GWS will unveil 2023 first-round draft selection James Leake in Sunday's Opening Round clash with Collingwood.
Leake will debut in the Giants' season opener after a rookie season that was hindered by delays due to injury, with the teenager's first game in orange not coming until Round 13 of the VFL season.
The versatile threat managed eight games at the state league level last year, recording at least 23 disposals and five tackles in six of those appearances.
Drafted as a swingman with Pick 17 of the 2023 AFL Draft, Leake has continued to develop as a multi-positional player, proving over the pre-season he can even roll through midfield.
โThey're [emotions] pretty unreal at the moment,โ Leake said in a club announcement.
โIt's been a long day sort of waiting around and I was hopeful that I would get the call up but obviously there's never a guarantee, but now that it's been announced I'm over the moon to be honest โ I'm stoked.โ
The Giants will carry an undermanned squad into their first game of the season, with coach Adam Kingsley without key trio Jesse Hogan (thumb), Jake Stringer (hamstring) and Tom Green (calf) through injury, while Josh Fahey, Joe Fonti, Jake Riccardi, Harvey Thomas and Toby McMullin will serve suspensions to start their campaigns.
GWS named an extended 26-man squad on Thursday night, with rookie first-round selections Cody Angive and Ollie Hannaford named on the extended interchange alongside Leake for Sunday's affair at ENGIE Stadium.
Conor Stone, Jacob Wehr, Max Gruzewski, Callum Brown and Leek Aleer were also part of the eight-man bench.
The Giants will confirm their Opening Round side at 5:00pm (AEDT) on Friday.
