Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown is set to line up for the first time in 2014, at the Moreton Bay Festival of Football.
Brown has been recovering from foot surgery in the off-season, and was initially expected to miss the pre-season, but was today named in the 27-man squad to take on the Sydney Swans.
The former captain heads a star-studded Lions line-up for Saturday’s practice match, that also includes captain Jed Adcock, gun midfielders Daniel Rich, Tom Rockliff and Jack Redden and dual best and fairest winner, Joel Patfull.
The two Brisbane inclusions in this week’s Top 50 players list, ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, and Irishman Pearce Hanley, are also set to play in the match.
There’ll be plenty of home-grown talent for fans to check out as well, with Broadbeach duo Luke McGuane and Dayne Zorko, Claye Beams (Labrador), Daniel Merrett (Southport) and rookie Jordon Bourke (Morningside).
Bourke’s selection is a massive show of faith to the defender, who has retained his place after two strong NAB Challenge performances in what is close to the Lions’ top line side.
Their opposition is not leaving anything in the tank either, with the Swans naming superstar recruit Lance Franklin in their squad for Saturday.
Swan coach, John Longmire, signalled this week that he would be named a strong squad for the weekend and he has followed through, with Franklin heading a list of A-listers included in their team.
Southport’s Kurt Tippett is still missing from the side with injury, but fans will have the chance to see co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, elite defender Ted Richards, speedy forward Lewis Jetta and big-bodied midfielder, Josh Kennedy, in the flesh.
Kicking off at 2:30pm, the AFL practice match is both sides’ last hit out before the regular season, and the last chance to see the Lions play in Queensland until Round two of the AFL premiership season.
The match headlines a full day of action at the Moreton Bay Festival of Football, part of the official launch of the Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex – AFL Precinct that includes community, NEAFL and AFL action.
For ticket info, go to http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/burpengary/afl
Full squds for Saturday’s practice match:
BRISBANE LIONS v SYDNEY SWANS
Saturday March 8, 2.30pm AEST
Burpengary (Brisbane)
BRISBANE LIONS
1. Luke McGuane, 2. Ryan Harwood, 3. Brent Moloney, 4. James Aish, 6. Josh Green, 7. Jed Adcock, 10. Daniel Rich, 11. Pearce Hanley, 13. Trent West, 15. Dayne Zorko, 16. Jonathan Brown, 17. Claye Beams, 18. Nicholas Robertson, 19. Jordan Lisle, 21. Daniel Merrett, 22. Marco Paparone, 23. Matthew Leuenberger, 24. Joel Patfull, 26. Tom Cutler, 30. Jack Redden, 32. Sam Mayes, 33. Michael Close, 35. Ryan Lester, 38. Tom Rockliff, 41. Mitch Golby, 42. Justin Clarke, 45. Jordon Bourke
SYDNEY SWANS
2. Rhyce Shaw, 3. Jarrad McVeigh, , 4. Dan Hannebery, 5. Ryan O’Keefe, 6. Tom Mitchell, 7. Harry Cunningham, 9. Nick Malceski, 10. Zak Jones, 11. Jeremy Laidler, 12. Josh Kennedy, 13. Toby Nankervis, 14. Craig Bird, 15. Kieren Jack, 16. Gary Rohan, 19. Tom Derickx, 20. Sam Reid , 21. Ben McGlynn, 23. Lance Franklin, 24. Dane Rampe, 25. Ted Richards, 30. Lewis Roberts-Thomson, 32. Lewis Jetta, 33. Brandon Jack, 35. Sam Naismith, 38. Mike Pyke, 39. Heath Grundy, 40. Nick Smith
