The Western Bulldogs will unveil three new faces for Saturday night’s AFL season-opener against the Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium.
Draftee Bailey Smith will make his debut, as confirmed on Tuesday, while recruits Taylor Duryea and Sam Lloyd will make their first AFL appearances in red, white and blue.
The match also marks the AFL return of premiership midfielder and 2014 Charles Sutton Medallist Tom Liberatore, who sustained an ACL injury in round one last year.
Sharpshooter Tory Dickson, who missed the team’s JLT Community Series matches, has been named after kicking five goals across two VFL practice matches.
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ROUND 1 TEAM
B: Taylor Duryea, Zaine Cordy, Hayden Crozier
HB: Caleb Daniel, Easton Wood, Matthew Suckling
C: Lachie Hunter, Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae
HF: Billy Gowers, Josh Schache, Josh Dunkley
F: Toby McLean, Aaron Naughton, Sam Lloyd
Foll: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis
Int: Bailey Smith, Ed Richards, Tory Dickson, Bailey Williams
Emer: Lewis Young, Jackson Trengove, Fergus Greene, Will Hayes
MATCH DETAILS
Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans
Marvel Stadium
Saturday 23 March
7.20pm AEDT
LAST TIME THEY MET
Round 4, 2018 – It was the Swans by seven points in a see-sawing encounter at Marvel Stadium, despite the Bulldogs leading by four goals early in the second quarter. Ollie Florent was the match-winner with a late goal, with Luke Parker (21 disposals, three goals) and Jack Macrae (34 disposals) among the most influential players on the ground.
BROADCAST INFO
TV
Channel 7, coverage live from 7pm
FOX Footy, coverage live from 7.20pm
Radio
ABC Grandstand
3AW
Triple M
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