‘Are you ready?: Former North Melbourne, Geelong player Aaron Black involved in case of mistaken identity

A former South West AFL footballer has been caught up in a bizarre case of mistaken identity after a player with the same name made a shock debut for the West Coast Eagles. Former North Melbourne and Geelong player Aaron Black posted to his Instagram account after Fox Footy journalist Jon Ralph confused the Eaton Boomers product with West Perth Sandover medalist and West Coast top-up player Aaron Black. “The four historic top-ups who will play on Sunday — former Eagle Brayden Ainsworth, ex-Cat and North Melbourne player Aaron Black, former Fremantle player Stefan Giro and former Hawthorn-listed player Angus Dewar all could play,” Ralph said during the network’s coverage on Friday night. Black, who played 57 games across two clubs, posted an Instagram “story” on Friday night with the caption “the comeback”. After hearing the news, Black turned to the person filming the video and asked “c...p, are you ready?” The swingman’s best season at AFL level was in 2013, when he kicked 33 goals across 18 games for the Kangaroos. He moved to Geelong at the end of the 2016 season, but played just seven games at the club in two seasons. West Perth midfielder Black was included in the Eagles’ team for their 15-point loss to the Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium on Sunday and was arguably the most impressive of the new faces — kicking a goal to go with his 15 disposals and four clearances. The Eagles are expected to see a host of names return for Sunday’s western derby against Fremantle — including Harvey’s Brady Hough. Hough was confirmed as one of the Eagles struck down with COVID-19 on Friday and missed the clash, as did fellow South West product Isiah Winder, who was the unused medical substitute when the Eagles lost to the Gold Coast Suns in round one. Winder is yet to add to the one AFL game he managed last season.