With Collingwood stars Josh Daicos and Steele Sidebottom waiting on the wings, GWS youngster Cody Angove is ready for an AFL baptism of fire after an impressive pre-season.
Drafted with pick No.24 last year, Angove's name is expected to be read when Giants coach Adam Kingsley names his squad for their opening-round clash against the Magpies at Engie Stadium.
Moving from Western Australia, the 18-year-old burst on to the scene with two goals in his first match simulation against Sydney.
Angove was handed another opportunity to push his case in their final pre-season hit-out, coming on in the second half against Carlton in their eventual 58-point defeat.
Kingsley had already been mulling the make up of his March 9 squad after the departures of mainstays Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling.
Jake Riccardi, Harvey Thomas, Toby McMullin and Joe Fonti will also have to serve two-match bans for their involvement in a post-season function last year, with fringe Giants player Josh Fahey out for four.
A pre-season calf injury to star midfielder Tom Green has only complicated Kingsley's selection calculations.
"I'm not trying to think about it, but if (my debut) did happen, it would be incredible and obviously a dream come true," Angove told AAP.
"I talk to the line coaches quite a lot and they want me to keep trying to push, to try to get a spot, but obviously nothing's confirmed.
"Hopefully I can prove myself."
Playing on Daicos and Sidebottom on debut will be no easy feat, but the teenager is backing himself to prove his mettle after taking it to Sydney star Errol Gulden.
Angove has only just made a permanent move to the wing, arriving at the Giants as a midfield/half-forward.
"They just said to me, 'you're just going to be on the wing and that's it'," Angove said.
"I guess you don't really think about it until you run up to the field.
"As you run out there, and you stand next to all these great players, especially Sydney with Chad Warner, Errol Gulden, Isaac Heeney and playing on them, like, it's just really surreal.
"Three months ago, you were just a big fan and if you saw them you'd want a photo. Now you're playing against them.
"Errol's got a good licence to do whatever he wants, so it's just about learning how to play against different teams.
"Coming to Collingwood, if I were to play, I'd do a lot of research into how they play, and we'd do a lot more opponent analysis."
Angove isn't the only untried Giant looking to secure a debut against the Magpies.
Fellow draftee Oliver Hannaford has put his hand up after featuring against Carlton alongside second-year James Leake, while Phoenix Gothard is expected to overcome a sprained ankle to be in contention as well.
GWS will be hoping Jake Stringer is fit to be among the names in Kingsley's opening-round line-up after hamstring tightness forced him out of a VFL practice match.
The former Essendon forward had already been ruled out of the Giants' AFL pre-season matches with illness.
