SWFL 2022: Jesse Crichton to make South Bunbury debut against former club Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault

Former Fremantle Docker and prized South Bunbury recruit Jesse Crichton will make his long-awaited debut for the Tigers against the team he won a premiership and a Hayward Medal with. The Tigers open their season with their new all-star midfield at Hands Oval on Saturday night, against Crichton’s former club, Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault. And it is a tale of two vastly different preseasons for the rivals, who suffered similar fates last year — both bundled out early in the finals series. The Tigers are the team on everyone’s lips, with new coach Julian Burgess bringing with him star duo Jace Cormack and Chris Atthowe from Donnybrook, who will also be joined by returning guns Fraser Millar, Hayden Krikke and Guy Piggott. With the loss of Crichton, last year’s best and fairest Ty Anderson and former Subiaco gun Joel Latham, the responsibility of taking on the opponents’ stacked midfield group will fall on Brendan Tingey. But the theme of the year will be the club’s group of young guns, who played significant game time last year thanks to its run of injuries, and which of them can step up to support the star midfielder. Tingey, who finished second in last year’s Hayward Medal count, told the Harvey-Waroona Reporter earlier this year the rising talent was one of the reasons he signed for another year at the club. “I am pretty excited because there is a good core bunch of local young boys,” he said. “It feels like it’s where I need to be and hopefully, we can do some good things on the field.” The Lions will also be boosted by the return from injury of star full-back Zavier Williams, who is likely to be given the assignment on high-marking Tigers forward Jordan Strachan.