Greater Western Sydney veteran Brett Deledio has made it to the start line for the 2018 AFL season.
Former Richmond star Deledio played only the last seven games of his first campaign with the Giants in 2017, after being dogged by calf issues.
He didn't appear in GWS colours in 2018 until their final pre-season game, where he had one kick and eight disposals in total.
But on Thursday, Giants coach Leon Cameron confirmed the 30-year-old would play in their season opener on Sunday against the Western Bulldogs in Canberra, where forward Zac Langdon will make his senior debut.
"He (Deledio) played two weeks ago in JLT 2 and he's been training for about a month, but was running for about six weeks before that," Cameron said.
"So he's got a lot of running in his legs, so we're really confident that's going to hold us in good stead.
"That was a deliberate plan to actually build him up that way. That wasn't one that was through necessity because of injury - that was just to really time his run."
West Australian and former Claremont WAFL player Langdon, 22, was a fourth-round pick in last year's draft, where he was taken at No.56.
Langdon is expected to add pressure to a Giants forward line, who were criticised widely last season for lacking that quality.
"He's got an elite running ability which we really like so he can repeat efforts all the time and he's got an appetite for some defence," Cameron said.
"Clearly we've gone through the draft and the trade period looking for some smaller forwards that can apply pressure, but also work their craft at ground level.
"Zac was clearly doing that over the summer period and the first couple of JLT games."
Langdon said he was shocked to get chosen, but recognised his ability to pressure defenders was a key factor in his selection.
" I think thats what I'm here for, to lay some big tackles and forward pressure, if you kick a couple of goals it's a big bonus.," Langdon said.
Cameron said key forward Jon Patton would also fill the role of backup ruckman.
Share
