Port Adelaide calls on Mallala forward recommended by club great Gavin Wanganeen

PORT Adelaide has plucked a 23-year-old forward from Mallala at Gavin Wanganeen’s recommendation to make his SANFL debut on Thursday night.

PORT Adelaide has plucked a 23-year-old key forward from Mallala at Gavin Wanganeen’s recommendation to make his SANFL debut against reigning premier Norwood on Thursday night.

Angus Bruggemann played junior footy with the Eagles and was in the Adelaide Plains Football League last season but has been rewarded for a big pre-season and solid trial game form with selection in an AFL-stacked Port Adelaide side.

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He is one of eight “top-up” players included in the Magpies’ 23-man squad along with captain Steven Summerton, Henry Slattery, Aseri Raikiwasa, Ben Sawford, Anthony Biemans, Louis Sharrad and Ben Haren.

“Gavin Wanganeen said ‘you need to have a look at this guy’,” Magpies coach Garry Hocking said.

“He’s a big strong guy and obviously needed a little bit of extra conditioning which is what can happen from a country league.

“He was an ex-Woodville player and didn’t really go on with it, just fell out of love (with football) I guess.

“For our side with (Mason) Shaw and (Mitch) Harvey, it’s not like (Andrew) Ainger and (Michael) Wundke (at the Eagles), we’ve got baby forwards which we understand and at times we need to have someone a little bit older.”

Port’s team includes the likes of Jake Neade, Tom Logan, Cam O’Shea and Paul Stewart but they will be without Ben Newton who was ruled out with concussion from last week.

Norwood will unfurl its premiership flag with only eight players in its 23-man squad having played in last year’s grand final win over North Adelaide.

Michael Newton and Matthew Panos both missed out on the flag and will headline a new-look forwardline while ex-Brisbane Lion Callum Bartlett will debut for the Redlegs in the midfield.

After an unbeaten pre-season, Hocking said the Magpies were excited about testing themselves against Norwood which has lost just five games in the past two years.

“It’s great, we’ve been looking forward since the draw came out that they’re the best side in the competition,” Hocking said.

“They’re a classy team, well-coached and they know the ground well - we haven’t won there since Round 1, 2007.”

SANFL ROUND 1

NORWOOD v PORT ADELAIDE

THURSDAY, NORWOOD OVAL, 7.15pm

REDLEGS

Backs: Thomas, McGuinness, Hughes

Half-backs: Jefferies, Davis, Bode

Centre: Roocke, Webber, Phillips

Half-forwards: Forster, Newton, Wicks

Forwards: Murphy, Panos, Dawe

Ruck: Baulderstone, Evans, Bartlett

Interchange (from): Bampton, Baldasso, DeMatteis, Levicki, Reinbrecht

MAGPIES

Backs: Logan, Clurey, Slattery

Half-backs: O’Shea, Haren, Biemans

Centre: Neade, Summerton, Ah Chee

Half-forwards: Amon, Bruggemann, Mitchell

Forwards: Young, Renouf, Colquhoun

Ruck: Harvey, Stewart, Gray

Interchange (from): Sharrad, Raikiwasa, Sawford, Hitchcock, Byrne-Jones

OTHER ROUND 1 MATCHES

FRIDAY

Glenelg v Sturt (Glenelg Oval, 7.20pm)

SATURDAY

Eagles v Central District (Woodville, 2.10pm)

South Adelaide v West Adelaide (Noarlunga, 7.10pm)

SUNDAY

North Adelaide v Adelaide (Prospect, 2.10pm)