After nearly 12 months on the sidelines, Ciaran Byrne will return to action this weekend.
Byrne has been named in the Bertocchi 23 to make his return in the VFL on Saturday, when the Northern Blues take on Coburg at Preston City Oval.
It marks a long-awaited comeback for the Irishman, who last played on July 2, 2016 against Collingwood.
He returns in a pivotal contest for the Northern Blues, as they look to make it six consecutive wins in the VFL.
Byrne is joined by a number of inclusions into a very extended 31-man squad, which will be cut down in line with Carlton’s team announcement tomorrow evening.
The other seven inclusions into the squad from the team which last triumphed over Sandringham are Blaine Boekhorst, Jesse Glass-McCasker, Nick Graham, Patrick Kerr, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Jarrod Pickett and Dale Thomas.
Graphic by the Northern Blues Football Club.
There’s a host of both AFL and VFL experience present for the Blues across each line, in what will be their first VFL home-and-away game since May 20.
James Corboy reprises his role as 23rd man after debuting in the win over the Zebras, while Northern-listed Cameron O’Shea, Luke Russell and Tom Wilson are the VFL contingent.
The squad will be reduced to 27 tomorrow night, before coming down to the final 23 in the hours prior to Saturday’s game.
The last time the two sides met was just six weeks ago, when the Northern Blues ran away late to come away with a 62-point win.
Northern Blues members are entitled to free entry for Saturday’s game, with entry otherwise $10 for adults and $5 for concession. Children under the age of 15 also enter free.
