West Coast have confirmed mid-season draftees Marcus Herbert and Oliver Francou will debut in the WAFL on Sunday and revealed where they fit in to the club’s plans.

Geelong VFL recruit Herbert will slot in on the halfback line and look to replicate the success of last year’s top mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy, while South Australian Francou is set to line up alongside Elijah Hewett and Tom Gross in the engine room.

The pair were surprise selections by the Eagles at Tuesday’s draft, with many expecting the rebuilding club to opt for size to assist their undermanned defence.

However, West Coast fans will get their first look at what the club’s newest ball movers can do at Mineral Resources Park against Fremantle’s WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder, who will be boosted by Sean Darcy officially being named for his return to football after Dockers coach Justin Longmuir flagged he’d play WAFL minutes on Thursday.

The ruckman is expected to play around 80 minutes against Matt Flynn and Cooper Duff-Tytler.

Herbert, who uprooted his life to take a six-month contract at the Eagles, will also get the chance to play alongside Brisbane premiership player Brandon Starcevich as he works his way towards a senior debut, having finally overcome a stubborn calf complaint.

The mature-aged defender from Warrnambool, who was taken at pick 13 after West Coast snapped up Francou at pick three, said he backed himself to make the most of his chance in blue and gold.

“I do back myself in. It is a business at the end of the day, but I do back myself in to hold my spot or get a contract extension at the end of the year,” he told The West Australian this week.

“It does put a bit of a time limit on it, but it does fuel the fire a little bit to go in there day one and showcase what I got and what I think I can bring to the team.

“Hopefully, I can contribute to the team’s success in some way.”

There’s further good news for the Eagles on the injury front with young key forward Archer Reid named to return on Sunday after overcoming a knee injury, while Tyler Brockman is set for his first hit out of the season off the back of his own knee setback.

Harry Schoenberg will also play after being a travelling emergency last week.

Jaeger O’Meara has also been named to take on West Coast.

West Coast v Peel Thunder

Sunday, Mineral Resources Park, 1.10pm

EAGLES

B: J Ewing S Brock L Grego

HB: M Herbert B Starcevich T Brockman

C: F Rodriguez F Macrae C Hall

HF: T Dewar M Owies T Gross

FF: H Barnett C Duff-Tytler A Reid

FOLL: M Flynn E Hewett O Francou

I/C: J Burke C Datson S Lucassen H Schoenberg T Williams

IN: T Brockman O Francou M Herbert A Reid H Schoenberg

OUT: D McCarthy S Kernutt A Mercer J Walsh S Cipriani (all omitted)

THUNDER

FB: B Hancock J Draper C Simpson

HB: S Hunter H Davies B Banfield

C: J Sears L Tardew J Hewitt

HF: A Sweid T Bryce T Murray

FF: A Riddle C Tregenza C Nicholls

FOLL: S Darcy J O’Meara S Tuia

I/C: J Carr L Kickett D Petersen A Polmear T Whan

IN: S Darcy A Polmear

OUT: J Sharp (AFL) T Jenkins (shoulder)