Tigers to test Josh Scott and Carl Nicholson in ‘full scale hit out’ but confident they will play in second semi-final against Port Adelaide
Glenelg will test key pair Josh Scott and Carl Nicholson at training but is confident they will play in the double-chance final against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
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Minor premier Glenelg will have a “full scale hit out’’ at Adelaide Oval on Monday as it prepares for its first SANFL second semi-final since 2009.
The Tigers, who left four eligible players — Finn Betterman, Josh Koster, Darcy LeCornu and Rulla Kelly-Mansell — out of their reserves elimination final loss to Central District on Saturday in preparation for their league finals tilt, will run 30 players through a testing session after having a week off.
Most interest will centre around key forward Josh Scott and dashing wingman Carl Nicholson, who returned from long-term injuries in the final minor round series against Sturt at Unley.
Dual Glenelg leading goalkicker Scott has seen little action since badly breaking an arm against South Adelaide in round three.
A comeback was thwarted by soreness in the arm.
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Nicholson damaged an Achilles three weeks later after Scott first broke down.
Both players underwent surgery but coach Mark Stone is confident they will train well this week and put their hands up to play against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday as the Tigers chase their first premiership since 1986.
Ken Farmer Medallist Liam McBean, who missed the round 18 loss to the Double Blues with a finger injury, will be available.
“Both of the boys are on track to play,’’ Stone told ABC radio.
“We won’t pick the team until we sit down at match committee on Wednesday and go through it all but we’re confident they will be ready.
“Josh needed that game last week because he really hadn’t played any footy for seven weeks or so, so naturally he was a little bit rusty
“So what we’ve been trying to do in the fortnight leading into the final is to have him handle the ball as much as he can.
“His arm is fully healed now and he's been able to run while he’s been out, so he’s fairly fit, it's just the ball handling he’s getting up to speed with again.
“So we’ve had him really going for his marks and getting back into the swing of that sort of stuff.
“He’s had a football in his hand every day, just getting that touch back, and hopefully when we sit down to pick the team later in the week he’s in the right space and we can trust him to go and out and play his role because he deserves it.
“He’s been a warrior of the club, he gives everything he’s got and he deserves an opportunity to have a crack at it.”
Stone said Nicholson pulled up well from his return game against Sturt and had “come to hand really quickly’’.
“I thought he handled last week’s game really well, he pulled up excellently and he’s ready to play,’’ he said.
Stone said the week off had been beneficial for Glenelg.
“A couple of guys needed the break just for their bodies, so it's been a really good period for us,’’ he said.
“We’ve been able to back off a little bit of training, recover, and also take stock of where we sit, look at what we do well and what little tweaks we need to make to our game plan.
“It’s really set the tone for the week ahead and now we’re excited to test ourselves in the big games.’’