Senior Coach Chris Fagan has made four changes to his side to take on the Hawks this Saturday at The Gabba.
Ben Keays and Archie Smith will play their first senior game for the Lions in 2019, while Rhys Mathieson returns from suspension and Nick Robertson is elevated from the emergency list.
Oscar McInerney is being managed for Round 11, while Ryan Lester sustained a minor quad injury in the side’s loss to Fremantle. Mitchell Hinge and Josh Walker have been omitted.
Keays has been dominating for the undefeated NEAFL side this season. The small forward has kicked 20 goals in six matches. The 22-year-old played two senior games in 2018.
Saturday’s match against Hawthorn will be Smith’s first senior game since Round 16, 2017 when the Lions lost to Geelong.
Similar to Keays, Smith has been in strong form in the NEAFL side and has taken his forward craft work to another level this year.
Smith has alternated between the ruck and creating a contest in the forward line, which has impressed his NEAFL and AFL coaches.
Mathieson returns for the first time since the side’s Round 9 win over the Adelaide Crows, where he was suspended for one match for striking.
Defender Nick Robertson was the travelling emergency for the Dockers clash. Saturday’s match will be his first since the Lions’ Round 5 loss to Collingwood.
In: Ben Keays, Nicholas Robertson, Rhys Mathieson, Archie Smith
Out: Mitch Hinge (Omitted), Josh Walker (Omitted), Ryan Lester (Injured), Oscar McInerney (Managed)
