Geelong will turn to 19-year-old debutant Jamaine Jones as part of its plan to win the pressure battle against Carlton on Saturday.
The Cats were shock losers to Essendon last weekend and coach Chris Scott said a promised autopsy into their loss revealed intensity around the ball as the key issue.
That calls for a lift from under-performing players around the ball, and the injection of fresh talent.
Jones will provide the latter.
The teenager will debut against the Blues after a Hail Mary draft pick in 2016 that could be about to bare fruit for the Cats.
"He was effectively our last pick in the rookie draft. They're as speculative as they come," Scott said.
"And it's absolutely based on merit."
Jones spent four years in a Mildura group home after being put up for adoption as a child.
Upon being plucked by the Cats in the 2016 draft, he heartbreakingly told News Corp of his tough upbringing, not knowing his brothers and sisters, and eventual home with foster parent Sue Lovett.
"It was lonely ... not having anyone, not having that love, I guess, sort of hurt me," he said.
"(Then) I just went into an awesome, supportive family. It was unreal.
"Sue is awesome. She is sort of like my mum and dad."
Now within his second family at the Cats, Scott beamed like a proud parent when announcing his debut.
"We were confident he had the desire. He had a history of overcoming adversity," he said.
"He's got some energy and a really good pressure player
"It's a rare story. A really uplifting one.
"We're really proud of him."
Jones is Geelong's fifth debutant this season after Esava Ratugolea, Tim Kelly, Lachie Fogarty and Jack Henry.
And he'll need to quickly find his feet in order to help Geelong back on the winner's list.
Scott Selwood (back) and Fogarty (groin) will miss the match.
Scott said the match-up against Carlton was a good chance to rectify their lack of intensity against the Bombers.
"(Essendon) had great pressure on the ball ... you have the ability to absorb it or not and we didn't," he said.
"(Carlton) aspire to be a really good pressure team.
"They challenge is for us to win that battle. The players have been really clear on how we're going to do that."
