Melbourne Victory has added six players – including four potential debutants – to an extended squad for Saturday night’s clash away to Brisbane Roar.
George Howard and Stefan Nigro return to the squad, while uncapped players Christian Theoharous, Cameron McGilp, Josh Hope and Pierce Waring have all been promoted.
Victory is missing four players due to international duty, with Besart Berisha (Kosovo), James Troisi (Australia), Marco Rojas and Jai Ingham (both New Zealand) all unavailable.
Howard and Nigro have featured for Victory already this season, while Theoharous and youth team players McGilp, Hope and Waring are all in line for Hyundai A-League debuts.
After joining Victory’s youth system in 2014, lively forward Theoharous, 17, was promoted to the senior squad as a scholarship player last month.
McGilp, 18, is a talented player with good ability on the ball who can perform as a midfielder or central defender.
With a keen eye for goal, 18-year-old Waring is a traditional striker, while Hope, 19, is a versatile midfielder.
Theoharous will wear the number 31 shirt, while McGilp has been given 32, with Hope in 35 and Waring in 49.
Two players will be omitted before kick-off at Suncorp Stadium, where Victory is aiming for its first win in Brisbane since April 2015.
The two sides have met twice already this season, with a 1-1 draw at Suncorp Stadium in Round 1 followed by a 3-2 win to Victory at AAMI Park in Round 15.
With four rounds remaining, second-placed Victory is 12 points clear of fourth-placed Roar and can all but secure a top-two finish with a win in Brisbane.
The match will be broadcast live and exclusively on Fox Sports 505 from 7.45pm AEDT.
Hyundai A-League 2016/17 Round 24
Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, March 25, 7.50pm AEDT
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
TV: Live on Fox Sports 505 from 7.45pm AEDT
Radio: 1116 SEN, ABC Grandstand
Online: Join the conversation on social media using #BRIvMVC
Melbourne Victory squad (two to be omitted): 2.Jason GERIA, 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 11.Mitch AUSTIN, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH,15.Alan BARO, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 17.James DONACHIE, 19.George HOWARD, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Carl VALERI (c), 22.Stefan NIGRO, 31.Christian THEOHAROUS, 32.Cameron McGILP, 35.Josh HOPE, 40.Matt ACTON (gk), 49.Pierce WARING
Ins: 19.George HOWARD (promoted), 22.Stefan NIGRO (promoted), 31.Christian THEOHAROUS (promoted), 32.Cameron McGILP (promoted), 35.Josh HOPE (promoted), 49.Pierce WARING (promoted)
Outs: 7.Marco ROJAS (international duty), 8.Besart BERISHA (international duty), 10.James TROISI (international duty), 23.Jai INGHAM (international duty)
Unavailable: Nil
