Ruck recruit Sam Jacobs and top-10 draftees Lachie Ash and Tom Green are set to play their first games in GIANTS colours when they take to Blacktown International Sportspark for the first Marsh Community Series match on Saturday.
Jacobs joined the GIANTS in last year’s Telstra AFL Trade Period, crossing from the Adelaide Crows. The 31-year old was originally selected by Carlton as a 2007 Rookie Draft selection and played 17 games for the Blues before moving to Adelaide where he became one of the league’s most dominant ruckmen.
During his 201-game career, Jacobs has been named in the Virgin Australia AFL All Australian squad three times (2012, 2014 and 2017) and kicked 48 goals.
Jacobs will be partnered in the ruck by second-year GIANT Kieren Briggs, who will play his first official pre-season game after strong NEAFL form last season.
Fellow ruck Shane Mumford will be rested for this game after playing big minutes in last week’s match simulation session against the Swans.
The GIANTS will also unveil pick four - Lachie Ash - and pick 10 - Tom Green - from last year’s NAB AFL Draft.
Ash possesses line-breaking speed and the ability to read the ball exceptionally well. Clean by foot, Ash is at home across half-back but can also play through the midfield.
Green is the latest GIANTS Academy graduate to join the GIANTS’ list and hails from Canberra. A big-bodied midfielder, Green is an outstanding prospect with clean hands and great vision.
GIANTS fans will also get to see another second-year for the first time in the pre-season competition with tough midfielder Xavier O’Halloran to get his first taste of senior action after missing the first half of last year with a knee injury.
Missing from the side will be the club’s six representatives in the AFL’s State of Origin for bushfire relief match, which will take place at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
Jeremy Cameron, Lachie Whitfield, Josh Kelly, Toby Greene and Nick Haynes will line up for Victoria while Stephen Coniglio will represent the All Stars.
The GIANTS stars will miss Saturday’s first Marsh match before returning to the GIANTS’ side for their final pre-season hit out in Wagga Wagga the following week.
With new captain Coniglio on State of Origin duties alongside leadership group members Kelly, Cameron, Greene and Whitfield, Matt de Boer will captain the side in Saturday’s match.
Stoppages coach Amon Buchanan will take the head coaching reins for this week’s game and go head-to-head with Premiership teammate Brett Kirk, who will coach the Swans.
Marsh Community Series Round One
GIANTS v Swans
Saturday, February 29 at 4:10pm
Blacktown International Sportspark, Rooty Hill
FB: Matt Buntine, Phil Davis, Sam Taylor
HB: Sam Reid, Aidan Corr, Adam Kennedy
C: Lachie Ash, Jacob Hopper, Isaac Cumming
HF: Jackson Hately, Kieren Briggs, Matt de Boer
FF: Brent Daniels, Harry Himmelberg, Zac Langdon
RR: Sam Jacobs, Tim Taranto, Jye Caldwell
Interchange: Daniel Lloyd, Bobby Hill, Xavier O’Halloran, Nick Shipley, Harry Perryman, Tom Green, Jeremy Finlayson, Heath Shaw
Emergencies: Tom Hutchesson, Jake Riccardi, Zach Sproule, Connor Idun
