AFL team news: Youngsters return for 2025 swan song

CARLTON has named a pair of young inclusions for Thursday night’s clash with arch rival Essendon.

Bringing an end to the 2025 season at the MCG, a left-footed duo will return to take centre stage at the home of football.

Will White - who was the sub the last time these two sides met in Round 13 - will play his 14th game of his maiden season, with the SSP signing a like-for-like replacement for the injured Lachie Fogarty.

Joining White in the line-up is Lucas Camporeale, with the first-year wingman to play his first game since Round 2.

Camporeale returns to the line-up on the back of strong form with the Carlton Reserves, collecting a season-high 24 disposals against Gold Coast in Round 20 while he was named in the coach’s best players for his tireless performance against VFL minor premiers Footscray on Sunday.

The inclusions mean that six of the Blues’ 2025 seven AFL debutants will feature on Thursday night: Lucas Camporeale, Will White, Matthew Carroll, Hudson O’Keeffe, Billy Wilson and Flynn Young. The only one to miss is the injured Harry O’Farrell.

Joining Fogarty (ankle) as an out is Cooper Lord, with the impressive midfielder sustaining a concussion in the win over Port Adelaide.

Camporeale and White have both been named on the bench alongside Corey Durdin, Jesse Motlop and Billy Wilson, with the Blues to name their sub an hour before the bounce. Ben Camporeale, Mitch McGovern and Marc Pittonet are the emergencies.

Thursday’s game will be the 100th in Navy Blue for Tom De Koning, becoming the first Carlton ruckman to reach a century of games for the Club since his former teammate, long-time mentor and ruck coach Matthew Kreuzer.

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