West Coast takes on Sydney in the first of three Gather Round games on Saturday, with the Eagles desperate for a better showing than the last time they played the Swans.
The Eagles (0-3, 42.8%), who’ve lost their first three games of 2023 by 50, 65 and 73 points respectively, copped a 171-point thumping at the hands of Sydney in Round 15 last year.
The scary thing for them is the Swans (3-1, 125.3%) will be smarting after dropping their first game of the season last week, going down to Richmond in a shock upset.
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For the Eagles, debutant Loch Rawlinson and Josh Rotham come into Adam Simpson’s side at the expense of Jamaine Jones (omitted) and Tyler Brockman (injured).
Meanwhile, Taylor Adams will play his first game for the Swans, joining the recovered Harry Cunningham as John Longmire’s ins. Dane Rampe (injured) and Corey Warner (omitted) go out of the side.
The match gets underway at 1:30pm AEDT from Adelaide Hills/Mt Barker.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl.
ROLLING MATCH UPDATES
45 minutes out from the opening bounce and there are no late changes for either side.
West Coast debutant Loch Rawlinson and second-gamer Caleb Mitchell are today’s starting subs.
With skipper Callum Mills and veteran ex-captains Luke Parker and Dane Rampe all absent today, livewire forward Tom Papley is handling Sydney’s captaincy duties in Adelaide Hills.
Logan McDonald dribbled home Sydney’s first goal of the contest after Hayden McLean’s earlier snap grazed the goalpost.
“I didn’t like it,” North Melbourne champion David King said of Liam Duggan’s decision to kick against the wind in the first quarter.
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