The Cats have included former West Coast forward David Haynes and ex-Hawthorn ruckman David Loats, who has become an important player now that the club has lost skipper Steven King for at least 8-10 weeks with an achilles injury.
Geelong’s first selection in the 2003 National AFL Draft, Kane Tenace, will make his debut, along with 22-year-old Tasmanian Cameron Thurley, who impressed in the Cats’ intra-club clash last week.
Promising forward Tom Lonergan and rookie-list midfielder Shannon Byrnes will also play their first senior game for the Cats.
Josh Hunt, who played just two games last season before missing 15 weeks with a shin injury in 2003, will also return to the side.
Port Adelaide has named nine new players – including former Collingwood and Western Bulldogs utility Josh Mahoney – who will make their debut against Geelong.
Mahoney, 26, has not played AFL football since the Western Bulldogs’ second elimination final loss against the Brisbane Lions in 2000. He played 30 AFL games from 1997-00 after stints with Collingwood and the Bulldogs.
Former Essendon defender/midfielder Rob Forster-Knight will also make his debut for the Power after being delisted by the Bombers at the end of the 2003 season.
Port Adelaide has included each of its seven new senior listed players in the squad, which includes youngsters Troy Chaplin, Brad Symes, Luke Peel, Michael Pettigrew and Jacob Surjan.
Damon White, who was selected in the 2001 National AFL Draft and Stephen Gilham, who was claimed the following year in the corresponding meeting, have also been included.
Port Adelaide squad: Matthew Primus, Brett Montgomery, Gavin Wanganeen, Brendon Lade, Peter Burgoyne, Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Carr, Cain Ackland, Chris Hall, Rob Forster-Knight, Warren Tredrea, Kane Cornes, Matthew Bishop, Michael Wilson, Josh Mahoney, Brad Symes, Damon White, Domenic Cassisi, Stuart Cochrane, Jared Poulton, Adam Kingsley, Troy Chaplin, Steven Salopek, Stephen Gilham, Luke Peel, Chad Cornes, Michael Pettigrew and Jacob Surjan.
Geelong squad: Tom Harley, James Bartel, David Spriggs, Ben Graham, David Haynes, James Kelly, Kane Tenace, Joel Corey, Tom Lonergan, Cameron Thurley, Peter Riccardi, Ken Kingsley, David Loats, Cameron Mooney, Henry Playfair, Matthew McCarthy, Brenton Sanderson, David Johnson, Matthew Scarlett, Paul Chambers, Brent Moloney, Jared Rooke, James Rahilly, Darren Milburn, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright, Cameron Ling and Shannon Byrnes.
