St Kilda mature-age recruit Tim Highmore will make his AFL debut in Sunday's clash against the Giants.
The Saints confirmed in a statement on Friday morning that the defender will play his first game in the GIANTS Stadium clash.
Highmore, 22, was drafted to the club with Pick 45 in the 2020 National Draft and now gets his opportunity amid a host of injuries in the backline, with Jarryn Geary, Ben Paton and James Frawley all sidelined.
"It will be great for him to play and he's really looking forward to it," Saints coach Brett Ratten said on saints.com.au.
"He kicks the ball well, he's brave, he's a good sizeโฆ so whether he's a second-tall defender or third he's sort of in that category.
"There's so many stories about how you got an opportunity to play the game... some have had to work (through) different paths and different challenges.
"Players have got their own stories, but they all have the opportunity to make a mark on their own AFL careers."
Ratten in an earlier interview in February described Highmore as a "(Callum) Wilkie clone".
โYoung Tommy Highmore is nearly a Wilkie clone in the way he goes about it, but heโs a right-footer and he played exceptionally well mopping up,โ Ratten said.
โHe kicks the ball well, heโs brave, heโs a good sizeโฆ so whether heโs a second-tall defender, or third, heโs sort of in that category.
โIs he going to play round one? Weโre not sure. Is he going to play this year? Weโre not sure.
โI had a one-on-one meeting with him the other day and we spoke about that; itโs about getting your opportunity and taking it and heโs up for the challenge.
โAt 22, heโs a long-term view too, for us. Whatever he does this year will be a bonus because he will improve, he will adapt to the AFL (and) the way itโs played.
โHeโs already mentioned: โGee, itโs a bit quicker, if you donโt get your positioning right you get caught outโ. And Iโm like: โExactlyโ.โ
St Kilda and GWS will meet at GIANTS Stadium on Sunday at 3.20pm AEDT.
