Aaron Cadman has broken into the Giants’ side after a month-long wait, with the No. 1 pick to make his AFL debut against Hawthorn on Sunday.

Giants coach Adam Kingsley confirmed on Friday that Cadman had earned his spot in the side after strong form in the Giants reserves, including a three-goal haul in his last game against Carlton.

Cadman will enter his Gather Round debut at Norwood with fresh legs after he was flown to Melbourne last week as cover for a sore Jesse Hogan.

The 19-year-old Victorian from Darley will be the seventh top-10 pick from last year’s draft to make his debut this season.

Kingsley said the 195cm forward had made a fantastic impression in his first five months at the Giants.

“We know it’s been a waiting game for Aaron, who has been incredibly close to selection multiple times,” Kingsley said.

“We’ve been really impressed with what we’ve seen from Aaron over the pre-season and opening rounds of the VFL and have full confidence he’ll come in and play his role for the side on Sunday.

“He’s come into our club with a great attitude, he’s worked hard and is so eager to learn and these are all traits that will set him up for a long career at AFL level.

“It’s a really exciting time for him and we can’t to have him run out as part of our side to take on the Hawks.”

Cadman, who played Under 18s football for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels and impressed in representative matches with Victoria Country, has been likened to Jeremy Cameron due to his athleticism and ability to get high up the ground. He is a strong overhead mark and an accurate left foot kick, with his inclusion in the GWS side likely to mean a key forward is making way.

In other Sunday games, Collingwood will name small forward Jack Ginnivan in its 22-man line-up for Sunday’s blockbuster clash against St Kilda in what will be his first AFL match since his suspension for illicit drugs.

Ginnivan hasn’t played for the Magpies’ senior side this season after he was handed a two-match suspension, while he was also made to bide his time in the VFL for another fortnight.

The Pies on Friday confirmed Ginnivan, who was named in their extended squad on Thursday night, would face the Saints, who are expected to name Tim Membrey as the sub.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says Chad Wingard would come into the Hawks’ 22 after coming on as the substitute against Geelong, adding there was “no frustration” from the veteran small forward over the decision.

“He was great last week and he understood that it was about getting minutes into him and making sure we could protect him a little bit … he was obviously overloaded in the early part of the season,” he said.

Also coming into the Hawks’ line-up is Seamus Mitchell, who’ll make his AFL debut on Sunday against the Giants.

Mitchell, a speedy utility, was drafted by Hawthorn with Pick 29 in the 2020 national draft before being moved to the rookie list. He’s shown great form for Box Hill at VFL level.

“It’s a real thrill that Seamus has been named to play his first game, he absolutely deserves this opportunity,” Hawks football boss Rob McCartney said.

“Gifted with genuine speed, Seamus has shown a great ability to play a rebounding defender role and be a real weapon for his side in generating offensive drive.

“Seamus has shown great resilience during his short time here at the club, battling through multiple injuries to return to the field and play the sort of football we all knew he could.

“I’m sure plenty of Seamus’ family and friends will be jumping in the car to make the trip to see his first game in Gather Round.”

But Jack Scrimshaw has been withdrawn from the squad due to a toe injury, with key defender Denver Grainger-Barras to play his first AFL game of the season.

Sam Mitchell added Jacob Koschitzke remains part of his long-term plans but is not the immediate solution to the Hawks’ tall forward shortage, with attacking focal point Mitch Lewis sidelined until Round 7 as he recovers from an ACL sprain,.

“I think with Kosi, he’s still making a lot of progress as a player; we’ve been talking to him regularly about ‘you’re a very good player’, averaging seven shots on goal a week for about a month in the pre-season,” Mitchell said.

“We went to work on his goalkicking and he’s lost a little bit of his forward craft, so getting that balance right is part of your development as a player.

“We just think the best thing for his development will be to continue to play in the VFL for a little bit longer to find that form and confidence.”

Injured Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will miss his team’s two-week road trip, with 25 players to travel directly from Adelaide to Perth following Sunday’s Gather Round clash with Port Adelaide.

Adjusting to what coach Luke Beveridge called a “quirk of the fixture”, the Bulldogs could fly in other players but won’t risk midfield star Smith who injured his calf at training this week.

Beveridge said Smith was “ginger” and they’d put him in cotton wool in the hope he’ll be ready for a Round 7 clash with Hawthorn in Melbourne.

“(Smith‘s) got a calf injury and he’ll be out for a couple of weeks. Beyond that, I’m not sure,” Beveridge told reporters.

“Bit ginger after training so he had a scan. Little bit up. So no risk.

“We’ve asked everyone to come away for a week and it’s too much risk with Bailey. So he’ll stay back, miss a couple and we’ll work it out from there.”

The Western Bulldogs will also welcome back small forward Cody Weightman.

After losing key defender Alex Keath to concussion following a collision with Richmond key forward Tom Lynch last week, Beveridge has chosen to go with Tim O‘Brien instead of Ryan Gardner as his replacement.

O’Brien hasn’t played a senior game since Round 16 last year and endured a frustrating pre-season suffering several soft-tissue setbacks.

Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas will miss that clash due to injury.

Sydney and Richmond have both been hammered by injury ahead of a Friday night clash at the Adelaide Oval.

The Swans will be without the McCartin brothers - Paddy and Tom - due to concussion, while Dane Rampe and Lance Franklin will also miss with injury.

Richmond, meanwhile, will be without Tom Lynch, Toby Nankervis and Jack Graham, while Jack Riewoldt and Ben Miller come into the side.

Melbourne will be without Jake Lever due to injury in Saturday’s match against Essendon, but the Dees will regain forward Ben Brown.

Fremantle will unleash AFL “journeyman” Corey Wagner for its crunch clash against Gold Coast on Friday night.

The Dockers on Thursday confirmed Wagner would play his first AFL game since Round 23, 2019, when he lines up in Fremantle colours for the first time.

After being taken by North Melbourne in the 2015 draft, Wagner played eight games in two seasons for the Kangaroos before being delisted.

Then after a strong VFL season for Demons affiliate side Casey, Melbourne selected Warner in the pre-season supplemental selection period. His Demons stint, though, only lasted two years, delisted after the 2020 season.

But following two strong VFL seasons for Port Melbourne, Warner earned a lifeline via Fremantle during last year’s national draft, selected with Pick 57.

And on Friday night, Warner will play his first game since Melbourne lost to North Melbourne by five points at Blundstone Arena in the final round of the 2019 season. That’s 1329 days between AFL games.

“The last few years I thought the dream was over. I always had that fire in the belly to get back here but I focused on a career outside of footy,” Wagner said.

“With that, it freed me up and I started playing good footy. Down back I’m allowed a lot of run and to play a free game, see the game up forward and set some goals up.

“I’m a bit of a journeyman who hasn’t played many games. I’m really excited, I feel really comfortable with the group and the coaches and I’m ready to pull on the jersey.

“My fiancée Michaela started crying, Mum and Dad are so happy. Everyone was really excited to see me go again and start a new journey.”

AFL ROUND 5 TEAMS AND FIXTURE (All times AEST)

ADELAIDE CROWS v CARLTON

Thursday April 13, 7:40pm at Adelaide Oval

CROWS

B: Doedee, Murray, Michalanney

HB: Smith, Butts, Hinge

C: Dawson, Laird, Sholl

HF: Rankine, Thilthorpe, Sloane

F: Walker, Fogarty, Murphy

FOLL: O’Brien, Rachele, Soligo

I/C: Jones, Milera, Pedlar, Keays

EMG: Schoenberg, McHenry, Himmelberg, Gollant

IN: Fogarty, Pedlar

OUT: McHenry, Gollant (both omitted), Schoenberg (sub)

BLUES

B: Young, Weitering, Saad

HB: Cowan, McGovern, Newman

C: Cerra, Cripps, Hollands

HF: Fisher, McKay, Silvagni

F: E.Curnow, C.Curnow, Motlop

FOLL: De Koning, Hewett, Walsh

I/C: Acres, Kennedy, Durdin, Pittonet

EMG: Plowman, Honey, O’Brien, Carroll

IN: Walsh, Acres, Kennedy

OUT: O’Brien, Honey (both omitted), Docherty (injured), Carroll (sub)

FREMANTLE v GOLD COAST SUNS

Friday April 14, 5:10pm at Norwood Oval

DOCKERS

B: Cox, Pearce, Young

HB: Clark, Ryan, Wagner

C: Aish, Johnson, Sturt

HF: Walters, Jackson, Banfield

F: Schultz, Amiss, Frederick

FOLL: Darcy, Brayshaw, Serong

I/C: Walker, Hughes, Switkowski, O’Meara

EMG: Brodie, Henry, Draper, Corbett

IN: Wagner, Sturt, Frederick

OUT: Henry, Wilson, O’Driscoll (all omitted), Taberner (injured)

SUNS

B: Weller, Collins, Macpherson

HB: Long, Ballard, Powell

C: Ellis, Miller, Lukosius

HF: Ainsworth, Chol, Rosas

F: Holman, King, Swallow

FOLL: Moyle, Rowell, Anderson

I/C: Andrew, Fiorini, Lemmens, Humphrey

EMG: Sexton, Jeffrey, Constable, Hollands

IN: Ellis, Chol, Fiorini, Lemmens

OUT: Hollands, Jeffrey, Oea (all omitted), Casboult (managed), Sexton (sub)

RICHMOND v SYDNEY SWANS

Friday April 14, 8:10pm at Adelaide Oval

TIGERS

B: Balta, Young, Grimes

HB: Baker, Vlastuin, Rioli

C: McIntosh, Prestia, Pickett

HF: Bolton, Sonsie, Mansell

F: Cumberland, Martin, Riewoldt

FOLL: Ryan, Taranto, Hopper

I/C: Miller, Ralphsmith, Clarke, Cotchin

EMG: Rioli, Ross, Banks, Bauer

IN: Riewoldt, Miller

OUT: Graham, Lynch, Nankervis (all injured)

SWANS

B: Campbell, Fox, Cunningham

HB: Florent, Lloyd, Blakey

C: Stephens, Mills, McInerney

HF: Gulden, Hayward, Amartey

F: Heeney, McLean, Papley

FOLL: Ladhams, Parker, Rowbottom

I/C: Warner, Roberts, Warner, McDonald

EMG: Sheldrick, Gould, Clarke, McAndrew

IN: McLean, Warner, Roberts

OUT: Rampe, McCartin, McCartin, Franklin (all injured)

BRISBANE LIONS v NORTH MELBOURNE

Saturday April 15, 1:10pm at Adelaide Hills

LIONS

B: Starcevich, Payne, Joyce

HB: McKenna, Andrews, Rich

C: Ashcroft, Bailey, Berry

HF: Cameron, Rayner, McCluggage

F: Zorko, Daniher, Hipwood

FOLL: McInerney, Dunkley, Neale

I/C: McCarthy, Coleman, Fort, Wilmot

EMG: Ah Chee, Lyons, Prior, Fullarton

IN: Rich, Fort

OUT: Gunston (managed), Prior (omitted), Robertson (sub)

KANGAROOS

B: Logue, McKay, Corr

HB: Ziebell, McDonald, Scott

C: Tucker, Cunnington, Shiels

HF: Stephenson, Comben, Simpkin

F: Zurhaar, Larkey, Sheezel

FOLL: Goldstein, Davies-Uniacke, Phillips

I/C: Howe, Powell, Taylor, Turner

EMG: Curtis, Bonar, Greenwood, Perez

IN: Logue, McKay

OUT: Bonar, Curtis (both omitted), Greenwood (sub)

ESSENDON v MELBOURNE

Saturday April 15, 4:10pm at Adelaide Oval

BOMBERS

B: Redman, Zerk-Thatcher, Ridley

HB: Kelly, Laverde, McGrath

C: Heppell, Merrett, Durham

HF: Menzie, Jones, Parish

F: Perkins, Stringer, Martin

FOLL: Draper, Caldwell, Shiel

I/C: Langford, Snelling, Setterfield, Phillips

EMG: Hobbs, Hind, Voss, D’Ambrosio

IN: Snelling

OUT: Weideman (injured), Davey Jnr (managed)

DEMONS

B: Tomlinson, May, McVee

HB: Bowey, McDonald, Petty

C: Brayshaw, Oliver, Hunter

HF: Chandler, Fritsch, Neal-Bullen

F: Spargo, Brown, Pickett

FOLL: Grundy, Viney, Petracca

I/C: Rivers, Sparrow, Langdon, van Rooyen

EMG: Laurie, Melksham, Jordon, Turner

IN: Tomlinson, Brown

OUT: Hibberd (managed), Lever (injured), Jordon (sub)

PORT ADELAIDE v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Saturday April 15, 7:50pm at Adelaide Oval

POWER

B: A.Aliir, R.Burton, T.McKenzie

HB: D.Byrne-Jones, X.Duursma, D.Houston

C: T.Boak, W.Drew, M.Bergman

HF: J.McEntee, D.Williams, S.Powell-Pepper

F: J.Rioli, C.Dixon, T.Marshall

FOLL: S.Lycett, C.Rozee, Z.Butters

I/C: K.Farrell, J.Horne-Francis, O.Wines - C, J.Finlayson

EMG: T.Clurey, J.Mead, R.Bonner, M.Georgiades

IN: R.Burton

OUT: T.Jonas (injured), J.Mead (omitted)

BULLDOGS

B: J.Johannisen, L.Jones, T.O’Brien

HB: B.Dale, J.Bruce, E.Richards

C: O.Baker, M.Bontempelli - C, B.Williams

HF: M.Hannan, J.Ugle-Hagan, C.Weightman

F: A.Jones, A.Naughton, R.Lobb

FOLL: T.English, T.Liberatore, A.Treloar

I/C: T.Duryea, C.Daniel, J.Macrae, A.Scott

EMG: L.McNeil, T.McLean, J.Sweet, B.Khamis

IN: T.O’Brien, T.Duryea, C.Weightman

OUT: R.McComb (omitted), A.Keath, B.Smith, H.Crozier (all injured)

GEELONG v WEST COAST EAGLES

Sunday April 16, 1:10pm at Adelaide Oval

CATS

B: S.De Koning, E.Ratugolea, Z.Tuohy

HB: J.Kolodjashnij, T.Stewart, Z.Guthrie

C: I.Smith, M.Blicavs, M.Duncan

HF: T.Stengle, T.Hawkins, J.Cameron

F: O.Henry, P.Dangerfield - C, B.Close

FOLL: R.Stanley, C.Guthrie, M.Holmes

I/C: J.Bowes, G.Miers, M.O’Connor, T.Atkins,

EMG: S.Simpson, T.Bruhn, M.Knevitt, B.Parfitt

IN: De Koning

OUT: Bews (injured), Rohan (suspended)

EAGLES

B: A.Witherden, T.Barrass - C, L.Duggan

HB: J.Jones, J.Rotham, J.Hunt

C: G.Clark, T.Kelly, A.Gaff

HF: N.Long, J.Darling, L.Edwards

F: S.Petrevski-Seton, O.Allen, J.Waterman

FOLL: B.Williams, E.Yeo, R.Ginbey

I/C: B.Hough, J.Petruccelle, X.O’Neill, J.Culley

EMG: Z.Trew, L.Foley, C.West, H.Edwards

IN: Witherden, Petruccelle, O’Neill

OUT: West (omitted), Hurn (managed), Hewett (omitted), Cole (injured)

GWS GIANTS v HAWTHORN

Sunday April 16, 3:20pm at Norwood Oval

GIANTS

B: C.Idun, S.Taylor, I.Cumming

HB: L.Whitfield, J.Buckley, L.Ash

C: F.Callaghan, J.Kelly, D.Lloyd

HF: A.Kennedy, H.Himmelberg, C.Ward

F: T.Greene, J.Hogan, J.Peatling

FOLL: M.Flynn, T.Green, S.Coniglio

I/C: N.Haynes, C.Hamilton, A.Cadman, X.O’Halloran

EMG: K.Briggs, R.Angwin, J.Riccardi, H.Rowston

IN: J.Peatling, A.Cadman, X.O’Halloran

OUT: C.Stone (Omitted), B.Daniels (Managed), J.Riccardi (Omitted), H.Rowston (Omitted)

HAWKS

B: J.Sicily, S.Frost, C.Jiath

HB: H.Morrison, B.Hardwick, J.Impey

C: K.Amon, J.Newcombe, J.Ward

HF: L.Breust, C.Wingard, T.Brockman

F: C.Macdonald, F.Greene, D.Moore

FOLL: N.Reeves, J.Worpel, C.Nash

I/C: S.Mitchell, L.Meek, D.Grainger-Barras, N.Long,

EMG: F.Maginness, M.Lynch, C.Mackenzie, L.Bramble

IN: S.Mitchell, N.Long, D.Grainger-Barras

OUT: W.Day (Suspension), J.Scrimshaw (Injured), C.Mackenzie (Managed), F.Maginness (Omitted)

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA

Sunday April 16, 4:50pm at Adelaide Oval

MAGPIES

B: N. Murphy, B. Frampton, B.Maynard

HB: J.Noble, D.Moore, I.Quaynor

C: S.Sidebottom, J.Crisp, J.Daicos

HF: B.Hill, B.Mihocek, N.Daicos

F: B.McCreery, A.Johnson, J.Elliott

FOLL: D.McStay, J.De Goey, T.Mitchell

I/C: S.Pendlebury, T.Adams, J.Ginnivan, O.Markov

EMG: T.Bianco, T.Wilson, T.Ruscoe, W.Hoskin-Elliott

IN: J.Ginnivan 

OUT: R.McInnes (Omitted), W.Hoskin-Elliott (Managed)

SAINTS

B: J.Battle, D.Howard, C.Wilkie

HB: L.Stocker, J.Sinclair, N.Wanganeen-Milera

C: M.Wood, S.Ross, R.Byrnes

HF: M.Phillipou, B.Hill, J.Higgins

F: M.Owens, J.Gresham, A.Caminiti

FOLL: R.Marshall, B.Crouch, H.Clark

I/C: D.Butler, M.Windhager, Z.Cordy, B.Paton

EMG: T.Membrey, T.Campbell, C.Sharman, J.Bytel

IN: None

OUT: Bytel (omitted)