Mature-age key forward Jake Riccardi will become the club’s third debutant in as many weeks when he takes on the West Coast Eagles on Sunday.
Riccardi was taken at pick 51 in last year’s draft and becomes the final member of his draft class to debut, following in the footsteps of Lachie Ash, Tom Green and Tom Hutchesson.
The 20-year-old is the club’s fifth debutant of the season.
After being overlooked in the 2017 draft after he finished school, he spent a season as an over-age player for the Calder Cannons before joining Werribee’s VFL side last season.
Under former GIANTS senior assistant Mark Williams, Riccardi developed across the year and was awarded the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the best young player in the VFL.
Riccardi has played every NEAFL practice game this season as a strong-marking forward and kicked plenty of goals across the year.
In a practice match against the Canberra Demons before the COVID shutdown, he kicked eight goals in a match.
The full team for Sunday’s clash with the Eagles at Optus Stadium will be named at 6:20pm EST on Saturday.
