- Carlton season preview: hard road ahead of young Blues
- Richmond season preview: Tigers need evidence of improvement
Befitting the dawn of a new season, Carlton and Richmond will unveil a combined eight fresh faces when they clash in Thursday night's season opener at the MCG.
More AFL Real Footy Videos
FootyFix: Will the Pies upset the reigning premiers?
Fairfax senior footy writer Rohan Connolly previews all the action ahead of the first round in the 2017 AFL season.
In what shapes as a pivotal year for coach Damien Hardwick, the Tigers are set to have prominent midfield recruits Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia run out for the first time, although Prestia did little at training on Wednesday.
Former Swan Toby Nankervis - having impressed through the pre-season with his vigorous style - will be the new frontline ruckman, while small forward Dan Butler, a fourth-round selection in the 2014 national draft, will debut.
Rookie Jason Castagna, a speedy forward who played five matches last season, was elevated to the senior list on Wednesday and was also named.
Hardwick said selection had been tight, with 43 players available.
"Our fitness and strength and conditioning staff have done a wonderful job in getting those guys available and it's been a really tough process at match committee. The magnets have been flying around non-stop, and it's a great place to be," he said.
Hardwick said the greater midfield depth would allow skipper Trent Cotchin and midfield bull Dustin Martin to push forward more and kick goals.
![Blue debut: Caleb Marchbank.](/web/20170324231412im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/2/b/e/1/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv3tta.png/1490217738015.jpg)
"Martin and Cotchin will play forward. You know Josh is a bit of a weapon up there as well, together with Nick Vlaustin, we haven't had that for a number of years, ever since the retirements of (Shane) Tuck and (Daniel) Jackson," he said.
![Tiger time: Dion Prestia.](/web/20170324231412im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/o/u/p/l/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv3tta.png/1490217738015.jpg)
"So to bring those two players in has really complemented our midfield and allows us to put another weapon up forward at various stages, which we are really excited about.
"We are looking forward to putting on something different that we haven't seen as of last year and those players will certainly help that."
![Coach Brendon Bolton with draftee Sam Petrevski-Seton.](/web/20170324231412im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/2/r/5/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv3tta.png/1490217738015.jpg)
The Blues, preparing for year two of a major rebuild under coach Brendon Bolton, also plumped for four new faces.
These were headlined by midfielder Sam Petrevski-Seton, the No.6 overall pick in last year's national draft, who was named to start on the interchange.
Petrevski-Seton had missed the entire pre-season competition because of a left quad strain but the West Australian was cleared to resume after more than a month in recovery, including playing in an intra-club clash last weekend.
Former Blues star Andrew Walker, who has taken on a role of development and integration at the club, said this week that Petrevski-Seton was "hard as a cat's head, runs all day and just has that silky ball movement we all like".
However, fellow draftee Harrison Macreadie, a third-round selection and a former Giants Academy player, was named as an emergency after impressing through the summer.
Former Giants Jarrod Pickett, named on a wing, and Caleb Marchbank, a defender, and former Cat Billie Smedts will also debut for their new club.
"They've brought some amazing excitement to our group," Bolton said.
Skipper Marc Murphy, who missed the final 12 games of last season with a syndesmosis injury in his right ankle, returns.
"He'll lead by example and when he's got the ball in his hands, we know he uses it well," Bolton said.
"With a full pre-season with no interruptions - touch wood - and no more injuries, I think we'll see the best of Marc Murphy this year."
The Blues need strong seasons from veterans Bryce Gibbs, Matthew Kreuzer and Murphy and emerging midfield extractor Patrick Cripps if they are to be consistently competitive.
"They (Tigers) have now added Caddy and Prestia, so they've got more midfield depth but we've got some guys that hold their own in there," Bolton said.
"Cripps, Murphy, Gibbs ... they haven't been together for a while because of Murphy's injury so it's going to be a good battle in there."
Midfielder Sam Kerridge, who averaged 21.3 disposals per game in 21 matches last season, was surprisingly overlooked but was named as an emergency alongside Macreadie and Rhys Palmer, another former Giant.
CARLTON
B: Plowman Weitering Simpson
HB: Thomas Rowe Marchbank
C: Docherty Gibbs Pickett
HF: Armfield Casboult Wright
F: Curnow Silvagni White
FOLL: Kreuzer Cripps Murphy
I/C: Lamb Curnow Petrevski-Seton Smedts
EMG: Macreadie Palmer Kerridge
NEW: Pickett Petrevski-Seton
RICHMOND
B: Rance Astbury Grimes
HB: McIntosh Hunt B Ellis
C: Vlastuin Edwards Grigg
HF: Rioli Lloyd Butler
F: Martin Riewoldt Castagna
FOLL: Nankervis Cotchin Caddy
I/C: Conca Griffiths Houli Prestia
EMG: Maric Lambert Miles
NEW: Butler