TAKE the Bulldogs' list and draw a line through the names of Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis, Adam Cooney and Robert Murphy.

Then, scrub out Scott Welsh, Mitch Hahn, Andrejs Everitt, Nathan Eagleton, Ryan Griffen, and perhaps Brian Lake and Daniel Giansiracusa as well (using erasable pencil for the last two).

What you have in front of you may be a seemingly depleted side, void of its usual crowd-drawing ability.

However, when you look at some of the names remaining, you see a youthful list of promising up and comers that will be trialled when the Dogs meet the Bombers next Friday in Darwin.

Coach Rodney Eade believes there is plenty to be excited about when it comes to the Dogs' first competitive hit-out for the year.

A number of the club's young guns will get their chances to shine – some for the first time, and some earlier than expected.

"Jarrad Grant and Easton Wood will play," Eade told westernbulldogs.com.au on Tuesday.

"Paul O'Shea and our new rookie Liam Picken will play. Henry White is a chance, and so are Jordan Roughead, Ayce Cordy, Jamason Daniels and James Mulligan."

Grant, 19, will finally run out after his highly-anticipated first season was ruined by osteitis pubis. Wood, the 19-year-old "smokey" of the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, will join him after a development year spent at Williamstown.

O'Shea, a previously-raw defensive option who has been on the Dogs' list for two years, will be on display. 

The super-fit Picken will get his chance to run alongside Daniel Cross after narrowly chasing the 2008 club best and fairest around Whitten Oval in time trials over summer.

Roughead, Cordy and Daniels could be unveiled, meaning the club's fans will have waited less than three months to see their future prospects run out in the strip.

And, Mulligan and White – a ruckman and a winger – could show fans just what prompted the coaching staff to offer them second-year rookie contracts this season.

Eade is keen to not only get competitive miles into the legs of the youngsters, but he is also enthusiastic about having an arena to trial some new moves with his existing players.

"It depends on how far we go with what we do. The first game is usually about just giving them game time," he said.

"Conditions will be oppressive and it will just be about managing game time for players.

"Hopefully that can equate to a win, but if it doesn't, it's more about the preparation of players for round one.

"Nearly every player we'll be taking has done a really solid pre-season so they should be able to cope.

"We'll just share the game time around and play some players in different positions."

The game is scheduled for 6.40pm (local time) on Friday 13 February at TIO Stadium, Darwin.