Collingwood will blood its sixth debutant of the season when Rupert Wills runs onto the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Youth appears to have been the theme for the Magpies’ selection committee.

Jordan De Goey returns after a week on the sidelines, while Ben Crocker has also been named in the side to take on the Eagles.

Leaving the team due to injury is 283 games of senior experience.

An assortment of concerns mean Ben Sinclair (concussion), Alex Fasolo (shoulder) and Jarryd Blair (groin) won’t play this weekend.

Collingwood Director of football Neil Balme on Thursday said a “resilient” Blair couldn’t reach full fitness, while adding that Fasolo was “keen to play” but wasn’t given the all clear.

Wills, 23, is a Collingwood VFL success story.

The strong-bodied midfielder spent 2014 and ’15 playing under Dale Tapping for the VFL Magpies, before this season becoming the first VFL graduate to Collingwood’s AFL list.

Get to know the newest Magpie - View Rupert Wills' official bio.

His upcoming debut comes with big expectations from Collingwood's VFL coach.

“The thing that stands out is his power. He’s got amazing power,” Tapping told Collingwood Media.

“If you’re looking in comparison, I think he’s got a lot of Patrick Cripps about him.”

Wills returned to the VFL level this season, this time as a full-time footballer.

He started the year with 30 and 34 disposals, before injury and form concerns led to a quieter patch in the middle of the season.

The long-awaited opportunity to play AFL football now presents itself with five rounds remaining in the AFL home and away season.



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Another member of the 2015 draft class entering the team is forward Crocker.

Crocker already has a taste of AFL action in 2016.

The 19-year-old played six straight from round seven to round 12, kicking five goals and averaging 8.7 disposals per game.

Meanwhile, a former Oakleigh Charger teammate in De Goey will once again line up in the Black and White.

After being omitted last weekend, De Goey this week proved that training form can be good enough form to regain a place in the senior side.

The midfielder didn’t play any football last weekend because of a VFL bye. But he no doubt impressed the coaches enough with a determined effort at the Holden Centre during the week that followed.

De Goey, Crocker and Wills will join teammates in attempting to ensure West Coast’s interstate record remains a shaky one.

Despite boasting a 9-1 win-loss tally at home, the Eagles have struggled on the road this year, winning just three of seven games.

ROUND 19
Collingwood v West Coast
Saturday 30 July, 2016
4:35pm
MCG

COLLINGWOOD TEAM

IN: Jordan De Goey, Rupert Wills, Ben Crocker
OUT: Alex Fasolo (shoulder), Jarryd Blair (groin), Ben Sinclair (comcussion)
NEW: Rupert Wills, 23, Collingwood VFL

B: Jonathon Marsh, Nathan Brown, Jeremy Howe
HB: Marley Williams, Ben Reid, Brayden Maynard
C: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, James Aish
HF: Rupert Wills, Travis Cloke, Travis Varcoe
F: Darcy Moore, Jesse White, Ben Crocker
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams
Int: Jordan De Goey, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp, Josh Smith
Emg: Tyson Goldsack, Adam Oxley, Mason Cox

WEST COAST TEAM

IN: Will Schofield, Mark Hutchings, Dom Sheed, Simon Tunbridge
OUT: Jack Redden (shoulder), Thomas Barrass (rested), Jonathon Giles (omitted), Jackson Nelson (omitted)

B: Brad Sheppard, Eric Mackenzie, Will Schofield
HB: Shannon Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Sam Butler
C: Andrew Gaff, Matt Priddis, Elliot Yeo
HF: Mark LeCras, Jack Darling, Chris Masten
F: Jamie Cripps, Josh Kennedy, Josh Hill
Foll: Scott Lycett, Mark Hutchings, Luke Shuey
Int: Dom Sheed, Sharrod Wellingham, Liam Duggan, Simon Tunbridge
Emg: Jackson Nelson, Thomas Barrass, Malcolm Karpany