Gary Stocks 5:02 PM Thu 26 May, 2011
If Jacob Brennan survives the selection cull on Friday afternoon, he will make his debut at the MCG this Sunday against Collingwood
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The transition of the club’s first genuine father-son selection from a speculative selection to a bonafide AFL player will be completed if Jacob Brennan survives the selection process to make his West Coast debut against Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
Brennan, secured with selection 62 under the AFL bidding system which saw no club prepared to under-cut the Eagles who nominated their fourth round pick, has developed rapidly this season.
The 21-year-old was outstanding for East Fremantle last Saturday when they upstaged Swan Districts and has been rewarded with a position on an extended interchange bench that also includes Tom Swift and Andrew Gaff.
Click here to read the full squad announcement.
The match committee will convene again, ahead of the team’s departure for Melbourne, to determine the final 22 and the travelling emergency.
To this stage the 22 who performed so well in dispensing with the Western Bulldogs last Sunday have been retained with the additions of the three youngsters.
It would be a dream fulfilled by Brennan should he survive the selection cull and make his debut on a ground that holds some special family memories. His father, Michael, of course, played in both the 1992 and 1994 premierships at the MCG and when he retired at the end of the 1995 season he left the game with a club record 179 games to his name.
Jacob had always dreamed of playing for the club, but did not follow the traditional route of an AFL draftee. His body and his football were not mature enough to earn him recognition or selection in the State 18s team three years ago, but he has blossomed at a slower rate than many his age.
He has developed into a strong rebounding half-back, who has had the privilege of learning his craft at East Fremantle (where his father was named as a member of the Sharks team of the century) and has been matched against some wily veterans, including former Fremantle star Paul Hasleby.
Should he earn a place in the starting 22, he will become the first son of a West Coast player to follow in his father’s footsteps. Ben Cousins and Ashley McIntosh were other father-son selections, but that was under previous criteria where the exploits of Bryan Cousins and John McIntosh in the WAFL were taken into account.
While Brennan will be hoping his opportunity is just days away, both Gaff and Swift have strong claims for a recall should the match committee seek to change a combination that won by 20 goals on Sunday.
Gaff, in his two games with South Fremantle, has clearly been his team’s best player where his ball use and ability to be in the right place at the right time have been noticeable.
Swift, who has hardly been out of the selected 25 for any match this season, has not been able to add to his 23 games, but has been outstanding for Claremont. Playing through the midfield for the Tigers, his possession count has rarely fallen short of the high 20s and he is in eye-catching touch.
He has taken his game to another level with the Tigers and would be keen to build on that at the elite level.
for westcoasteagles.com.au
