Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Boom West Coast recruit Brandon Starcevich will make his long-awaited AFL debut for the club in their clash with Port Adelaide.
Starcevich, who has been plagued by injury since joining the Eagles from back-to-back reigning premiers Brisbane over the off-season, will pull on the blue and gold for the first time in the top level at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
The rugged defender has completed a cautious build back from a calf injury, which sidelined him for the early stages of the season, by playing in the last two WAFL games for the club’s reserves side.
He backed up from a debut on limited minutes against East Fremantle to feature in a full hit-out against Peel Thunder at a wet and windy Mineral Resources Park on Sunday.
Starcevich said he was “super excited” when he was told the news in front of the playing group on Wednesday.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Starcevich said.
“It was a tough start to my life as an Eagle, so to finally get out there this weekend will be an achievement for myself.
“I’m not a very good watcher from the sidelines – I get a bit jealous – so the last couple of months have been pretty tough.
“The boys have been asking for the last couple of weeks when I’m going to be playing,” Starcevich said.
“They’ve all been really supportive over the last couple of months, and I’m keen to get out there and play alongside a lot of them.”
On Monday night, Starcevich and Eagles coach Andrew McQualter both forecast the 132-game backman would be “ready to go” for the clash with the Power.
Drafted by Brisbane with the 18th pick of the 2017 national draft, the East Perth and Trinity College product played a key role in Brisbane’s rise from the bottom of the ladder to back-to-back premierships in 2024 and 2025.
He missed a two-month chunk of last season due to concussion and was sidelined for the end of his side’s grand final smashing of Geelong after copping a head knock, although the Lions later confirmed the move was made as a precaution.
In November, he joined West Coast as part of a three-team trade which also saw his side receive the 12th, 33rd and 52nd selections in the 2025 draft while surrendering picks No.16, 22 and 23.
Starcevich’s eight years of service to the Lions meant he qualified as an unrestricted free agent, but the Eagles opted to execute the deal in order to ensure their compensation for the defection of co-captain Oscar Allen to Brisbane was not diluted.
