AFL round 4 teams: Richmond name debutant, Suns drop seven, Sidebottom replaces Macrae
Richmond have brought in a first-year midfielder for a dream AFL debut in his home state as Collingwood welcome back a premiership star for Finlay Macrae.
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Richmond has named first-year midfielder Kane McAuliffe for a dream AFL debut in his home state against St Kilda at Norwood on Sunday.
Tigers coach Adem Yze said the South Australian left-footer had been “knocking the door down” to play after he began the VFL season with consecutive 30-disposal games.
McAuliffe, 19, was taken with pick 40 in last year’s draft and immediately impressed teammates over summer with his fierce attack on the ball and power out of stoppages.
“He’s a quality kid, he’s in really good form as an inside mid,” Yze said on Friday.
“He’s been knocking the door down for the last couple of weeks.”
McAuliffe, Tyler Sonsie or Jack Graham is set to be Richmond’s sub against St Kilda, with Sam Banks dropped from the side.
Sam Naismith was named as an emergency with Jacob Koschitzke earning the nod to replace Tom Lynch at full-forward.
The Saints kept Anthony Caminiti in their team despite the return of Max King, with a taller forward line set to play at Norwood.
Rebounding defender Angus Hastie will play his second game after he made his debut as the sub against Essendon.
Gold Coast made a seventh change to its side to face an unchanged GWS at Adelaide Hills with Rory Atkins also dropped following six previous confirmed omissions.
Bailey Humphrey (shoulder/ribs) has been cleared to return from a training track injury alongside captain Jarrod Witts (groin).
Finlay Macrae was the Collingwood midfielder to make way for Steele Sidebottom after a quiet performance against Brisbane last week, while Hawthorn all but confirmed a rematch between tagger Finn Maginness and Nick Daicos as he returned to the side along with forward-ruck Max Ramsden and smalls Sam Butler and Seamus Mitchell.
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Sydney coach John Longmire said Sam Wicks would be available for selection this week against West Coast but the forward was again absent from the Swans’ squad after allegations of a recent dispute with a teammate over a personal matter.
Harry Cunningham will return from concussion while Taylor Adams has been named for his club debut as Lochie Rawlinson earnt a senior debut for the Eagles.
Will Setterfield has returned from knee soreness to replace Sam Durham (concussion) for Essendon on Saturday night against Port Adelaide, who lost Ollie Wines but regained Jason Horne-Francis and Mitch Georgiades for his first game since an ACL injury.
North Melbourne has picked Charlie Comben, Liam Shiels and Hugh Greenwood, with the latter set to replace Callum Coleman-Jones (achilles) in the forward-role and Comben to play in defence after Toby Pink was dropped.
Caleb Poulter has made way for returning Western Bulldogs defender Ed Richards, while Geelong has swapped its ruckmen with Rhys Stanley replacing Toby Conway and Zach Tuohy back in for Oisin Mullin.
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