Fremantle To Play Debutant Number 10
Tim Ruffles will become Fremantle's 10th debutant of the season and its ninth first-year player to be unveiled when the club meets Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.
Ruffles, 18, will be joined by Dean Solomon, who has served a club-imposed one-match ban, while injured captain Matthew Pavlich (calf) won't be risked but will still travel with the side for a match-day role.
Coach Mark Harvey said with 16 players unavailable for selection, including rookies, he didn’t have the luxury of resting draftees Stephen Hill and Nic Suban and would continue the club's aggressive youth policy by selecting Ruffles.
"He’s been playing really well at WAFL level for a month now, so it gives us the opportunity at selection to put his name forward and play him," Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday afternoon.
"When you have 14 new players and you have substantial injuries then it can be forced upon you a little bit, but I think we’ve got to be brave with selection and know where we’re heading."
Ruffles, who Fremantle recruited with pick No. 68 in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, has been used as a forward by WAFL club Perth and has averaged 16 possessions and two goals in his last month.
Harvey said he would play the New South Welshman on a wing and in attack, but would eventually like to have him on the ball.
"(He's) lively, he’s got some speed and acceleration and a good leap on him," Harvey said.
"He needs to evolve in his body too, but he’s just elusive when he plays."
Harvey made the announcement in front of all his players on Wednesday and said it was one of the moments he treasures as a coach.
"Just the glee and him being ecstatic, not knowing that was coming in front of the group," he said.
The Brisbane Lions were the last side to debut 10 players in one season, in 2006, after giving opportunities to 11 in 2005.
This year, Richmond and North Melbourne have each played seven debutants for a total of 37 games while Melbourne has debuted six.
Fremantle's nine new players have combined for 53 games.
Luke Pratt, a second-year elevated rookie, has been joined by draftees Hill, Suban, Hayden Ballantyne, Zac Clarke and Michael Walters and rookie-listed trio Greg Broughton, Matt de Boer and Clancee Pearce.
Ruffles, 18, will be joined by Dean Solomon, who has served a club-imposed one-match ban, while injured captain Matthew Pavlich (calf) won't be risked but will still travel with the side for a match-day role.
Coach Mark Harvey said with 16 players unavailable for selection, including rookies, he didn’t have the luxury of resting draftees Stephen Hill and Nic Suban and would continue the club's aggressive youth policy by selecting Ruffles.
"He’s been playing really well at WAFL level for a month now, so it gives us the opportunity at selection to put his name forward and play him," Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday afternoon.
"When you have 14 new players and you have substantial injuries then it can be forced upon you a little bit, but I think we’ve got to be brave with selection and know where we’re heading."
Ruffles, who Fremantle recruited with pick No. 68 in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, has been used as a forward by WAFL club Perth and has averaged 16 possessions and two goals in his last month.
Harvey said he would play the New South Welshman on a wing and in attack, but would eventually like to have him on the ball.
"(He's) lively, he’s got some speed and acceleration and a good leap on him," Harvey said.
"He needs to evolve in his body too, but he’s just elusive when he plays."
Harvey made the announcement in front of all his players on Wednesday and said it was one of the moments he treasures as a coach.
"Just the glee and him being ecstatic, not knowing that was coming in front of the group," he said.
The Brisbane Lions were the last side to debut 10 players in one season, in 2006, after giving opportunities to 11 in 2005.
This year, Richmond and North Melbourne have each played seven debutants for a total of 37 games while Melbourne has debuted six.
Fremantle's nine new players have combined for 53 games.
Luke Pratt, a second-year elevated rookie, has been joined by draftees Hill, Suban, Hayden Ballantyne, Zac Clarke and Michael Walters and rookie-listed trio Greg Broughton, Matt de Boer and Clancee Pearce.
