Athletic big man Tom Hickey has received the nod from Adam Simpson and his match committee and will play his 100^th AFL match when the West Coast Eagles play their opening game of the season against Melbourne on Sunday.

It will be Hickey’s 21^st game for the club – after joining the Eagles from St Kilda last season – and will be played in front of an empty Optus Stadium.

Hickey was preferred to rising young big man Bailey Williams whose progression to make his senior debut was disrupted by an untimely hamstring niggle leading into the second Marsh Series game against Fremantle.

Williams was named in the squad on Thursday but was listed as an emergency when it was trimmed to the 22 who will play against the Dees.

Veteran defender Will Schofield, young forward Jake Waterman and experienced midfielder Mark Hutchings also missed the cut.

That means that utility player Brendon Ah Chee gets another opportunity, along with defender Jackson Nelson and lively small forward Jack Petruccelle.