The Lions will head into Saturday night’s 2011 season opener against Fremantle with two fresh faces after Rohan Bewick and Ryan Lester each earned a senior call-up for the Round One clash.

Bewick and Lester have featured in every one of the Club’s pre-season hitouts and are now set to make their first official AFL appearance.

Bewick, who joined the Lions as a 21 year-old mature age recruit over the off-season, has already tasted senior football with West Perth over in the WAFL and seems ready for the next step.

Lester is still just 18 having been recruited directly from the Oakleigh Chargers’ Under 18 TAC side with the Club’s third selection (Pick No.28 overall) at the 2010 AFL National Draft.

The 191cm utility has played mainly up forward during the Lions’ pre-season practice matches, but offers a versatile option who can also play down back or in the midfield.

Meanwhile, Lions Captain Jonathan Brown will make his first official appearance for 2011 after being named at full-forward.

Brown headlines a relatively new-look Lions forward line which also features Mitch Clark at centre half-forward, Brent Staker, Todd Banfield, Luke Power and Jesse O’Brien.

O’Brien is another young Lion whose impressive pre-season performances have been rewarded. The 20 year-old played one senior match in 2010 (in Round 14 against Carlton) and has since shown considerable improvement over summer.

Defender Joel Patfull will run out for his 100th AFL match this Saturday night against the Dockers and will help lead a Lions defence together with the likes of Daniel Merrett, Ash McGrath and Jed Adcock.

Irish import Pearce Hanley has also been named in the starting back six, and will wear the number 11 guernsey for the first time in a senior match after previously donning the number 42.

The midfield group looks to remain similar to 2010 with superstar Simon Black lining up alongside young Lions Jack Redden, Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich. Andrew Raines also looks poised for more action in the middle after being named as the team’s rover.

The Lions - like all clubs - won’t have to appoint a substitute until the final team lists are submitted approximately one hour before the match.

The full Lions team for Round One is as follows:

B: Ashley McGrath (9), Daniel Merrett (21), Pearce Hanley (11)
HB: Jed Adcock (7), Joel Patfull (24), Cheynee Stiller (32)
C: Jack Redden (30), Simon Black (20), Tom Rockliff (38)
HF: Luke Power (6), Mitchell Clark (1), Jesse O’Brien (34)
F: Brent Staker (14), Jonathan Brown (16), Todd Banfield (18)
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger (23), Daniel Rich (10), Andrew Raines (29)
Int: James Polkinghorne (31), Ryan Lester (35), Amon Buchanan (33), Rohan Bewick (43)
Emerg: Sam Sheldon (3), Tom Collier (22), Claye Beams (17)

MILESTONES: Joel Patfull - 100 games

NEW: Rohan Bewick (West Perth), Ryan Lester (Oakleigh Chargers)