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Dan Hannebery was hoping to play some reserves games for Sydney during his school holidays, but instead he will make his AFL debut on Saturday against Carlton.
The 18-year-old midfielder becomes Sydney’s fourth debutant this season as the 11th-placed Swans face the prospect of missing the finals for the first time since 2002.
With key forwards Barry Hall and Michael O’Loughlin not hanging around for 2010, Leo Barry expected to retire and Jared Crouch also in doubt, the Swans have blooded Mike Pyke, Brett Meredith and Kristin Thornton this year.
Hannebery, son of ex-Magpie Mark, has played five reserves games for Sydney including three in a row during his school holidays from Melbourne’s Xavier College.
“We obviously still want to hopefully play finals,” Swans coach Paul Roos said on Thursday at the SCG.
“But the main focus for the next seven weeks is to give some young guys a real opportunity to play and try to fast-track their development.
“So it’s going to be a bit of a balancing act.”
Ruck-forward Jesse White, 21, returns to the side after kicking 19 goals in the past two weeks in the reserves.
Club champion midfielder Jarrad McVeigh is back from a hamstring injury. Luke Ablett, Paul Bevan and Crouch, 31, have all been dropped.
“We haven’t said to anyone ‘you’re not going to be playing over the next seven weeks because we’re going younger’,” Roos said.
“As I said to Crouchy today ‘you’re out of form, you just need to find that competitive edge you’ve been renowned for’.”
Roos says Hannebery is highly skilled and a fast learner.
“He’s not super quick but he’s one of those guys who is quick of the mind,” Roos said of the No.30 draft pick from Oakleigh Chargers.
“He did a bit of pre-season, went back, and now he has been up here for school holidays and played a few games.
“Now it’s probably more a case of why wouldn’t you pick him.”
Asked if the Swans would have to write a note to his teachers if Hannebery was selected every week for the rest of the season, Roos said it was something the club would consider.
“The priority for him is still his school work but I’m sure we’ll be able something out with his teachers,” Roos said.
Hannebery said it was an awesome feeling when he was called into the coach’s office and told he’d be selected to play on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.
The midfielder said his focus in his three-week stint in Sydney had been on development and learning.
“Definitely not playing a senior game, it wasn’t really in the sights,” he said on Thursday.
He’ll wear the No.4 made famous by Tony Lockett and premiership player Ben Mathews.
“Hopefully I can serve it well,” he said.
“I’m my own person. I want to become my own player, not be remembered for those guys and for what they did.”
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