Coolamon defender Isaac Buchanan will make his first grade debut in the Hoppers clash against Turvey Park at Maher Oval.
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After a year with the junior club in 2020, Buchanan graduated to the senior club in 2021 and he has spent the past four seasons playing under 17.5's and reserve grade for the Hoppers.
The 19-year-old has been on the verge of a first grade debut for quite some time and Buchanan said it was exciting to be getting his chance to play senior footy.
"I'm over the moon," Buchanan said.
"I can't wait, it's been a long time coming.
"I've been trying to work as hard as I can and earn my spot.
"I worked pretty hard in the off-season, I ran every week since footy finished.
"My main goal was to have a crack this year and try and play one's."
The Buchanan name is synonymous with the Coolamon Football Club and Isaac is the latest family member to don the green and white guernsey.
The teenager spent a lot of years watching his older brother Josh running around for the Hoppers and he said it was great to now have his chance to make his mark for the club.
"Josh is a big idol of mine," he said.
"I look up to him a fair bit, I just love the way he goes about his footy and his mindset towards things."
Buchanan has played five games so far this season in reserve grade and he's reasonably happy with how he's been performing.
"It's been really good," he said.
"I felt like I've come back and played better footy, the body is feeling good now and I'm feeling a lot more fit."
The teenager is the latest young Hopper to make his senior debut and Coolamon coach Gavin McMahon said it was great to see Buchanan make the step up to first grade.
"He's been outstanding this year," McMahon said.
"He turned up and he trained really hard in the pre-season, he certainly worked really hard early this season then he had an injury that slowed him up.
"He's been back and going for a few weeks now and an opportunity pops up for him to debut this week.
"We couldn't be happier a bloke that demonstrates all the right habits and behaviours is getting a go.
"It's a name pretty synonymous with Coolamon, it's always good to get another Buchanan out there."
Ruckman Gerard Okerenyang also returns to the senior side to face the Bulldogs after spending the past few weeks in reserve grade.
Okerenyang last made a senior appearance for the Hoppers in 2022 and McMahon was excited to have the ruck back in the first grade side.
"We love having the Big G Man back at the club this year," he said.
"He discharged from the Army not too long ago and he's been plugging away in the reserves for a little bit.
"He's a very popular man at the footy club, I very quickly learnt and we are excited to give him an opportunity in Big Leddy's (Adian Ledson) absence.
"He knows what he's doing and he's played plenty of senior footy before, he's been away from it for a little while but he's full of enthusiasm.
"He's a massive man and we are very happy to take that into a ruck scenario."
McMahon revealed Ledson will likely miss at least the next two weeks while awaiting scans while Jacob Robinson also comes out of the senior side through unavailability.
"His x-rays have come back clear at this stage, but he's having more scans today," he said.
"They wanted to wait until Friday to try and assess whether there is the scaphoid fracture, as apparently that takes a little while to show up.
"He's obviously out this week and definitely out next week, then we'll see from there depending on the results from today and Monday."
