The Cats have selected a mix of experience and youth for their inaugural AFLX squad to play in Adelaide this Thursday night.

With clubs allowed to pick between 14 and 20 players for their squad, the Cats chose to name 18 on Monday afternoon before naming the final 10 man team on Thursday prior to the game.

Whilst 2017 leadership group members Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan and Mark Blicavs headline the squad, new Cats Lachie Fogarty, Tim Kelly and Gryan Miers have also been named in the squad.

Cats fans will however need to wait to see Gary Ablett Jnr’s first return game in the hoops after he was left out of the squad.

The Cats will launch AFLX with the opening game against Port Adelaide on Thursday night.

The games will be broadcast on 7Two, Fox Footy and the AFL Live app.

Cats AFLX squad