Veteran Hawks snubbed, big names missing as AFL Opening Round teams named

Hawthorn’s recruiting spree has forced a major shake-up, while a number of Opening Round teams will be well below full strength.

Hawthorn veterans and premiership teammates Jack Gunston and Luke Breust have fallen victim to the selection squeeze at the club, while the GWS Giants could unleash multiple debutants in Opening Round.

Gunston and Breust have been left out of Friday night’s season opener against the Swans at the SCG — a game the Hawks will unleash gun recruits Tom Barrass and Josh Battle.

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The pair bolster a new-look Hawks backline for their trip to Sydney including Blake Hardwick returning to defence, while skipper James Sicily has been named on the wing.

Josh Ward has also been overlooked at selection despite a promising finish to last season with more midfield opportunities after Will Day was stuck down by injury.

The Swans had already confirmed they’ll unveil recruit Ben Paton and mid-season draftee Tom Hanily, who’s been named on the bench along with pre-season bolter Corey Warner, plus Oliver Florent, Taylor Adams and Angus Sheldrick.

The teams have been named for the AFL’s Opening Round.

With Paton moving into new coach Dean Cox’s defence alongside Nick Blakey, Lewis Melican, Matt Roberts, Dane Rampe and forward-turned-halfback Sam Wicks, Aaron Francis has been left out of the side.

Brodie Grundy (knee) and Tom Papley (ankle) will take their place in the side despite being under injury clouds.

The undermanned Giants could have up to three debutants for Sunday’s showdown with Collingwood at Engie Stadium on Sunday, naming James Leake, plus draftees Ollie Hannaford and Cody Angove on their extended bench.

GWS will be without star midfielder Tom Green, reigning Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan and gun recruit Jake Stringer, opening up opportunities in Adam Kingsley’s 23.

The Magpies have named two of their boom off-season recruits — Harry Perryman on the wing and Tim Membrey on an extended bench — with Dan Houston missing Collingwood’s opener due to suspension.

Jordan De Goey also won’t play due to an injury interrupted pre-season, while Brayden Maynard has overcome a foot concern to line up for the Pies. He’ll be joined in defence by Reef McInnes who’s worked his way into the 23.

The postponed Brisbane v Geelong and Gold Coast v Essendon Opening Round fixtures have been moved to Round 3 and Round 24 respectively, the AFL confirmed earlier.

Jesse Hogan (left) and new recruit Jake Stringer will miss Opening Round for GWS. (Photo by Phil Hillyard)

OPENING ROUND TEAMS (all times AEDT)

SYDNEY SWANS v HAWTHORN

Friday March 7, 7.40pm at the SCG

SWANS

B: N.Blakey, L.Melican, S.Wicks

HB: M.Roberts, D.Rampe, B.Paton

C: J.Lloyd, I.Heeney – C, J.McInerney

HF: B.Campbell, T.McCartin, T.Papley

F: W.Hayward, J.Amartey, J.Jordon

FOLL: B.Grundy, Ch.Warner, J.Rowbottom

I/C: O.Florent, T.Adams, A.Sheldrick, Co.Warner, T.Hanily

EMG: P.Ladhams, C.Mitchell, A.Francis

HAWKS

B: T.Barrass, B.Hardwick, J.Scrimshaw

HB: J.Weddle, J.Impey, J.Battle

C: J.Sicily – C, J.Newcombe, M.D’Ambrosio

HF: C.Nash, H.Morrison, N.Watson

F: J.Ginnivan, M.Chol, W.Day

FOLL: L.Meek, J.Worpel, D.Moore

I/C: F.Maginness, C.Macdonald, S.Frost, C.Mackenzie, K.Amon

EMG: J.Gunston, J.Ward, W.McCabe

GWS GIANTS v COLLINGWOOD

Sunday March 9, 3.20pm at Engie Stadium

GIANTS

B: C.Idun, S.Taylor, H.Himmelberg

HB: L.Whitfield, J.Buckley, L.Ash

C: J.Kelly, C.Ward, X.O’Halloran

HF: T.Bedford, T.Greene – C, B.Daniels

F: D.Jones, A.Cadman, L.Keeffe

FOLL: K.Briggs, S.Coniglio, F.Callaghan

I/C (FROM): C.Angove, M.Gruzewski, C.Stone, O.Hannaford, L.Aleer, C.Brown, J.Wehr

MAGPIES

B: B.Maynard, D.Moore – C, R.McInnes

HB: I.Quaynor, J.Howe, J.Daicos

C: H.Perryman, S.Pendlebury, P.Lipinski

HF: Bo.Hill, B.Mihocek, B.McCreery

F: D.McStay, W.Hoskin-Elliott, L.Schultz

FOLL: D.Cameron, J.Crisp, N.Daicos

I/C (FROM): O.Markov, S.Sidebottom, J.Elliott, T.Membrey, E.Allan, W.Parker, B.Frampton

BYE: Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast Suns, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs

Originally published as Veteran Hawks snubbed, big names missing as AFL Opening Round teams named