North Melbourne has confirmed No. 1 overall draft selection Jason Horne-Francis will make his AFL debut this Sunday, while midfielder Hugh Greenwood and ruck-forward Callum Coleman-Jones will also make their club debuts when the Kangaroos face Hawthorn in their season opener at the MCG.
The club announced the decision on Thursday morning via their official Twitter account.
Senior coach David Noble sang the praises of Horne-Francis, who showcased his AFL-ready body in practice matches this pre-season.
"You've worked your backside off, we know how much it means to you," Noble said as he addressed the 18-year-old.
"You've done fantastically well since you've been here, we're so proud of what you've done and we can't wait to get you out there on Sunday."
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The Roos will also trot out Greenwood and Coleman-Jones, who made their way to Arden Street this off-season from Gold Coast and Richmond respectively.
The 30-year-old Greenwood is slated to line up alongside Horne-Francis at plenty of centre bounces this year, while Coleman-Jones could split ruck minutes with veteran Todd Goldstein and 23-year-old, Tristan Xerri.
North is set to enter Sunday's contest against the Hawks largely unscathed, with midfielders Jed Anderson (conditioning) and Will Phillips (glandular fever) the only members of Noble's roster currently without a timetable for return.
The opening bounce for the latest battle between the historic rivals is scheduled for 1:10 pm at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.