The Sydney Swans have selected three big names and a sixth debutant for the season for Sydney Derby XII on Saturday night.
Isaac Heeney, Gary Rohan, Kurt Tippett and Lewis Melican have all been named to take on GWS, replacing Robbie Fox (knee), Aliir Aliir (omitted), Nic Newman (omitted) and Oliver Florent (omitted).
After being sidelined for the first month of the season, Swans coach John Longmire is excited to welcome back Heeney and Rohan.
“They have had a couple of weeks of really strong training now including a really strong hit-out on the weekend and they pulled up well,” Longmire said.
“They have just been getting better every session so they have done enough work now to warrant selection.
“We think that both of those players have the ability to be able to have an impact this week to help us be as competitive as we can be this week.”
Tippett returns to join Callum Sinclair in the ruck and up forward after missing two weeks with an ankle injury.
“Kurt was touch and go whether he could get to Perth last week but the Thursday game counted against him,” Longmire said.
“He has done all the training this week and he is fine and ready to go.”
Former co-captain Jarrad McVeigh has not been named to play and will have another week of training before putting his hand up for a recall to the senior side.
“He trained today, got through about half of training and was a little bit tight in his hamstring,” Longmire said.
“We think he is okay, he hasn’t done anything but we have decided not to play him this week to take a conservative approach with Jarrad.
“Hopefully he pulls up okay and he will be fine to train next week.”
Melican becomes the Swans’ sixth debutant of 2017 with the versatile defender named to play his first senior match in red and white.
“It is good to have Lewis come off our rookie list and get an opportunity at senior level,” Longmire said.
“He played some football during the JLT Series and did quite well so it is really good to have him into the team for his first game.
“It is another debutant which is really exciting and he has really earned his spot.”
Click here to see the full team.
