Woodville-West Torrens’ James Boyd will battle on despite wrist injury
WOODVILLE-West Torrens rover James Boyd will front Adelaide in Woodville on Saturday despite tests revealing a chip in his wrist bone.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens rover James Boyd will front Adelaide in Woodville on Saturday despite tests revealing a chip in his wrist bone.
Boyd damaged the wrist in the Anzac Day win in the grand final rematch against Sturt in Unley last week and he had scans immediately after the game.
Eagles coach Michael Godden said the Central District premiership player will train fully this week and play against the Crows with the wrist protected by strapping.
Godden faces a selection dilemma after Angus Rowntree, coming off his second knee reconstruction, successfully negotiated his second reserves game to push his claims for promotion.
And co-captain Patrick Giuffreda is ready to make his season debut following minor knee surgery.
The issue for Godden is whether to alter a line-up which has been impressive in winning its three games to be on top of the ladder.
“We don’t have injuries in the league team and everyone is in pretty good form,” Godden said.
“Angus is still not up to the level he wants to be at. I don’t know, the team is going okay.
“But he does have a lot of credit in the bank in terms of coming back from injury.
“Patrick has had only a couple of weeks back from having his surgery and it has taken a little while to get him up and going. When you have a couple of recons there are those niggles.
“You back those players who have done it for years for you and there is a sense of comfort, like Angus Rowntree you know what you are going to get.
“Then you have the players who come in and do a good job. It keeps everyone on edge.”
COTTON: REDLEGS WILL IMPROVE
NORWOOD coach Jarrod Cotton has no doubt his side, coming off a four-point loss to South Adelaide at The Parade on Friday night, will improve as his players become accustomed to his methods.
The Redlegs have lost two of their three games at home this season and Cotton noted his players were on a learning curve with a different game style and foreign roles.
“For me and the playing group we are doing a lot of new stuff, it is a completely different game style and new positions, as well as how they rotate on the ground,” Cotton said. “I want to win every game but as the year goes on and we start to learn our role better, we will improve.”
The Redlegs will regain Simon Phillips and Dean Terlich for the battle against Central District in Elizabeth on Saturday.
Brad McKenzie, recruited from North Melbourne this season, is expected to make his debut for the Redlegs in the reserves after overcoming an ankle injury.