West Coast young gun Tyrell Dewar to miss Collingwood clash making monumental task that much harder

West Coast will be without young gun Tyrell Dewar for their monumental task of trying to take down ladder-leaders Collingwood at Marvel Stadium on Saturday evening.

Dewar will miss the clash with a hamstring complaint, joining co-captain Oscar Allen (knee/Achilles) as players to come out from their disappointing loss to Carlton before the bye.

It’s a blow for the talented 21-year-old who earned a Rising Star nomination in his last outing after impressing with 27 disposals on the wing.

Dewar’s injury has likely saved veteran Jayden Hunt from being dropped, with the former Melbourne speedster retaining his spot despite being subbed out with only two disposals to his name — his worst performance in 57 games at the Eagles.

Eagles coach Andrew McQualter resisted swinging the axe after they conceded 10 of the first 11 goals against the Blues less than a fortnight ago.

Debutant Jobe Shanahan has been named at centre-half-forward after The West Australian revealed he would replace Allen in attack despite spending the past few games in the WAFL down back.

Defender-turned-midfielder Brady Hough also returns after missing the loss to Carlton because of illness.

Tough young midfielder Clay Hall also appears set for a full game after being the sub against the Blues having been named on the wing, with Hunt, Tyler Brockman, Bailey Williams, Bo Allan and mid-season draftee Tom McCarthy on the bench.

Jack Petruccelle is likely to be the travelling emergency after being taken out of the Eagles WAFL side for their game against Claremont.

Shanahan will be part of a young tall forward line that will be without Allen and last year’s leading goalkicker and All-Australian Jake Waterman (shoulder).

The 18-year-old was selected as a forward with pick No.30 last year after kicking 11 goals in three VFL appearances for Essendon.

Shanahan started the season for the Eagles WAFL side in attack, booting 10 goals in five games including a three-goal outing against Subiaco in round two.

West Coast tested the 195cm key position player’s versatility in recent weeks by playing him as a defender and he produced a career-best outing in the loss to Peel Thunder before the bye with 20 disposals, nine intercept possessions and eight marks.

Shanahan and fourth-year forward Jack Williams will be the focal points in attack, while Harry Edwards has overcome a hamstring and shoulder complaint to be named at full-back.

Premiership defender Tom Cole has not got up to play after being listed as a test with a hamstring injury.

McQualter has retained several leaders in the team including Hunt and the under-siege Tim Kelly – who collected only 10 touches in his last outing.

The first-year coach admitted he was hesitant to take too much experience out of the side because several senior players in Allen, Waterman, Elliot Yeo and Jeremy McGovern were not available.

“You look at our players not playing at the moment, they’re five or six guys over the age of 27 so we’re got to be of our experienced players, we need them,” McQualter said.

“In saying that, we need players to be in form as well and I’ve said this all year, my answer won’t change, we’ll pick the best team to win the game of footy and we’ll keep rewarding form and challenging and helping guys that are out of form.

“It’s not about making an example. I don’t believe in that, and I spoke to that earlier in the year, that wasn’t why senior players were dropped earlier this year.”

Collingwood have also only made two changes and will debut a forward in Charlie West, while defender Charlie Dean has been named with Billy Frampton (calf) and forward Beau McCreery (hamstring) out injured.

COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST

Saturday, Marvel Stadium, 5.35pm

MAGPIES

B: C Dean J Howe D Houston

HB: J Daicos D Moore H Perryman

C: J Crisp S Pendlebury S Sidebottom

HF: B Hill J Membrey J Elliott

F: D McStay C West B Mihocek

FOLL: D Cameron N Long N Daicos

I/C: P Lipinski I Quaynor E Allan W Hoskin-Elliott L Sullivan

EMG: W Parker O Markov W Hayes

IN: C Dean C West

OUT: B Frampton (calf) B McCreery (hamstring)

EAGLES

B: R Maric H Edwards S Brock

HB: L Duggan R Ginbey L Baker

C: J Hutchinson B Hough C Hall

HF: J Cripps J Shanahan J Graham

F: E Hewett J Williams L Ryan

FOLL: M Flynn T Kelly H Reid

I/C: J Hunt T Brockman B Allan B Williams T McCarthy

EMG: J Petruccelle A Reid R Bazzo

IN: B Hough J Shanahan

OUT: O Allen (knee/Achilles) T Dewar (hamstring)