A handful of West Coast Eagles newcomers and emerging youngsters pushing for early season opportunities will play in tomorrow’s practice match against Fremantle at Mineral Resources Park.

The game, which is closed to the public for COVID security reasons, will be streamed from 10am on westcoasteagles.com.au and the focus will be on the relatively new faces in the West Coast squad.

Rebounding defender Alex Witherden (Brisbane) and pugnacious small forward Zac Langdon (GWS), traded into the club last October, have been selected alongside a string of young hopefuls – including tall defender Harry Edwards, half-back Luke Foley, utility player Jarrod Brander, speedy forward Jack Petruccelle, midfielders Brayden Ainsworth and Xavier O’Neill, as well as small forward Jamaine Jones.

Edwards and Foley played a game each last season, though Edwards’ memory of the game is a little hazy, ruled out after failing a second quarter concussion test against Geelong. Foley made his debut in the final qualifying game of the year against North Melbourne.

O’Neill played five games in his debut year and looms as an exciting prospect who is ready to build on the early exposure to elite football.

Jones, who secured the final place on the list last season, has shone through in the match simulation in training and is eyeing off a spot inside the attacking arc.

He showed encouraging signs in two games for the club, but his season was curtailed by a serious hamstring injury. He has recovered well and the former Geelong forward is in the selection reckoning for round one.

Brander, Petruccelle and Ainsworth have been in the system for a few years now and will be looking to use the lead-up games to help cement a place in the senior team.