Essendon will blood five new club debutants in their round one clash against Hawthorn on Saturday night.

Recruits Georgia Clarke, Brooke Brown, Brooke Walker and Kodi Jacques will all don the sash for the first time, while former VFLW Premiership Captain Georgia Nanscawen will make her first appearance for the club at AFLW level.

Nanscawen was the club’s first AFLW signing but missed the 2022 season after tearing her ACL in the final minutes of the 2022 rebel VFLW Grand Final.

With 205 international Hockeyroo caps and previous experience at AFLW level, the leadership group member will add expertise and professionalism to the Bombers’ midfield.

Starting across the backline is Clarke, who has played 19 games across her five seasons at Geelong.

Clarke is strong in marking contests and provides the Bombers with great versatility, having also previously played up forward and on the wing.

Joining Clarke in the backline is Brown, a key defender who moved to the Bombers from North Melbourne.

A former basketball, touch rugby player and track and field athlete, Brown has many attributes that make her a versatile footballer, including her athletic ability, game sense and pace to intercept opposition forward entries.

Brown has come off a stellar finals series for the Kangaroos, where she was a key pillar in their defence.

Another new Don will make their club debut in the Bombers’ defence, with Walker lining up across the half-back line.

Walker, a triple-code athlete, moved to the NEC Hangar from Carlton with 26 games of AFLW experience.

Over her five seasons at AFLW level, Walker has become known for her relentless defensive pressure while also being able to hit the scoreboard.

Jacques will start on the interchange for the Bombers, but her previous AFLW experience combined with her versatility will make her an important addition.

Known for her output across all areas of the ground, the inaugural Tiger has 26 games of AFLW experience that will benefit the Bombers’ lineup.

Bombers fans can see their side take on Hawthorn from 7:15 pm at Kinetic Stadium, Frankston on Saturday night or tune in on Channel 7 and Kayo from 7:00pm.

Essendon round one team