BIG-NAME recruits Charlie Curnow, Christian Petracca, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Tom De Koning will all play their first games for their new clubs on Thursday as the countdown to the 2026 season continues.
The Western Bulldogs will play Sydney on Thursday afternoon before Gold Coast will host St Kilda in the evening, with the two unofficial match simulation sessions to be followed by the AAMI Community Series next week.
Sydney will be without Justin McInerney, who is set to turn down free agency and sign a new deal with the club, while Tom Papley is also missing as he continues to manage a calf injury before the start of the season.
In good news for the Swans, co-captains Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills have both been named having been on modified programs over the summer, while Curnow will play his first game after his move in the off-season.
The Bulldogs will be without six star players who took part in AAMI AFL Origin last weekend, while Adam Treloar (calf) and Laitham Vandermeer (Achilles) will also miss out, but young midfielder Ryley Sanders is in after his recent hamstring issues.
For the Suns, Petracca and Ugle-Hagan will play for the first time since their moves last October, while three big names – Matt Rowell, Sam Collins and Ben King – will be absent after playing in Origin last week, although Victoria’s Noah Anderson and WA’s Wil Powell have been named. Former Suns stars David Swallow and Alex Sexton, now working at the club in coaching roles, will pull the guernsey on again to boost Gold Coast’s numbers for the match.
St Kilda’s big four off-season recruits – De Koning, Jack Silvagni, Sam Flanders (against his former club) and Liam Ryan – will all play their first games in Saints colours.
Western Bulldogs v Sydney, Mission Whitten Oval, 2pm AEDT
(4 x 30-minute quarters, no time on)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
5. Jedd Busslinger, 6. Cooper Hynes, 8. Matthew Kennedy, 9. Ryley Sanders, 11. Lachie Jaques, 12. Harvey Gallagher, 13. Oskar Baker, 14. Rhylee West, 15. Will Darcy, 16. Jordan Croft, 17. Nick Coffield, 18. James O’Donnell, 19. Connor Budarick, 21. Tom Liberatore, 24. Buku Khamis, 25. Louis Emmett, 27. Joel Freijah, 28. Will Lewis, 29. Lachlan Bramble, 30. Lachlan McNeil, 31. Bailey Dale, 32. Arthur Jones, 34. Bailey Williams, 35. Luke Kennedy, 36. Luke Cleary, 37. Michael Sellwood, 40. Lachlan Smith, 41. Zac Walker, 42. Sam Davidson, 43. Ryan Gardner
Absent: Rory Lobb*, Aaron Naughton*, Tim English*, Marcus Bontempelli*, Sam Darcy*, Ed Richards*, Adam Treloar, Lachie Carmichael, Cody Weightman, Laitham Vandermeer, Josh Dolan, Riley Garcia
SYDNEY
2. Hayden McLean, 4. Brodie Grundy, 5. Isaac Heeney, 6. Logan McDonald, 8. James Rowbottom, 10. Malcolm Rosas, 12. Angus Sheldrick, 13. Jai Serong, 14. Callum Mills, 15. Sam Wicks, 16. Braeden Campbell, 17. James Jordon, 19. Peter Ladhams, 21. Errol Gulden, 22. Nick Blakey, 24. Dane Rampe, 26. Riley Bice, 29. Joel Hamling, 30. Tom McCartin, 33. Caiden Cleary, 34. Matt Roberts, 35. Charlie Curnow, 36. Joel Amartey, 37. Corey Warner, 43. Lewis Melican, 44. Jake Lloyd
Absent: Chad Warner*, Jesse Dattoli, Tom Papley, Jevan Phillipou, Riak Andrew, Ned Bowman, Billy Cootee, Justin McInerney, Will Edwards, Max King, Harry Kyle
Gold Coast v St Kilda, People First Stadium, 6.45pm AEST
(4 x 20-minute quarters, plus time on)
GOLD COAST
1. Mac Andrew, 2. John Noble, 3. Christian Petracca, 4. Jed Walter, 5. Alex Davies, 6. Bodhi Uwland, 7. Nick Holman, 8. Leo Lombard, 9. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, 11. Touk Miller, 14. Lachlan Weller, 15. Noah Anderson, 16. Joel Jeffrey, 17. Daniel Rioli, 19. Bailey Humphrey, 20. Ethan Read, 22. Ben Long, 23. Ned Moyle, 26. Will Graham, 27. Wil Powell, 28. Jarrod Witts, 30. Dylan Patterson, 31. Cooper Bell, 32. Zeke Uwland, 33. Samuel Clohesy, 36. Zak Evans, 39. Lachlan Gulbin, 41. Avery Thomas, 42. Asher Eastham, 43. Koby Koulson, 44. Ben Jepson, 46. Caleb Graham, 48. Oscar Adams, 50. Jy Farrar, 52. Alex Sexton, 54. David Swallow
Absent: Matt Rowell*, Sam Collins*, Ben King*, Charlie Ballard, Elliott Himmelberg, Jake Rogers, Jai Murray, Max Knobel, Beau Addinsall, Joel Jeffrey, Caleb Lewis
ST KILDA
1. Jack Higgins, 2. Marcus Windhager, 3. Jack Silvagni, 4. Lance Collard, 5. Tobie Travaglia, 6. Jack Macrae, 7. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, 9. Sam Flanders, 10. Mitch Owens, 13. Ryan Byrnes, 14. Liam Stocker, 17. Isaac Keeler, 18. Jack Carroll, 19. Rowan Marshall, 21. Tom De Koning, 22. Darcy Wilson, 25. Mattaes Phillipou, 26. Alix Tauru, 31. Liam Ryan, 34. Hugo Garcia, 36. Charlie Banfield, 38. Hugh Boxshall, 40. Max Hall, 43. Cooper Sharman, 44. Callum Wilkie, 47. Anthony Caminiti
Absent: Brad Hill*, Jack Sinclair*, Hunter Clark, Max King, Paddy Dow, Dan Butler, Dougal Howard, Liam Henry, Angus Hastie, James Barrat, Alex Dodson, Mason Wood, Patrick Said, Kye Fincher, Kobe McDonald, Liam O’Connell, Eamonn Armstrong
