Panic Room: All the latest team news, whispers and tips ahead of Round 4 of the AFL season
WILL the Cats recall a key duo? Is a young Sun set for a break? Get all the last minute team news, whispers and tips ahead of Round 4 of the AFL season.
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THEY may be undefeated to start the season but that won’t stop Geelong coach Chris Scott swinging the changes for Monday’s blockbuster clash with Hawthorn.
The Cats have included George Horlin-Smith and Nakia Cockatoo on the club’s extended bench and could be prepared to call on the pair for the crunch game with the Hawks.
Both players have been recovering from thumb injuries with Cockatoo missing since Round 1 while Horlin-Smith didn’t play last week against Melbourne.
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If Cockatoo can pass a fitness test, Scott has all but guaranteed him a spot in the final 22.
“He’s an exciting player for us and we think we have suffered a little bit the last couple of weeks for not having him,” Scott said.
“We don’t take any risks with young players … but the information so far is that it looks like he will be available, and given that, he’ll play.”
Meanwhile at Richmond, Nick Vlastuin must pass a concussion test before he is given the all-clear to take on Brisbane on Sunday.
Vlastuin has been named in the midfield for the Round 4 clash.
However, the Tigers have dismissed any doubts over utility Ben Griffiths’ long-term future.
The 200cm big man has sustained concussions in four of the past five seasons, including in the Round 2 win over Collingwood.
Although he will not play this week, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said Griffiths was remaining positive.
“Medical staff have done all the diligent tests,” Hardwick said during the week.
“Ben himself is really positive about where he’s at. From our point of view it’s just a concern when a player gets a concussion. I think, as you know, the AFL handles that as well as anyone in the world really. So we’ll be very cautious with that but from our point of view he’s fine.”
Meanwhile, Essendon’s Conor McKenna will make his return to football on Saturday night, with the Bomber set to be unleashed across the halfback line.
McKenna played 12 games with the Bombers last year, including the last eight of the season.
Having also spent time in the midfield, Essendon coach John Worsfold said McKenna would provide some speed on the backline.
“We’ve been developing him as a rebounding backman but he can also defend really tight,” Worsfold said.
“[He brings] a lot of speed and preparedness to take risks off the half back line.
“We want Conor to back himself in and use those strengths.”
Keep an eye on the Gold Coast Suns in the coming weeks.
Head coach Rodney Eade has indicated the club could start to rest some of its young stars anytime from now.
The first cab off the rank could be first round pick Jack Bowes, who had just 11 touches last week.
“I thought he (Jack Bowes) was a little bit fatigued on the weekend, we thought his last quarter and a half were pretty good but the issue will be when we do actually rest him,” Eade said.
“That will come at some stage. We don’t feel he could last until the bye but he might be able to, we’ll take it week by week.”
SUPERCOACH ALERT
It was the big question facing all SuperCoaches this week. What to do following the Max Gawn injury?
The answer could be up north, in the form of a straight swap for Brisbane’s Stefan Martin.
Martin is the best big man in the league at finding the footy and is the no. 1 scoring option after Gawn.
While he wins a lot of hit-outs, the true value in Martin is his ability to find the football around the ground.
Scores of 98, 126 and 125 combined with a price of just $516,800 put him securely in the bargain section. After going up $28k last week, Martin’s break-even of 50 will see him rise another $25k this week.
Other options include Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy ($528,800), Gold Coast’s Jarrod Witts ($292,800) and Richmond’s Toby Nankervis ($425,100).
BEST BET
Collingwood to beat St Kilda at $1.70.
Money is coming for the Magpies and we really like them this week.
Collingwood is coming off its best performance of the season, a fighting one point win against Sydney while the Saints were forced to fight hard against a battling Brisbane outfit.
The Magpies are also coming in off a nine day break, compared to St Kilda’s seven.
Collingwood started the match as underdogs but are into $1.70 with the TAB.
Meanwhile, for those who like an outsider, Melbourne is missing Jordan Lewis, Jesse Hogan and Max Gawn but will go in as a $1.36 favourite against Fremantle.
The Dockers are listed at $3.15 … interesting.
ON NOTICE
We haven’t said this for a while but the Hawks really need to come out and make a statement this week.
Hawthorn was embarrassed up on the Gold Coast against the Suns, losing by a whopping 86 points.
Now with a stand-alone fixture on Monday, there will be nowhere to hide against the Cats at the MCG.
Another big loss will only add to the already growing pressure.
Originally published as Panic Room: All the latest team news, whispers and tips ahead of Round 4 of the AFL season
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