By Jonty Ralphsmith
Three Gippsland Power alumni and one former Dandenong Stingray made their AFL debuts in a fine round one for locally produced talent.
West Coast key-position player Archer Reid, first year Dees Xavier Lindsay and Harvey Langford and 2022 first round selection Jacob Konstanty all got their first taste of senior footy.
Reigning Morrish Medalist Lindsay was the most impressive, winning 14 disposals at 100-percent efficiency in the first half of Melbourne’s tight loss to GWS.
He finished with 22 disposals and six tackles, showcasing his class with ball in hand.
Langford, meanwhile, was quieter in debut, but his call up followed an excellent preseason, causing optimism about how quickly he could impact.
An Inverloch-Kongwak junior, Reid spent 2024 quietly developing well at WAFL level before being confronted with a baptism of fire on debut in the Eagles heavy loss to Gold Coast.
Konstanty, meanwhile, has been forced to graft, unable crack into a strong Swans lineup in his first two years on an AFL list.
The small forward was traded to North Melbourne in last year’s AFL exchange period and laid six tackles to go with 10 disposals in his team’s loss to Western Bulldogs.
The glittering weekend follows Gippsland’s 2024 midseason draftee Tom Hanily debuting for Sydney as sub in round zero before kicking his first AFL goal on Saturday against Brisbane.
