West Coast Eagles bring in Malakai Champion, Sandy Brock and Matt Owies for home clash against Sydney

West Coast has recalled a trio of players for their first games of the season for Saturday’s clash with Sydney at Optus Stadium.

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Young defender Sandy Brock has been named to help combat a tall and potent Swans attack, while small forwards Malakai Champion and Matt Owies have also been included in the 23-player line-up.

They replace midfielders Elliot Yeo (groin) and Deven Robertson (suspended) as well as forward Jacob Newton (foot).

Co-captain Liam Duggan was named after being listed as a test this week after he rolled his ankle late in the win over Port Adelaide on Sunday.

The Eagles named midfielder Elijah Hewett, Tom Cole and Bailey Williams as the emergencies after all three were not named in West Coast’s WAFL side to take on Perth on Good Friday.

Brock and Champion were the travelling emergencies for the Port game, while Owies was named after overcoming a hamstring injury.

Brock’s inclusion will help defenders Reuben Ginbey and Tylar Young in their battle with Sydney’s three-pronged attack of Charlie Curnow, Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey.

Amartey has kicked nine goals across three games and McDonald six, while the big-name recruit Curnow has been quiet in the past two games.

Hewett, who played 20 AFL games last season after missing the entire 2024 season with a foot stress fracture, returned from a quad complaint in a WAFL pre-season loss to Peel Thunder last week.

Champion has impressed with back-to-back hauls of three goals in WAFL practice matches.

Williams has also built a strong case after a groin injury hampered his pre-season, but Matt Flynn was named as the ruckman to take on Sydney powerhouse Brodie Grundy.

Sydney has been bolstered by the return of elite midfielder Isaac Heeney who missed their last round loss to Hawthorn with a hamstring injury.

Caiden Cleary was omitted.

The Swans are coming off the bye and will have not played for 16 days when they tackle the Eagles.

They will back their strong record at Optus Stadium, having won their past six games at the venue.

WEST COAST v SYDNEY

Optus Stadium, Saturday 4.35pm

WEST COAST

B: L Duggan, T Young, B Hough

HB: J Lindsay, R Ginbey, L Baker

C: B Allan, J Graham, T McCarthy

HF: W Duursma, J Shanahan, H Davis

F: C Duff-Tytler, J Waterman, J Cripps

R: M Flynn, H Reid, T Kelly

IC: M Owies, A Reid, M Champion, S Brock, H Schoenberg

EMG: E Hewett, T Cole, B Williams

SYDNEY

B: L Melican, T McCartin, C Mills

HB: R Bice, N Blakey, D Rampe

C: J Serong, I Heeney, M Roberts

HF: M Rosas, T Papley, J Rowbottom

F: J Amartey, C Curnow, J Lloyd

R: B Grundy, Ch Warner, A Sheldrick

IC: S Wicks, J Jordon, J McInerney, Co Warner, L McDonald

EMG: H Cunningham, T Hanily, H McLean