FRESH off kicking a last-minute winner for Footscray in the VFL last weekend, Cooper Hynes will make his debut for the Western Bulldogs in Gather Round.
The 19-year-old arrived at the Whitten Oval after being selected with pick No.20 in last November's Telstra AFL Draft.
After two strong performances in the VFL, Luke Beveridge has picked Hynes for the trip to South Australia to play Brisbane at Norwood on Saturday.
The midfielder-forward was the Bulldogs' first pick in 2024 after a strong campaign for the Dandenong Stingrays in the Coates Talent League, where the co-captain finished runner-up in the best and fairest and in the Morrish Medal.
Hynes has been living with VFL star Dom Brew – who trialled with the club during the pre-season supplemental selection period – who was in the opposition last weekend when he kicked a goal with less than a minute on the clock to beat the reigning premiers.
Mature-age recruit Sam Davidson and second-round pick Josh Dolan were drafted last November and have both played the first four games of 2025.
Now Hynes gets his chance to play at the highest level, following in the footsteps of his father John Hynes, who played four games for Carlton in 1998.