Top rookies Fischer McAsey, Mitch Georgiades to debut for Crows and Power this weekend
Adelaide and Port Adelaide will unleash first-round draft picks Fischer McAsey and Mitch Georgiades in Round 1 of a unique 17-round AFL season under threat by the coronavirus. SEE THE OTHER SELECTIONS.
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Adelaide and Port Adelaide will unleash first-round draft picks Fischer McAsey and Mitch Georgiades in round one of a unique 17-round AFL season under threat by the coronavirus.
In two good news stories, key defender McAsey – the Crows’ highest-ever draft pick at No. 6 last year – will line up against Sydney at an empty Adelaide Oval on Saturday as the rebuilding club begins the Matthew Nicks coaching era.
Crows lead ruckman Reilly O’Brien, who will be partnered by former Port tall Billy Frampton in his first game for the club, predicted the 197cm, 19-year-old McAsey would be “an absolute star’’.
The Power, which has been dealt a massive injury blow by losing No. 1 key forward Charlie Dixon with an adductor strain, will hand a round one debut to high-leaping forward Georgiades – selected at pick 18 at last year’s draft – for its away clash against Gold Coast on Saturday night.
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The 18-year-old West Australian, who didn’t play a WAFL game last year because of a bad quad injury, was such a standout at summer training that Port development coach Chad Cornes compared him to star West Coast premiership forward Jack Darling.
“It’s unfortunate that Charlie hasn’t been able to get up but it’s exciting news for us as a footy club to have another first-round player coming in to play his first game in round one,’’ Power coach Ken Hinkley said.
“We look forward to seeing what Mitch brings. We just want him to enjoy himself, jump at the ball and see what he can create.’
While Dixon was a bad out, number one Power ruckman Scott Lycett will play after overcoming a sore Achilles.
Veteran midfielder/forward Brad Ebert, who battled concussion and knee issues last season, has been named, along with tall forward Todd Marshall, who will take some of the responsibility of replacing Dixon.
With Peter Ladhams left out of the side, Lycett’s ruck support will come from veteran utility Justin Westhoff.
The Crows, who lost a host of key veterans in the off-season, including Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs and Josh Jenkins, have picked a young forward line, with 29-year-old Tom Lynch flanked by five players aged 22 or under – Darcy Fogarty, Chayce Jones, Lachlan Murphy, Tyson Stengle and Ben Davis.
Former captain Taylor Walker, who had been trialled in the ruck, has been named on a wing but will likely play forward.
Victorian McAsey, who like Georgiades will debut in front of no spectators because of the virus outbreak, has been named at centre half-back and will pair up with veteran All-Australian defender Daniel Talia, who has become his mentor.
“He’s like his little brother,” Nicks told the club’s website.
“They’re very similar in the way they play their footy and the way they go about it.
“You often see them sitting together just talking through it, sliding magnets around.’’
Sloane said McAsey, like all first-round debutants, would play his first game in very unusual circumstances.
“I hope that we never get to see anything like this again but he still gets to debut in an AFL side and that’s exciting,’’ he said.
“He looks like a mature age recruit and he is 19, which is scary, and I feel like he has been here for four years already.’’
Former Port small forward Sam Gray will play his first game for Sydney, which will be without star key forward Lance Franklin through injury.
Gold Coast has handed debuts to last year’s top two draft picks, Matthew Rowell and Noah Anderson, along with Academy prospect Connor Budarick.
Former Crow Hugh Greenwood will make his Suns debut but teenage SA ace Izak Rankine’s long-awaited debut remains on hold because of a hamstring injury.
Originally published as Top rookies Fischer McAsey, Mitch Georgiades to debut for Crows and Power this weekend
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