Alex Mirkov
Notable absentees: Harry McKay, Tom De Koning, Liam Stocker, Sam Docherty, Sam Walsh, Jack Martin, Caleb Marchbank, Lewis Young, Ed Curnow
ST KILDA
3. Zak Jones, 4. Jade Gresham, 5. Brad Crouch, 6. Seb Ross, 8. Brad Hill, 9. Jack Steele, 11. Hunter Clark, 12. Max King, 13. Ryan Byrnes, 15. Jack Billings, 16. Dan Butler, 21. Ben Long, 22. Jack Higgins, 26. Josh Battle, 28. Tim Membrey, 29. Jimmy Webster, 31. Jarrod Lienert, 32. Mason Wood, 33. Ben Paton, 35. Jack Sinclair, 36. Dan McKenzie, 38. Tom Campbell, 39. Darragh Joyce, 43. Cooper Sharman, 44. Callum Wilkie, 47. Jack Hayes
Notable absentees: Nick Coffield, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Dan Hannebery, Jarryn Geary, Paddy Ryder, Rowan Marshall, Dougal Howard
Melbourne v North Melbourne at Casey Fields, 11am AEDT
MELBOURNE
1. Steven May, 3. Christian Salem, 4. James Harmes, 5. Christian Petracca, 6. Luke Jackson, 9. Charlie Spargo, 10. Angus Brayshaw, 11. Max Gawn, 12. Toby Bedford, 13. Clayton Oliver, 14. Michael Hibberd, 15. Ed Langdon, 17. Jake Bowey, 20. Adam Tomlinson, 23. James Jordon, 24. Trent Rivers, 25. Tom McDonald, 26. Sam Weideman, 29. Jayden Hunt, 30. Alex Neal-Bullen, 32. Tom Sparrow, 33. Oskar Baker, 36. Kysaiah Pickett, 37. Kade Chandler, 38. Mitch Brown, 42. Daniel Turner, 44. Joel Smith, 50. Ben Brown
Notable absentees: Jack Viney, Jake Lever, Jake Melksham, Luke Dunstan, Bayley Fritsch, Harrison Petty
NORTH MELBOURNE
1. Jack Mahony, 2. Jaidyn Stephenson, 4. Aiden Corr, 5. Curtis Taylor, 6. Jason Horne-Francis, 7. Jack Ziebell, 8. Bailey Scott, 13. Jared Polec, 15. Atu Bosenavulagi, 17. Lachie Young, 18. Hugh Greenwood, 19. Josh Walker, 20. Nick Larkey, 21. Callum Coleman-Jones, 22. Todd Goldstein, 23. Ben McKay, 24. Tom Powell, 25. Paul Curtis, 26. Tarryn Thomas, 27. Miller Bergman, 28. Kayne Turner, 29. Will Phillips, 31. Josh Goater, 32. Jacob Edwards, 33. Patrick Walker, 34. Jackson Archer, 35. Charlie Lazzaro, 37. Kyron Hayden, 40. Eddie Ford, 44. Cam Zurhaar
Notable absentees: Jed Anderson, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Ben Cunnington, Luke McDonald, Jy Simpkin, Aiden Bonar, Charlie Comben, Tristan Xerri, Aaron Hall