Top draftees Sid Draper, Joe Berry set to debut in round 1

Sid Draper will play his first AFL game this weekend — but will it be as the sub? Crows coach Matthew Nicks has provided an insight into how the young star could be deployed.

The Crows and Port Adelaide have rewarded their top draftees for their impressive pre-seasons by handing them round-1 debuts.

Explosive midfielder Sid Draper, who Adelaide chose at pick 4 in November’s national draft, was among four Crows recruits named in a 26-man squad to face St Kilda at home on Sunday.

Goalsneak Joe Berry, taken 11 selections later, earnt a season-opening opportunity with the Power against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks had been coy on Thursday as to whether 18-year-old Draper would get an immediate crack.

Adelaide later confirmed the South Adelaide product would follow Josh Rachele (2022) and Max Michalanney (2023) as recent first-round Crows draftees to make round-1 debuts.

Draper could be the substitute to slightly ease him into his initial game.

The Crows are weighing up whether to use Sid Draper as sub on debut.

“A young guy coming in, the experience of playing on the big stage for a first time, a sub role might be appropriate,” Nicks said.

“Or do you just let him loose?

“They’re decisions we haven’t locked in yet.”

Former GWS duo Isaac Cumming and James Peatling, and Melbourne premiership forward Alex Neal-Bullen were all chosen for their first matches as Crows in a line-up with few surprises.

Defenders Max Michalanney (thumb) and Mark Keane (hip) were both selected after battling injuries.

So was Mitch Hinge, who left training early at Adelaide Oval on Thursday due to a right leg issue and was expected to be available.

Fellow half-back Wayne Milera was set to play his first match since March 29, when he suffered a season-ending ruptured patella tendon against Fremantle.

Nicks would not be drawn on speculation the club had tabled a long-term offer for South Australian St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

“We don’t talk about players from other clubs,” he said.

“He’s a fantastic player.”

Joe Berry will play his first AFL game on Saturday night.

Berry, a crafty left-footer from Murray Bushrangers in Victoria, will join ex-Gold Coast swingman Jack Lukosius and former Collingwood small forward Joe Richards in their first official games in Port Adelaide colours.

Jeremy Finlayson was named at centre half-back after his strong showing since being shifted from attack during pre-season to help cover injuries.

Ruckman Ivan Soldo, former Crow and Sun Rory Atkins and defensive forward Jed McEntee were chosen as emergencies.

Saturday night’s match will be the 200th for the hardworking Darcy Byrne-Jones.

Veteran Travis Boak will equal club legend Russell Ebert’s record for most games for Port Adelaide with 372.

Boak also moves to equal-11th, alongside Adam Goodes, for most VFL/AFL matches played.

Like Milera, Sam Powell-Pepper will also return to action after missing the majority of last year through injury.

Powell-Pepper suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament rupture against St Kilda in April.

HOW DO YOU STOP DAICOS? PORT CONFRONTS AFL’S TOUGHEST QUESTION

— Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has tipped a stern response from Collingwood and Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos after a heavy Opening Round defeat to GWS.

The Magpies’ fitness and desire has been questioned in the wake of their 52-point loss against the Giants on Sunday, with their lack of speed coming in for fierce criticism.

With the Power’s forward line now smaller and quicker than previous years, it could be an area Port tries to expose and a real chance for Hinkley’s side to open its season with a win over the Magpies at the MCG.

But Hinkley said he was wary of a Collingwood response.

“We overact on one game, I think Collingwood will be full of energy on Saturday night at the G, they are in front of their fans and they have some celebrations of their own,” he said.

“The last thing I will be doing is pigeonholing Collingwood outside of that they are a bloody good team.”

Magpies star Daicos was tagged by Toby Bedford and struggled with cramp in the second half on Sunday, finishing with 21 disposals.

Willem Drew looms as the likely tagger for the Power.

Hinkley said the Power would work on how to quell Daicos, who has a formidable record against Port.

Daicos has averaged 27 disposals, five clearances and eight score involvements against the Power.

“We will have to work our way through that, we know he is a great player, he is a star of the comp, we’ve been told that plenty of times and we have seen it,” he said.

“We look forward to the challenge.”

Stopping Nick Daicos will be a huge task for Port Adelaide. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Power will also face the challenge of taking on former leadership group member Houston in his first game for the Magpies after his off-season move.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has said he will give Houston a licence to thrill off halfback.

Hinkley said Port was unlikely to run a defensive forward on its former All-Australian to curtail his influence.

“I don’t know whether looking forward to it is the right word, he has been one of our favourite players for a while but now he is a Collingwood player,” he said.

“We move on as Joey Richards is a Port Adelaide player.

“We just don’t want Dan to have a great day, we will do our best.

Dan Houston will face his old side for the first time in round 1.

“No it won’t be different, we treat them all the same. Dan knows how we respect our past players and we also know that we have to move on.

“It will be interesting to see who Dan goes to, the defender usually chooses where he goes more often than not.”

Esava Ratugolea will play for Port’s SANFL side this weekend, while Hinkley said he was excited to see how the Power’s new-look forward line in the wake of Charlie Dixon’s retirement would fare.

“It probably may be a little bit clunky at different times, particularly early but we are still learning our way through that and educating ourselves on that,” he said.

“So it will be interesting to see how it works, it will certainly be slightly different, Charlie was a unique person and a great player for our football club but we look forward for what the new look is like and we will find that out in a pressure situation on Saturday night.”

Originally published as Top draftees Sid Draper, Joe Berry set to debut in round 1