Brett Deledio and Toby Greene will play their first games of the pre-season when the GIANTS take on the Swans in their final JLT Community Series hit-out at Blacktown International Sportspark on Friday night.
The duo’s return headlines a strong squad for the final pre-season match before round one begins for the GIANTS on March 25 at UNSW Canberra Oval.
“It’s obviously great to have Toby come in and he’ll play some limited game time, it’s his first hit-out of the year,” coach Leon Cameron said.
“Brett Deledio’s been training really well so he’ll get a great opportunity and he’ll be unrestricted.”
Greene - who this week signed a new six-year contract extension - is coming off a toe injury he suffered during the off-season, while veteran Deledio’s training load has been carefully managed across his 14th pre-season.
Cameron said he was looking forward to seeing which youngsters stood up as the battle for spots ahead of round one heats up.
“Some of those boys that really put their hand up last week, we’re really keen to have another good look at them,” he said.
“Jeremy Finlayson is starting to put some footy form together, Zac Langdon, Daniel Lloyd, Lachie Tiziani, it’s a great opportunity against a really strong team in the Swans. They’re in good form and we always have some good duels against them.
“Normally you’d say 19 or maybe 20 of those spots - provided those players do the right thing tomorrow - are probably locked in but there’s definitely two or three spots that we haven’t nailed down yet and it’s going to be really interesting.”
The GIANTS’ NEAFL team will play a practice match against the Swans ahead of the JLT Community Series game with plenty of familiar faces to feature in the curtain-raiser.
Ruckman Rory Lobb, who’s had an interrupted pre-season, will line up for his first game of the pre-season alongside defender Aidan Corr and draftee Aiden Bonar.
“Rory will manage his game time because he’s had an interrupted pre-season, a bit like Aidan Corr,” he said.
“He’ll get another opportunity next week when we have a small intraclub but he’ll keep building up and the challenge for him now is to get into some rhythm with his footy.”
Cameron is looking forward to a competitive hit-out at Blacktown on Friday night as his side counts down the days until round one.
“It’s not for four points but we always have really good clashes with the Swans and no doubt they’ll be looking for a really good hit-out to round out their campaign and we’re no different,” he said.
“It should be a good contest, both sides will be looking to put in place what they’ve practiced over the summer and hopefully walk away with everyone unscathed.”
The GIANTS take on the Swans at Blacktown International Sportspark on Friday at
JLT Community Series, Game Two
GIANTS v Swans
Blacktown International Sportspark
Friday, March 9 at
GIANTS SQUAD
FB: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Jeremy Finlayson
HB: Brett Deledio, Adam Tomlinson, Josh Kelly
C: Tim Taranto, Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield
HF: Sam Reid, Jeremy Cameron, Zac Langdon
FF: Matt de Boer, Jonny Patton, Harry Himmelberg
RR: Dawson Simpson, Stephen Coniglio, Dylan Shiel
Interchange: Nick Shipley, Nick Haynes, Jake Stein, Lachie Tiziani, Lachlan Keeffe, Toby Greene, Daniel Lloyd
Emergencies: Jack Buckley, Matt Flynn, Tim Mohr
