Greater Western Sydney big man Rory Lobb has proved his fitness to fill the ruck void left by retired star Shane Mumford.
After battling a groin injury during the AFL pre-season, the 25-year-old was locked in a battle with journeyman Dawson Simpson for a place in the centre square.
Lobb has been named on the bench for Sunday's round-one match against the Western Bulldogs in Canberra and will share ruck duties with key forward Jonathon Patton.
GWS coach Leon Cameron said the influence Mumford continues to have as a ruck coach at the club even after retiring would benefit all of his players.
Cameron hoped Lobb and the Giants' fellow big men would create a legacy at the club like Mumford did.
"Obviously everyone is going to create their own pathway and Mummy created his pathway by being an aggressive ruckman, and no doubt that benefited our midfielders," Cameron said.
"We feel as though when our midfield is playing in the manner that we want them to play, we're hard to beat."
Lobb and Patton will come up against Bulldogs premiership ruckman Jordan Roughead after he recovered in time from an injury suffered in the pre-season.
Roughead's back-up will be 20-year-old Tim English, named to start on the bench for only his third AFL game.
The Giants enter the match at UNSW Oval, where they haven't lost since 2015, anxious to start their campaign to make amends for a second straight preliminary final last year.
They will blood 22-year-old small forward Zac Langdon for his first game in an attempt to cover the retirement of Steve Johnson and the departure of Devon Smith to Essendon.
GWS's forward line, spearhead by Jeremy Cameron, will be out to take advantage of a Bulldogs defence without veteran Dale Morris (knee) and Marcus Adams (ankle).
The 2016 premiers are giving Aaron Naughton and Billy Gowers their first AFL game, while Hayden Crozier (Fremantle) and Jackson Trengove (Port Adelaide) make their debut appearances in Bulldogs colours.
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