The Brisbane Lions will unveil two new faces in this weekend’s season opener against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
New recruits Brent Moloney and Stefan Martin will make their debuts for Brisbane after both ex-Demons had impressive showings in the NAB Cup following their respective moves up north at the end of 2012.
Reward for good pre-season form has been a theme of this weekend’s team – every player named was a member of the Lions’ 2013 NAB Cup Premiership team.
Andrew Raines, Sam Docherty and Ryan Lester have been named as emergencies.
Ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, who earlier in the week was given a “50-50” chance of playing by Senior Coach Michael Voss, has not been named.
Leuenberger spent the large majority of 2012 on the sidelines following an Achilles injury, and will instead build up his match fitness in the Lions Reserves this weekend.
Please find below the final Lions team for Round One:
B: Elliot Yeo (26), Daniel Merrett (21), Joel Patfull (24)
HB: Jed Adcock (7), Matt Maguire (36), Pearce Hanley (11)
C: Patrick Karnezis (28), Tom Rockliff (38), Mitch Golby (41)
HF: Dayne Zorko (15), Stefan Martin (12), Josh Green (6)
F: Rohan Bewick (8), Jonathan Brown (16), Ash McGrath (9)
Foll: Billy Longer (5), Daniel Rich (10), Brent Moloney (3)
Int: Claye Beams (17), Jack Redden (30), James Polkinghorne (31), Aaron Cornelius (44)
Emer: Sam Docherty (1), Andrew Raines (29), Ryan Lester (35)
NEW: Brent Moloney (Melbourne), Stefan Martin (Melbourne)
