North Melbourne will unearth another debutant on Thursday night against Essendon, which has made just one change from the side that fell to Collingwood on Anzac Day. Round 8 teams below!
Finnbar Maley, a mature-aged rookie draft pick, will trot out for his maiden AFL appearance after being announced to make his debut earlier on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Northern Bullants product was the No.2 pick in the 2023 rookie draft and is a forward-ruck hybrid.
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It’s one of three changes for Alastair Clarkson’s Roos, who have counted the cost of last Saturday’s narrow loss to Port Adelaide.
Livewire forward Paul Curtis will miss against the Bombers and the following two matches after the Roos’ Tribunal appeal failed on Wednesday, with Bailey Scott and Will Phillips also coming into the side.
George Wardlaw also goes out of the team as the hard-nosed midfielder nurses what his coach called a “savage corky”, while Darcy Tucker has been dropped.
Tucker was the only player on Adelaide Oval last week not to manage a single possession as he played a tagging role on Connor Rozee.
Clarkson axed key-defensive pair Griffin Logue and Aidan Corr last Thursday, but with the Roos’ VFL side not playing at the weekend, the duo remains out of the senior lineup.
Meanwhile, Brad Scott made only one change ahead of Thursday night’s bout at Marvel Stadium, recalling Elijah Tsatas for the managed Dylan Shiel.
The 32-year-old Shiel had played all six Bombers games thus far, while Tsatas comes in for his third game of the year after being a held-over emergency on Anzac Day.
ROUND 8 TEAMS AND FIXTURE (All times AEST)
ESSENDON v NORTH MELBOURNE
Thursday April 30, 7:30pm at Marvel Stadium
BOMBERS
B: A.McGrath, B.McKay, J.Ridley
HB: M.Redman, Z.Reid, J.Prior
C: X.Duursma, Z.Merrett – C, H.Jones
HF: J.Gresham, N.Caddy, N.Martin
F: K.Langford, P.Wright, I.Kako
FOLL: T.Goldstein, B.Hobbs, S.Durham
INT: E.Tsatas, W.Setterfield, A.Perkins, A.Roberts, J.Menzie
EMG: L.Hayes, S.El-Hawli, A.Day-Wicks
In: E.Tsatas
Out: D.Shiel (Managed)
KANGAROOS
B: C.Comben, K.Dawson, J.Archer
HB: L.McDonald, C.Daniel, T.Powell
C: F.O’Sullivan, L.Davies-Uniacke, C.McKercher
HF: D.Stephens, N.Larkey, H.Sheezel
F: C.Zurhaar, J.Darling, J.Konstanty
FOLL: T.Xerri, L.Parker, J.Simpkin – C
INT: Z.Duursma, B.Scott, R.Hardeman, W.Phillips, F.Maley
EMG: A.Corr, D.Tucker, R.Hansen Jr
In: B.Scott, W.Phillips, F.Maley
Out: D.Tucker (Omitted), P.Curtis (Suspension), G.Wardlaw (Injured)
The rest of the Round 8 teams will be announced on Thursday night at 6:20pm.
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