From Ballarat Courier
Reported by Melanie Whelan
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Lucas Cook will make his senior debut for North Ballarat Roosters tomorrow.
The Selkirk Roosters last night named Cook at centre half-forward for their home clash with Essendon.
Cook, recruited from Melbourne’s AFL list, has been settling back into Eureka Stadium with the Roosters’ development team for the opening three rounds.
The former North Ballarat Rebel, from Hopetoun, was drafted to the Demons in 2011 and spent two seasons on the Dees’ list before he was delisted last year, without having played an AFL game.
Cook has played 28 VFL senior matches with the Demons’ VFL affiliate Casey Scorpions.
He steps up with North Ballarat Rebel Louis Herbert, who will make his VFL senior debut as the Roosters’ 23rd man.
The South Warrnambool junior is known for his strong marking and goal-kicking up forward for the Rebels and represented Vic Country in a similar role at the AFL national under-18 championships last year.
Prime ruckman Ben Mabon also returns to the Roosters’ line-up after serving a one-match suspension last week for a head-high contact.
The Roosters will lose North Melbourne-listed duo Tom Curran and Taylor Garner, who were both injured in a Kangaroos’ training incident yesterday.
Kangaroos-listed forward Aaron Black booted five goals for the Roosters in an 85-point win against Bendigo last Friday night and has been pegged as a potential call-up for the Kangaroos.
He has been named in an extended 25-man team to face Hawthorn on Sunday.
Essendon is yet to confirm its line-up but the Roosters can expect to face highly-touted tall forward Joe Daniher, who was held back from making a fairytale AFL debut in the Anzac Day clash against Collingwood at the MCG.
The Bombers were always going to be an unknown element for the Roosters’ preparations this week as they juggled their line-up for the midweek bout.
North Ballarat Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald maintained his players must be ready for anything, and the power they produced against Bendigo last week would hold them in good stead for this match.
North Ballarat’s tackle pressure against Bendigo was impressive, with Myles Sewell setting the tone in a shut-down role on Gold midfielder Daniel Toman.
INJURED/UNAVAILABLE: Pat Barber (hamstring, one week), Tom Carey (ankle, 2-3 weeks), Chris Giampaolo (quad, four weeks), Liam Hoy (thumb, 6 weeks), Tom Watson (torn hamstrings 4-5 weeks), Nick Couch (knee, season), Joey Macula (unavailable), David Morris (unavailable), Ben Peters (suspended, one week).
