The Western Bulldogs’ squad has been announced today as they prepare for their opening game of their JLT Community Series campaign against Hawthorn at Mars Stadium this weekend.
Midfielder Lin Jong will play his first competitive match since rupturing his ACL in June 2017, while fans will get their first look at Jackson Trengove, Hayden Crozier, Aaron Naughton and Josh Schache in Bulldogs colours for the first time.
Dogs coach Daniel Giansiracusa, who’ll take the reins for the opening match of the pre-season before passing the baton to Steven King next week in Moe, said the Club’s eyes are firmly on preparing for Round 1 against the Giants in Canberra.
“We’ve only got a couple of JLT’s to get ready for that Round 1 game against GWS,” he told media on Thursday.
“So, we’ll be going flat out at it, it’s been a long preseason but we’re confident we’ve put the work in and this is our first chance to do it against a different opposition rather than ourselves.”
With prime movers like Easton Wood and Marcus Bontempelli also named, Giansiracusa said he expects an intense contest.
“It’s pretty hard to stop players going any different way once the ball bounces and competitive juices come out,” he said.
“And we’ve probably seen that against each other in match sim at training, so you’re wary against each other, you don’t want to get injuries [but] we’ll be going full-on at it and looking forward to what we can put out on the park.”
Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
Saturday, 3 March
Mars Stadium, Ballarat
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: E.Wood 10, Z.Cordy 12, A.Naughton 33
HB: J.Johannisen 39, M.Adams 25, H.Crozier 9
C: L.Hunter 7, L.Dahlhaus 6, B.Dale 31
HF: T.Liberatore 21, L.Jong 46, M.Suckling 1
F: M.Bontempelli 4, J.Trengove 8, M.Honeychurch 22
Foll: J.Roughead 23, T.McLean 16, J.Macrae 11
I/C: J.Dunkley 5, J.Schache 13, L.Webb 19, S.Biggs 24, B.Williams 34, C.Daniel 35, L.Picken 42, T.English 44
Emerg: T.Boyd 17, F.Roberts 18, T.Dickson 29, J.Redpath 43
HAWTHORN
B: B.Stratton 24, T.O'Brien 23, S.Burgoyne 9
HB: B.Hardwick 15, J.Sicily 6, R.Burton 5
C: I.Smith 16, L.Shiels 26, R.Henderson 31
HF: L.Breust 22, R.Schoenmakers 25, J.Impey 4
F: P.Puopolo 28, J.Roughead 2, J.Gunston 19
Foll: B.McEvoy 7, T.Mitchell 3, J.O'Meara 10
I/C: M.Pittonet 27, D.Mirra 32, H.Morrison 35, B.Whitecross 11, D.Howe 17, T.Duryea 8, O.Hanrahan 41
Emerg: T.Miles 42, J.Cousins 46, J.Worpel 38, C.Nash 45, C.Glass 44
