Versatile tall Aidan Corr will make his long-awaited return from injury as a forward from Albury gets set to play his first AFL game.
The GIANTS have finalised their 22 to take on the Western Bulldogs at GIANTS Stadium on Sunday with Corr and debutant Zach Sproule joining Josh Kelly, Matt de Boer and Harry Himmelberg in the team.
GIANTS coach Leon Cameron welcomed the return of Kelly and de Boer.
“There’s no doubt they’ll bolster our midfield and it’s good to have them back in the team,” he said.
“They’re in our leadership group and having them back is fantastic. Their leadership is no doubt an area we really want them to pick up where they left off before they were injured.”
Corr will return for his first game since round seven after persistent calf injuries affected his season. Cameron is looking forward to the 25-year-old – who has played 77 AFL games – providing flexibility to his side.
“We’re playing him off a long spell but he’s had a really good couple of weeks of training,” Cameron said.
“We feel as though he can come in and have an impact with his flexibility at both ends of the ground.”
Third-year GIANT Zach Sproule will make his long-awaited AFL debut on Sunday on his home turf, with the announcement of the debutant met with rapturous scenes.
A graduate from the GIANTS Academy in southern NSW, the 21-year-old has kicked 26 goals in 11 NEAFL games this season.
“He’s a really hard-working high-forward, he’s got a big work rate and he knows how to find a goal,” Cameron said.
“He’s really popular amongst the group, it’s fantastic he’s got his opportunity. He’s been here for three years and he’s had to work extremely hard to get his opportunity and he’ll be one of our key forwards in our forward line this weekend.”
Sproule joined the Academy as a 13-year-old and, at the same age, ran out with the GIANTS as the team’s junior mascot during a pre-season game in his home town.
Standing at 197cm, Sproule replaces Coleman Medal leader Jeremy Cameron (hamstring) in the forward line.
“We could have really pushed it but in the end we’ve decided we needed to take the safer option,” Cameron said.
“Jeremy’s done everything right, he hasn’t put a foot wrong and it’s a hard call because we’d love to have him out there this Sunday but he’ll be ready to go the following week.”
Cameron and Brett Deledio (calf) are out of the side with injury while Dawson Simpson, Aiden Bonar and Jackson Hately have been omitted.
The coach is looking forward to taking on an in-form Bulldogs side on Sunday.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge, they’re obviously flying,” Cameron said.
“They’ve got a really good squad at the moment, they’re in good nick, they play a really good brand of footy and they’re hitting the scoreboard.
“We look forward to righting the wrongs from last week. We understand it’s a huge game and we look forward to it on Sunday.”
The GIANTS take on the Western Bulldogs at GIANTS Stadium on Sunday at 3:20pm.
GIANTS v Western Bulldogs
Sunday, August 18 at 3:20pm
GIANTS Stadium
FB: Adam Kennedy, Phil Davis, Heath Shaw
HB: Harry Perryman, Nick Haynes, Lachie Keeffe
C: Lachie Whitfield, Tim Taranto, Josh Kelly
HF: Matt de Boer, Harry Himmelberg, Brent Daniels
FF: Bobby Hill, Adam Tomlinson, Sam Reid
RR: Shane Mumford, Toby Greene, Zac Williams
Interchange: Aidan Corr, Zach Sproule, Jye Caldwell, Jake Stein
In: Josh Kelly, Matt de Boer, Harry Himmelberg, Aidan Corr, Zach Sproule
Out: Brett Deledio (calf), Jeremy Cameron (hamstring), Dawson Simpson, Aiden Bonar, Jackson Hately (omitted)
