Lion cubs to get run as older heads ousted on form
BRISBANE coach Chris Fagan makes no apologies for swinging the axe ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Collingwood at the MCG.
Even if it makes one of the youngest squads in the AFL even greener.
The Lions have made five changes to the side smashed by Adelaide with ruckman Archie Smith and midfielder Rhys Mathieson making their first senior appearances of 2017.
Daniel McStay, Tom Cutler and Ryan Bastinac also come into the team as Brisbane aim to snap an eight- game losing streak. Tom Bell, Josh Walker and Ryan Harwood were omitted when Brisbane announced their extended 25- man squad and forward Michael Close joined them as axings when the final 22 was named last night.
Claye Beams ( hamstring) is the only forced change.
“The other boys have gone out of the team on form. That’s the policy that we’ve had all year,’’ Fagan said.
“We’ll bring five players into the team. It will make us a really young team.
“The average age will be about 22 and a half and we’ll have 15 guys 22 years of age or less. We are going down to the MCG to play one of the great traditional clubs and we think that will be a fantastic opportunity for those young players.
“They deserve it, the guys that are coming in. They’ve been in really good form in the NEAFL.’’
Out- of- contract key forward Josh Schache will not be at the MCG after being rested this week. He had just four touches in the NEAFL last weekend after being dropped from the seniors.
“That’s standard with young bodies and hard seasons,” Fagan said. “The fact we are sending him home is indicative that he is a little flat and tired at the moment.’’
Fagan said the Magpies were travelling better than their win- loss record suggests.