The phrase “new-look” is easily thrown about the start of a football season when a club has a significant turnover of personnel from the previous season.
However, it couldn’t be more apt at Geelong Amateur, which will have 13 changes to the team that exited the 2024 finals race at the elimination final stage.
New co-coach Sam Lloyd highlights the inclusions for the blockbuster Round 1 meeting with Torquay at McCartney Oval,
Mitch Day is back for his second stint at Queens Park, joined by fellow former Lara star Dan Weigl and ex-St Mary’s gun Joe Maishman.
Former Fremantle big man Hamish Shepheard will pull on the Pegasus jumper for the first time since 2019, while Lachie Reilly is back from Wickliffe-Lake Bolac.
Jack Lang, who has GFNL senior experience at Newtown & Chilwell and St Mary’s, arrives from Murray League club Finley, while Michael Banister, who played four matches with Geelong West in 2021, has also been named.
There are also debuts for under-18 graduate Charley Green and Colts eligible Charlie Richmond.
Ammos couldn’t consider Daniel Grose (ankle) and unavailable duo Luke Hillier and Jai Sheahan.
The Tigers will unveil Leopold premiership star Ollie Tate but will be without premiership captain Ben McNamara, who is understood to be carrying a knee injury.
Former Anglesea sharpshooter Blake Grant will play his first game in yellow and black, while Zac Spargo will make his senior debut.
Coach Dom Gleeson was keen to play talented former Geelong Falcon Angus Handley after an injury-interrupted 2024.
However, the teenager has made the selfless decision to make his return via the reserves.
Portarlington will have eight players pulling on the navy blue and red jumper for the first time when it travels Howard Harmer Oval for a meeting with Barwon Heads.
Jack Dorgan, Nick Sing, Scott Greenhough and Tom Panuccio all bring VFL experience with them to Ron Evans Oval.
Former Leopold duo Nick Lane and Riley Hayden, and ex-Werribee Districts junior Kalan Dart have also been named, along with local product Tom Gillett, who will make his senior debut.
Former Richmond and North Melbourne player Connor Menadue is unavailable.
The Seagulls first-timers include ex-St Mary’s gun Damian McMahon, Darcy Griffin (Maribyrnong Park), Ethan Lawler (Sebastopol), Jake Whybrow (Altona), Sam Hill (Talbot), and Tom Baker (Camperdown), while returning junior Sonni Walter (Ocean Grove) will make his senior debut.
Cousin Zach Walter will play his first game in light blue since the 2019 grand final, where he was named best-on-ground.
It will also be the first senior appearance for luckless midfielder Sam Witherden since 2021.
Veteran Mitch Herbison (unavailable) and speedster Cam O’Leary (knee) will both be missing.
Reigning runners-up Anglesea have named recruits Harry Ling (St Mary’s), Ayden Gras (St Joseph’s), Declan Everett (Doncaster) and the returning Jack Walters for its meeting with Drysdale at Mortimer Oval.
Under-18s graudate Kalani Brown and former St Mary’s junior Jai Anderson have been selected for the senior debut with the Roos.
However, excitement machine Dyl Pettingill hasn’t been named.
New faces for the Hawks include Jackson Paatsch (Modewarre/Otway Districts), James Robbins (Ocean Grove), Paddy Power (Irymple) and Lachie Nelis (Leopold).
Nelis, who played all his juniors at Leopold, is the son of 2004 Ash medallist Simon.
Newcomb will start its quest to climb off the bottom of the ladder with the addition of several new faces for its meeting with Queenscliff at Grinter Reserve.
The Power have named boom St Mary’s recruit Dion Johnstone, former Saints junior Judd Smith, Joe Clarke (Hepburn), and Caleb Morrissy (Leopold),
However, fellow off-season additions Oli Poulson, Elliott Taylor, and Tom Williams haven’t been named.
Nathan McDonald will play his first senior game since 2023.
One of the least active clubs in the off-season, the Coutas first-gamers include Izaac Grant (Hepburn), Ryson McHenry (Beaufort), and Zach Pozman (Grovedale).
Former Newtown & Chilwell duo Magnus Howells and John Turvey, and Oscar Hocking (St Joseph’s) will make their first appearances when Modewarre hosts Ocean Grove.
Damon Hemphill returns to Mount Moriac Reserve from Pyramid Hill, Ollie Butler’s back from Colac, and Lachie Bath will play his first senior game since 2022.
The Grubbers have named Geelong VFL-listed Taj Wyburd (Peel Thunder), ruck Jai Hale (Mordialloc), Gus Bourke (Terang-Mortlake), Mitch Ward Jhdara Jones (Tatura), and Rhys Devlin (Newtown & Chilwell).
Former captain Joe McDonald returns after spending a season with Newtown & Chilwell, while under-18 graduate Rory Phillips will debut.
The Grubbers won’t have access to young big Kye Annand after he earned Geelong VFL selection.
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