Teams: Stars return as two Giants axed
GWS have recalled two of their brightest stars for their grand final showdown with Richmond, with Lachie Whitfield and Toby Greene making way for two unlucky Giants.
Utility Lachie Keeffe and youngster Ian Hill are the hard-luck stories for the Giants with both omitted ahead of Saturday's game
The pair replaced the injured Whitfield and suspended Greene ahead of their preliminary final clash with the Pies.
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Keeffe is perhaps the stiffest of the pair after shutting down Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek, keeping him to just two disposals.
Meanwhile, the Tigers announced on Thursday afternoon that mid-season draftee Marlion Pickett would replace the injured Jack Graham, making his AFL debut on the biggest stage of all.
It means youngster Jack Ross has missed out on selection despite being ruled out of the Tiger's VFL grand final triumph.
Pickett, 27, won the Norm Goss medal in last Sunday's VFL grand final as the best player on the ground, and will play in the AFL grand final just six days later.
Pickett was selected with the 13th selection in this year's mid-season draft.
Richmond assistant coach Leppitsch said Nathan Broad's recovery would give the Tigers one less selection dilemma.
"Broady's fine. He has passed all his tests and he is right to go," Leppitsch said at Punt Rd before training today.
"It looks like it at this stage, yes, just the one change."
Leppitsch said the Tigers were still debating Graham's replacement.
"It's obviously going to come down to a midfield-type replacement, I think everyone knows the possibilities," he said.
AFL GRAND FINAL
RICHMOND v GWS GIANTS
Saturday 28 September, 2.30pm at the MCG
TIGERS
B: D. Astbury, N. Broad, D. Grimes
HB: B. Houli, N. Vlastuin, J. Short
C: B. Ellis, D. Prestia, J. Caddy
HF: D. Rioli, T. Cotchin, K. Lambert
F: J. Castagna, T. Lynch, J. Riewoldt
FOLL: T. Nankervis, S. Edwards, D. Martin
I/C: I. Soldo, L. Baker, M. Pickett, S. Bolton
EMG: J. Ross, S. Stack, R. Garthwaite, K. McIntosh
IN: M. Pickett
OUT: J. Graham (shoulder)
GIANTS
B: N. Haynes, P. Davis, A. Corr
HB: A. Kennedy, S. Taylor, H. Shaw
C: Z. Williams, J. Kelly, L. Whitfield
HF: S. Reid, J. Cameron, H. Perryman
F: H. Himmelberg, J. Finlayson, B. Daniels
FOLL: S. Mumford, T. Taranto, M. de Boer
I/C: J. Hopper, D. Lloyd, T. Greene, A. Tomlinson
EMG: I. Cumming, Z. Langdon, L. Keefe, I. Hill
IN: L. Whitfield, T. Greene
OUT: L. Keefe (omitted), I. Hill (omitted)
