Five changes have been made to the Gold Coast side to take on the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat on Saturday afternoon.
Charlie Ballard and Brayden Crossley have been named to make their debuts, the first draftees to do so for the season.
WATCH: Charlie calls home
Ballard will start in the forward pocket while Crossley is listed on the interchange and expected to rotate through the forward line alongside Jack Martin and Sam Day.
As announced in the Alpha Sport Injury Update on Tuesday, captains Steven May (finger) and Tom Lynch (knee) will miss the clash with the Bulldogs at Mars Stadium.
Brayden Fiorini and Jesse Lonergan have also been ruled out after undergoing scans.
Fiorini was revealed to have a stress reaction in his lower leg after pulling up with soreness after the Crows match.
“He’s been advised to rest, it’s a bit of a risk with those ones if you push too far, so it will be a likely four to six-week injury but we’re waiting on a little bit more information,” senior coach Stuart Dew told goldcoastfc.com.au.
Lonergan has been battling a knee injury over the last two weeks which has impacted his training program.
“He’ll have a few weeks off as well to make sure we get that right,” Dew said on Lonergan’s injury.
“AFL football’s so demanding that you need to be able to train and play.
“If you get into the cycle of just playing games it starts to catch up on you.”
Following his two games in the NEAFL, Callum Ah Chee will make his return to senior football after proving his full fitness and ability since going down with a hamstring injury in the pre-season.
Brad Scheer also comes into the side for the first time this year, his hard work in the NEAFL paying off with a spot on the interchange bench.
Michael Rischitelli returns after one week on the sidelines, with his experience and leadership in the backline required after the injury to May.
Michael Barlow has been omitted from the side.
Round 7 Toyota AFL Premiership Season
Gold Coast SUNS v Western Bulldogs
Saturday, May 5 at 1.45pm AEST
Mars Stadium
B: | 5. Jarrod Harbrow | 16. Rory Thompson | 38. Jesse Joyce |
HB: | 14. Lachie Weller | 43. Max Spencer | 29. Jack Bowes |
C: | 3. Matt Rosa | 25. Jarryd Lyons | 6. Alex Sexton |
HF: | 13. Callum Ah Chee | 12. Sam Day | 15. Aaron Young |
F: | 9. Ben Ainsworth | 4. Jack Martin | 31. Charlie Ballard |
FOLL: | 28. Jarrod Witts | 11. Touk Miller | 24. David Swallow |
INT: | 35. Michael Rischitelli | 32. Brayden Crossley | 39. Nick Holman |
| 18. Brad Scheer |
| |
EMG: | 33. Aaron Hall | 21. Jack Leslie | 41. Will Brodie |
| 34. Mackenzie Willis |
|
|
IN: | 32. Brayden Crossley, 13. Callum Ah Chee, 35. Michael Rischitelli, 31. Charlie Ballard, 18. Brad Scheer | ||
OUT: | 17. Steven May, 19. Tom Lynch, 7. Jesse Lonergan, 8. Brayden Fiorini, 20. Michael Barlow | ||
