Wagga Tigers will unveil seven new players when they take on arch-rivals Turvey Park at Maher Oval on Saturday.
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Four Tigers juniors will make their senior debut against the Bulldogs, while three recruits will represent the club for the first time.
Xavier Lyons, Riley Green, Jeff Mannell and Harry Bennett will make their senior debut, while Nick Keegan, Matt Griffin and Mitch Castles will pull on the Tigers guernsey for the first time.
Suspended Tigers coach Shaun Campbell is looking forward to blooding new talent.
“It’s super exciting for them and super exciting for the club most definitely,” Campbell said.
“It’s also exciting for me, having a couple of fresh faces, new players to get to know and get the best out of.
“It’s a new challenge, which will be good.”
Lyons is a promising left footer that will slot into defence. Green won Tigers under 17s best and fairest last year and will be used through the midfield.
Mannell and Bennett will bring pace and used up forward and through the wing.
Campbell is not expecting miracles from the youngsters.
“They’ll bring a bit of enthusiasm and a bit of go,” he said.
“They will get in and have a go and we’ll see how they take to it.”
Keegan is Tigers’ recruit from Melbourne. He has VFL experience and will add pace on a wing or across half-back.
Griffin has arrived from Bathurst and will slot into centre-half-back, while Castles joins after two years at East Wagga-Kooringal.
Despite a number of player losses over the off-season, Campbell is happy with the team that will take on the Bulldogs.
“Very happy, we’ve got to go in with a lot of confidence,” he said.
“We’ve got a group of kids that could either play out of their skin or they will be a little bit nervous. I don’t really know but we’ll find out.”
While Tigers had the round one bye, Turvey Park started the year on a bright note with a four-point win over Coolamon.
Campbell expects the Bulldogs to come out firing on Saturday.
“They are always going to pull out a bit extra when they’re playing Tigers,” he said.
“They will be good. They have recruited pretty well and have a few new faces. They were good last year so there is no reason why they won’t be good again.”
It will be the battle of the suspended coaches on Saturday with Campbell and Turvey Park counterpart Truman Carroll both missing due to reports stemming from pre-season trials.
As per the new regulations, Campbell and Carroll are unable to coach in any form, or be within 25 metres of the interchange bench on Saturday.