WESTERN Bulldogs fans received a pleasant surprise when the team list for Friday night's clash with Geelong included classy forward Daniel Giansiracusa.
Shaun Higgins is also a more-than-handy inclusion, but the youngster's return from a hamstring injury had been forecast for over a week.
Not so Giansiracusa, who had been widely expected to play at least one game in the VFL before returning from a knee injury suffered in round 13.
"That was the thinking up until recently," football manager James Fantasia said on Thursday.
"But when the match committee sat down and looked at how he's been able to recover and what he's been able to show us on the deck, Rodney (Eade) was then confident enough in his ability to come straight back in.
"Obviously he brings a lot to the table for us because of his experience and he's just such a class act. He's done everything right to get himself into tip-top shape and he brings a lot of leadership as well.
"He's been around long enough and he understands his body and where he's at. He's very comfortable and confident that he can come back to an AFL standard and get on with it.
Fantasia said Giansiracusa could have played last week at a stretch but he was instead given an extra block of training with Higgins in Brisbane.
"They both got a good dose of vitamin D, have both responded really well and are ready to go," he said.
Higgins' return to the line-up caps a memorable week in which the young star signed a new deal with the club.
"He's looked really good on the track as well and he's feeling very comfortable in himself," Fantasia said of Higgins' recovery from the injury he sustained in the round-17 loss to the Saints.
"Despite his age he's another member of our leadership group which is another plus for us to be able to bring in.
"He's had a good year and put in some really solid football throughout the season, so he brings form with him despite the injury."
Tom Williams departs the side with a foot injury while youngster Easton Wood has been omitted.
Williams has a history of foot trouble and while this latest injury is on the same foot he has struggled with in the past, Fantasia said it was a completely different issue.
"He got stood on in the first 10 minutes of the game [against the Lions], but to his credit he played out the entire game," he said.
"He's then had his x-rays and found a crack in there which has subsequently required a plate be put in.
"He's had some bad news in that regard, but the upside of that is it's not season-ending. At the very best he could be ready for the first final, but probably most likely a second final if we find ourselves in that position."
Western Bulldogs
B: Jarrod Harbrow, Brian Lake, Dylan Addison
HB: Ryan Hargrave, Dale Morris, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Liam Picken, Matthew Boyd, Nathan Eagleton
HF: Brad Johnson, Mitch Hahn, Robert Murphy
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Shaun Higgins
I/C: Daniel Giansiracusa, Josh Hill, Sam Reid, Callan Ward
Emg: Andrejs Everitt, Brennan Stack, Easton Wood
In: Giansiracusa, Higgins
Out: Tom Williams (foot), Easton Wood
