The Blackwood Football Club has named Bailey Badcoe and Jak Baldissera to make their A Grade debuts in Round 8 of the Hills Football League, the eighth and ninth players to make their debuts in 2018. Speaking at selections of Thursday evening, Damien Salievic said it was a good news story for the club. “Both players are exciting to watch. It’s great for the club to see local players playing A Grade football.”

Badcoe is an exciting small mid and half forward and was down at West Adelaide during his last year of senior colts, where he played six matches for the bloods. Having earnt his stripes in the twos, Badcoe has clocked up 18 senior matches (83.3% winning ratio) being named in the best players on seven occasions.

Baldissera is an athletic swingman with the ability to play in either attack or defence. Originally from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, he came to the club in 2012 kicking 158 goals (2.77 per match) in his three junior seasons at the club. He then tried his hand at West Adelaide before moving back to Alice Springs for season 2017 where he played 16 A Grade matches for the Rovers in the Central Australian Football League. Coming back to the club in 2018, Baldissera has played six games in the twos being named in the best players during wins over Onkaparinga Valley and Lobethal.

In other A Grade selection news Matt Tuck returns to the line up whilst James Hopton, Denam Moore and Chris Williams have been named in an extended interchange bench with the squad is to be finalised on Friday afternoon.

In the twos, Harry Darcy, Jonathan Grimes and Lucas Herbert return to the selected squad. The match is poised to be a close encounter with the Woods looking to take the two premiership points after a draw in Round 1.

View the selected Round 8 squads below:

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