Collingwood’s 25-man squad for Saturday’s NAB Cup round robin against the Western Bulldogs and Greater Western Sydney includes eight potential debutants and a total of 13 players who arrived at the club between 2010 and 2012.
The absence of team leaders means that Luke Ball will captain the team for the first time since arriving at the club in 2010. Ball was named as St Kilda captain in 2006 at the age of 21 and is widely respected for his leadership among the AFL community.
Find out everything you need to know about this week's matches with the Collingwood NAB Cup preview.
Buckley was full of praise for Ball’s attitude during the week.
“Even though it’s just a NAB Cup game, it’s great recognition for him,” Buckley told collingwoodfc.com.au.
“He does everything right around the place. He doesn’t put a foot wrong and he’s got a great influence through the group so he’s really the epitome of a leader.”
Only 10 of the 25-man squad were members of the 2010 premiership side, illustrating the side’s influx of youth.
Click here to see a history of Collingwood's pre-season performances.
The squad includes Jackson Paine, who at pick No. 50 was the Magpies’ first selection in last year’s National Draft. He is joined by 208cm ruckman Jarrod Witts who excited supporters with several promising showings in the VFL late last season.
After injury restricted him to only four games in 2011, Brent Macaffer returns to the senior side and will be eager to put last year behind him with a strong NAB Cup campaign.
A fit and healthy Tyson Goldsack will also be seeking to capitalise on his summer’s work after his past two pre-seasons were ruined by illness.
Collingwood NAB Cup Squad - Round One, 2012
1. Alex Fasolo
6. Tyson Goldsack
12. Luke Ball (captain)
13. Dale Thomas
15. Jarrod Witts
18. Darren Jolly
22. Steele Sidebottom
23. Lachlan Keeffe
25. Tom Young
27. Simon Buckley
28. Ben Sinclair
29. Jonathon Ceglar
30. Brent Macaffer
31. Chris Dawes
33. Jackson Paine
34. Alan Toovey
36. Dane Swan
38. Peter Yagmoor
39. Heath Shaw
40. Paul Seedsman
45. Lachlan Smith (r)
46. Marley Williams (r)
47. Michael Hartley (r)
48. Caolan Mooney (r)
50. Shae McNamara (r)
*(r) Denotes rookie.
Click here to read collingwoodfc.com.au's Q&A with Nathan Buckley on the eve of his first match as senior coach.
Greater Western Sydney Squad
1. Phil Davis, 2. Curtly Hampton, 3. Stephen Coniglio, 4. Israel Folau, 6. Luke Power, 8. Callan Ward, 9. Tom Scully, 11. Chad Cornes, 13. Sam Darley, 14. Tomas Bugg, 15. Tim Golds, 16. Nathan Wilson, 18. Jeremy Cameron, 19. Nick Haynes, 20. Adam Tomlinson, 22. Shaun Edwards, 23. Sam Reid, 24. Steve Clifton, 25. Anthony Miles, 26. Jonathan Giles, 27. Andrew Phillips, 28. Liam Sumner, 29. Dom Tyson, 31. Jacob Townsend, 32. Gerald Ugle, 34. Devon Smith, 35. Toby Greene, 36. Jack Hombsch, 38. James McDonald, 39. Tim Mohr, 42. Mark Whiley, 44. Tom Downie, 47. Josh Bruce, 49. Rhys Cooyou.
Western Bulldogs Squad
1. Jarrad Grant, 2. Robert Murphy, 3. Mitch Wallis, 4. Daniel Cross, 5. Matthew Boyd, 8. Patrick Veszpremi, 10. Easton Ward, 12. Tom Williams, 13. Daniel Giansiracusa, 14. Clay Smith, 16. Ryan Griffen, 19. Liam Jones, 21. Tom Liberatore, 22. Dylan Addison, 23. Jordan Roughead, 25. Ryan Hargrave, 26. Zephaniah Skinner, 27. Will Minson, 29. Tory Dickson, 30. Christian Howard, 32, Michael Talia, 37. Lukas Markovic, 40. Luke Dahlhaus, 42, Liam Picken, 48. Matthew Panos, 49. Ayce Cordy.
