The GIANTS have added five new faces to an extended squad to travel to Perth for their clash with West Coast on Sunday.
Tim Mohr, Dawson Simpson, Isaac Cumming, Harry Himmelberg and Matthew Kennedy have been named on the bench and with two forced changes to be made to the 22 that beat Richmond last Saturday.
GIANTS coach Leon Cameron confirmed earlier on Thursday that Kennedy will be one of the two replacements for injured forwards Steve Johnson (Knee) and Rory Lobb (Groin).
“Matthew Kennedy will come back into the team, it’s a great opportunity for him to play more AFL football,” he said.
“Right now we feel as though all the guys we are bringing in are ready for AFL footy and it will be no different this week.”
Kennedy has been in fine form in the NEAFL, collecting 37 disposals and taking seven marks in the GIANTS Reserves one-point loss to Brisbane last Saturday.
The GIANTS will have to make one more change on Friday and if selected in the final 22, 18-year-old GIANTS Academy product Isaac Cumming would make his AFL debut.
The boy from Broken Hill, who was selected with pick 20 of the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, has been in strong form in the NEAFL playing off half back and through the midfield.
Dawson Simpson would also be playing his first game for the GIANTS if selected, and more importantly play his first AFL game in 685 days.
The 206cm ruckman, who joined the GIANTS as a free agent in 2015, played the last of his 28 games at Geelong in round 15, 2015.
A Tim Mohr call up would see the popular clubman play his first game since round nine last year, while fellow defender Harry Himmelberg could be recalled for his third game of the year if selected.
Himmelberg was omitted after the GIANTS’ nail biting three-point win over Collingwood in round eight, and Cameron believes he’d be a ready replacement if called up.
“He’s definitely right in the mix, he was probably stiff to go out but it was more of a balance thing last week,” Cameron said.
“Whether we bring him forward or play him down back it’s still a bit up in the air.
“Dawson Simpson’s put up his hand, we’re considering playing two big rucks with Mumford and him.
“We’ll finalise that by the end of the day tomorrow, but Dawson’s been in really good form and deserves to play AFL football again.”
GIANTS vs West Coast Eagles
Domain Stadium, Perth 2.40PM WST
FB Corr, Davis, Wilson
HB Shaw, Tomlinson, Williams
C de Boer, Kelly, Whitfield
HF Lloyd, Cameron, Ward
FF Ried, Patton, Taranto
RR Mumford, Shiel, Greene
INT Cumming, Perryman, Scully, Simpson, Mohr, Himmelberg, Kennedy
