AAMI Community Series teams 2022: See who is playing for your club in the final hitout of the pre-season
Geelong is backing in one-game defender Sam De Koning while a forgotten man is set to play his first game in more than two years. See Suns v Cats teams.
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Geelong has given the clearest indication yet that Sam De Koning and Zach Guthrie are in line for a Round 1 berth after both were named to start in Monday night’s AAMI Community Series match-up against Gold Coast.
Guthrie impressed Cats coaches with his positioning and intercept marking in defence in a scratch match against Richmond last week, with the maturing 23-year-old primed to take a step as a defender this year.
De Koning has been pegged to start the season as a tall defender in a likely pairing with Mark Blicavs, with the third-year Cat developing quickly after a summer spent playing on Tom Hawkins.
New Suns pairing Levi Casboult and Mabior Chol will aim to test the Blicavs-De Koning pairing, with both named in a 26-player squad.
Key defender Rory Thompson will make his first official appearance since Round 19, 2018 in the clash after the luckless big man battled through multiple knee injuries over the last three seasons.
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Geelong will not run into former big-bodied midfielder Charlie Constable, who picked up a minor groin injury in a practice match against Port Adelaide.
The Cats have named a strong 28-man side to face the Suns, with Tom Stewart a notable omission from the Richmond match.
Livewire recruit Tyson Stengle has all but secured a spot in the Round 1 team that will face Essendon on March 19, and will look to further push his claim on the Gold Coast.
Young tall Shannon Neale and running defender Nick Stevens will get a look at the top level against the Suns.
Mark O’Connor will miss the match as he nurses a sore knee but the Cats have no concerns on his availability for Round 1.
The Cats held a captains run on Sunday before flying north for the clash, which begins at 7.40pm.
THE TEAMS
All times AEDT
Gold Coast v Geelong
Metricon Stadium, Monday 7.10pm
SUNS
B: W.Powell, S.Collins, S.Lemmens
HB: C.Graham, C.Ballard, L.Weller
C: B.Ellis, N.Anderson, R.Atkins
HF: B.Ainsworth, L.Casboult, J.Lukosius
F: N.Holman, M.Chol, I.Rankine
Foll: J.Witts, T.Miller, M.Rowell
I/C: A.Davies, B.Fiorini, S.Flanders, D.Macpherson, N.Moyle, D.Swallow, A.Sexton, R.Thompson
Emerg: C.Burgess, J.Corbett, J.Jeffrey, O.Markov
CATS
B: Zach Guthrie, Mark Blicavs, Sam De Koning
HB: Zach Tuohy, Jake Kolodjashnij, Jed Bews
C: Brad Close, Cam Guthrie, Issac Smith
HF: Shaun Higgins, Esava Ratugolea, Tyson Stengle
F: Jeremy Cameron, Tom Hawkins, Max Holmes
Foll: Rhys Stanley, Patrick Dangerfield, Brandan Parfitt
I/C: Tom Atkins, Shannon Neale, Nick Stevens, Luke Dahlhaus, Francis Evans, Quinton Narkle, Joel Selwood, Cooper Stephens
Emerg: Mitch Knevitt, Cooper Whyte, Oliver Dempsey, Paul Tsapatolis
GWS v Collingwood
Giants Stadium, Sunday 12.40pm
GIANTS
B: I.Cumming 13 S.Taylor 15 P.Davis 1
HB: L.Whitfield 6 L.Keeffe 25 H.Perryman 36
C: L.Ash 7 T.Green 12 X.O’Halloran 33
HF: T.Taranto 14 J.Riccardi 26 D.Lloyd 38
F: B.Hill 37 H.Himmelberg 27 C.Stone 18
Foll: M.Flynn 30 J.Kelly - C 22 S.Coniglio 3
I/C: J.Hopper 2 C.Ward 8 T.Bruhn 5 B.Preuss 11 C.Idun 39 J.Brander 31 J.Peatling 20 R.Angwin 9
Emerg: L.Aleer 21 J.Stein 42 W.Shaw 35 A.Kennedy 40
MAGPIES
B: N.Murphy 28 D.Moore 30 J.Madgen 44
HB: N.Daicos 35 B.Maynard 37 S.Pendlebury - C 10
C: J.Daicos 7 P.Lipinski 1 S.Sidebottom 22
HF: B.McCreery 31 M.Cox 46 W.Hoskin-Elliott 32
F: N.Kreuger 15 J.De Goey 2 J.Elliott 5
Foll: B.Grundy 4 J.Crisp 25 T.Brown 6
I/C: F.Macrae 18 J.Ginnivan 33 J.Noble 9 O.Henry 16 C.Brown 17 T.Ruscoe 21 T.Bianco 8 D.Cameron 14
Emerg: C.Poulter 24 R.McInnes 26 W.Kelly 20 T.Wilson 12
Sydney v North Melbourne
Giants Stadium, Sunday 4.20pm
SWANS
B: T.McCartin 30 D.Rampe 24 H.Cunningham 7
HB: J.McInerney 27 S.Reid 20 B.Campbell 16
C: J.Lloyd 44 J.Kennedy 12 N.Blakey 22
HF: I.Heeney 5 P.McCartin 39 E.Gulden 21
F: C.Warner 1 L.McDonald 6 W.Hayward 9
Foll: T.Hickey 31 L.Parker - C 26 J.Rowbottom 8
I/C: O.Florent 13 H.McLean 2 B.Ronke 25 C.Mills 14 D.Stephens 3 L.McAndrew 46 S.Wicks 15 M.Roberts 34
Emerg: A.Sheldrick 29 P.Ladhams 19 R.Fox 42 J.Bell 32
KANGAROOS
B: J.Ziebell - C 7 A.Corr 4 K.Turner 28
HB: L.McDonald 11 J.Walker 19 La.Young 17
C: B.Scott 8 H.Greenwood 18 J.Polec 13
HF: T.Thomas 26 N.Larkey 20 C.Taylor 5
F: J.Mahony 1 J.Stephenson 2 J.Horne-Francis 6
Foll: T.Xerri 38 L.Davies-Uniacke 9 J.Simpkin 12
I/C: T.Goldstein 22 T.Powell 24 W.Phillips 29 J.Goater 31 C.Lazzaro 35 K.Hayden 37 E.Ford 40 C.Zurhaar 44
Emerg: A.Bosenavulagi 15 P.Curtis 25 M.Bergman 27 P.Walker 33
Fremantle v West Coast
Optus Stadium, Sunday 7.10pm
DOCKERS
B: L.Ryan 13 B.Cox 36 A.Pearce 25
HB: H.Young 26 G.Logue 2 J.Clark 6
C: A.Brayshaw 8 W.Brodie 17 L.Henry 23
HF: T.Colyer 33 B.Acres 9 M.Walters 10
F: M.Taberner 20 R.Lobb 37 L.Schultz 5
Foll: S.Darcy 4 C.Serong 3 S.Switkowski 39
I/C: M.Frederick 32 B.Banfield 41 M.Crowden 12 D.Mundy - C 16 H.Chapman 27 N.Wilson 14 E.Hughes 15 L.Meek 22
Emerg: N.O’Driscoll 30 C.Blakely 19 J.Hamling 21 J.Western 34
EAGLES
B: J.Rotham 35 T.Barrass 37 S.Hurn 25
HB: A.Witherden 23 J.McGovern 20 J.Nelson 30
C: A.Gaff 3 J.Redden 8 L.Foley 29
HF: J.Petruccelle 21 H.Dixon 41 W.Rioli 44
F: L.Ryan 1 J.Kennedy 17 B.Williams 32
Foll: N.Naitanui - C 9 T.Kelly 11 J.Jones 31
I/C: Z.Langdon 7 S.Petrevski-Seton 10 B.Hough 19 X.O’Neill 24 T.Joyce 26 C.West 36 P.Naish 38 C.Jamieson 40
Emerg: I.Winder 22 J.Williams 34 J.Waterman 2 L.Edwards 16
Hawthorn v Richmond
Devonport Oval, Saturday 1.10pm
HAWTHORN
B: B.Hardwick 15 S.Frost 8 D.Grainger-Barras 24
HB: C.Nash 11 J.Sicily 6 J.Scrimshaw 14
C: L.Shiels 26 C.Wingard 20 H.Morrison 1
HF: J.Worpel 5 J.Gunston 19 L.Breust 22
F: D.Moore 13 M.Lewis 2 B.McEvoy - C 7
Foll: N.Reeves 37 J.Newcombe 44 T.Phillips 21
I/C: F.Maginness 32 C.Macdonald 31 J.Koschitzke 23 T.Brockman 33 N.Long 27 J.Ward 25 M.Lynch 18 E.Jeka 39
Emerg: J.Callow 45 S.Butler 30 S.Mitchell 40 J.Saunders 43
RICHMOND
B: D.Grimes 2 R.Tarrant 6 J.Gibcus 28
HB: J.Short 15 N.Broad 35 D.Rioli 17
C: J.Ross 5 T.Cotchin 9 K.McIntosh 33
HF: S.Bolton 29 L.Baker 7 S.Edwards 10
F: N.Balta 21 T.Lynch 19 J.Riewoldt 8
Foll: T.Nankervis - C 25 D.Prestia 3 D.Martin 4
I/C: H.Ralphsmith 45 I.Soldo 20 J.Aarts 16 J.Castagna 11 B.Nyuon 47 T.Brown 30 W.Martyn 36 M.Rioli 49
Emerg: B.Miller 46 S.Ryan 32 M.Pickett 50 M.Parker 37
Adelaide v Port Adelaide
Richmond Oval, Saturday 3.40pm
ADELAIDE
B: L.Brown 16 J.Butts 41 N.Murray 28
HB: B.Smith 33 C.Jones 1 A.McPherson 36
C: L.Sholl 38 R.Laird 29 M.Hinge 20
HF: J.Rachele 8 B.Keays 2 N.McHenry 25
F: R.Thilthorpe 7 D.Fogarty 32 E.Himmelberg 34
Foll: R.O’Brien 43 R.Sloane - C 9 H.Schoenberg 26
I/C: L.Gollant 44 J.Soligo 14 M.Crouch 5 T.Doedee 39 L.Pedlar 10 S.Berry 21 B.Davis 40 K.Strachan 45
Emerg: J.Rowe 31 B.Cook 15 B.Frampton 22 W.Hamill 17
PORT ADELAIDE
B: R.Burton 3 T.Clurey 17 A.Aliir 21
HB: D.Houston 5 T.Jonas - C 1 D.Byrne-Jones 33
C: R.Bonner 26 O.Wines 16 K.Amon 15
HF: Z.Butters 18 M.Georgiades 19 C.Rozee 20
F: J.Finlayson 11 T.Marshall 4 R.Gray 9
Foll: S.Lycett 29 W.Drew 28 T.Boak 10
I/C: S.Hayes 25 J.Mead 44 J.McEntee 41 J.Sinn 8 X.Duursma 7 T.McKenzie 12 L.Jones 34 S.Mayes 32
Essendon v St Kilda
Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.10pm
ESSENDON
B: J.Laverde 15 J.Stewart 17 T.Cutler 12
HB: N.Hind 19 J.Ridley 14 Z.Merrett 7
C: N.Cox 13 A.McGrath 1 D.Heppell - C 21
HF: W.Snelling 11 H.Jones 23 K.Baldwin 26
F: M.Guelfi 35 P.Wright 20 D.Smith 5
Foll: S.Draper 2 D.Parish 3 J.Caldwell 6
I/C: A.Perkins 16 M.Redman 27 K.Langford 4 B.Ham 33 N.Martin 47 B.Zerk-Thatcher 30 N.Bryan 24 B.Hobbs 8
Emerg: A.Waterman 45 S.Durham 22 D.Shiel 9 T.Wanganeen 43
ST KILDA
B: C.Wilkie 44 J.Battle 26 B.Paton 33
HB: D.McKenzie 36 D.Howard 20 J.Sinclair 35
C: H.Clark 11 J.Gresham 4 B.Hill 8
HF: D.Butler 16 T.Membrey 28 J.Higgins 22
F: M.King 12 J.Billings 15 J.Hayes 47
Foll: R.Marshall 19 J.Steele - C 9 S.Ross 6
I/C: J.Webster 29 R.Byrnes 13 M.Wood 32 B.Crouch 5 M.Windhager 17 N.Wanganeen-Milera 7 M.Owens 24 C.Sharman 43
Emerg: D.Joyce 39 B.Long 21 T.Campbell 38 D.Kent 25
Western Bulldogs v Brisbane
Marvel Stadium, 7.20pm Friday
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: B.Dale 31 J.Schache 13 C.Daniel 35
HB: B.Williams 34 A.Keath 42 R.Smith 37
C: M.Hannan 29 M.Bontempelli 4 E.Richards 20
HF: C.Weightman 19 A.Naughton 33 J.Macrae 11
F: J.Johannisen 39 S.Martin 8 L.Vandermeer 23
Foll: T.English 44 J.Dunkley 5 A.Treloar 1
I/C: B.Smith 6 Z.Cordy 12 H.Crozier 9 L.Hunter 7 A.Jones 32 R.McComb 27 T.Duryea 15 C.Raak 40
Emerg: J.Ugle-Hagan 2 M.Wallis 3 R.Gardner 43 J.Sweet 41
BRISBANE
B: B.Starcevich 37 D.Gardiner 27 M.Adams 24
HB: D.Rich 10 H.Andrews - C 31 N.Answerth 43
C: H.McCluggage 6 Z.Bailey 33 M.Robinson 5
HF: L.McCarthy 11 D.McStay 25 C.Rayner 16
F: C.Cameron 23 J.Daniher 3 N.Cockatoo 12
Foll: O.McInerney 46 L.Neale 9 J.Lyons 17
I/C: C.Ah Chee 4 J.Berry 7 J.Madden 14 K.Coleman 18 T.Fullarton 21 H.Sharp 22 D.Fort 32 J.Payne 40
Emerg: D.Robertson 2 J.Prior 20 R.Lester 35 R.Mathieson 36
Carlton v Melbourne
Marvel Stadium, 7.20pm Thursday
CARLTON
B: Le.Young 33 O.McDonald 39 Z.Williams 6
HB: N.Newman 24 M.McGovern 11, A.Saad 42
C: W.Setterfield 43 P.Cripps - C 9 L.O’Brien 4
HF: M.Owies 44 J.Silvagni 1 Z.Fisher 25
F: C.Durdin 19 H.McKay 10 T.De Koning 12
Foll: M.Pittonet 27 G.Hewett 29 A.Cerra 5
I/C: J.Boyd 37 M.Kennedy 7 E.Curnow 5 J.Martin 21 T.Williamson 31 L.Parks 26 M.Cottrell 46 L.Plowman 20
MELBOURNE
B: J.Bowey 17 J.Lever 8 J.Smith 44
HB: J.Harmes 4 A.Tomlinson 20 J.Hunt 29
C: A.Brayshaw 10 J.Viney 7 E.Langdon 15
HF: S.Weideman 26 T.McDonald 25 T.Sparrow 32
F: B.Fritsch 31 B.Brown 50 A.Neal-Bullen 30
Foll: M.Gawn - C 11 C.Petracca 5 C.Oliver 13
I/C: L.Jackson 6 C.Spargo 9 T.Bedford 12 J.Jordon 23 O.Baker 33 K.Pickett 36 K.Chandler 37 D.Turner 42
‘NERVOUS’ DUSTY WILL ONLY GET BETTER: DIMMA
A “nervous” Dustin Martin has cast aside the final mental shackles of his debilitating kidney injury and is primed to lift to a new level this season, his premiership coach has declared.
The Brownlow medallist on Saturday embarked on his first competitive hitout since he suffered the serious injury last July, which left him stripped of 10 kilograms and placed on a fruit-based diet.
Three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick on Wednesday described the champion’s months-long recovery as “significant”, but backed the triple-Norm Smith medallist to continue to build his form ahead of Round 1.
“(Martin) was the first to admit that in the first couple of contests (on Saturday) he was a little bit nervous about what that would look like when he raised his arms, but he grew from confidence and got better as the game wore on,” Hardwick said at the Fox Footy season launch in Melbourne.
“So our expectations should be the same. He’s a matchwinner, and is one of the best players in the competition — if not the best player in the competition.
“We just expect him to play the role, which is a silly thing to say about a superstar, but that’s what we require of him.”
Hardwick backed in the 30-year-old to have “a wonderful year” as the Tigers look to bounce back from missing the finals for the first time since 2016.
“He works incredibly hard on every facet of his game and it’s why he’s one of the best players in the league,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to watching him play, and I know most other people are as well.”
The Tigers finished 12th last season with a 9-12-1 record, but Hardwick maintained that he was “reasonably confident” that the team could become a dominant force again in 2022.
“The great thing about our industry and our game is that 17 other clubs — after Melbourne won it last year — are thinking ‘why not us?’,” he said.
“We’re one of those sides. We’ve had a great prep, we’ve had a great pre-season, but until that first ball is bounced, we’re never quite sure.
“We’ve got great strength in leadership in our footy club and are really bullish about the way we’ll go this year. We’re very excited and ready to go.”
Teammate Nick Vlastuin — who won’t play against Hawthorn this weekend after a minor hamstring issue — said Martin had been managed well over the off-season and would soon remind the football world what he is capable of.
“You forget how special he is and how good he is with the ball, so he’s going to be very handy to have,” he said.
Hardwick said the team had delved deeper into exploring its mental capacity over the off-season and said that having climbed the premiership summit previously would be both valuable experience, but one that left him “a little bit nervous at the same time”.
“Expectation is obviously high, because obviously we had a down year last year, but we feel that we cover that space really well in the mental space, so we’ve done a fair bit of work over the course of the summer as well, but I think the competition is just becoming much more even every year,” he said.
“That’s the great thing about our game.
“It’s going to be an exciting year, there’s going to be a lot of sides that will put their hand up and hopefully we’re one of those sides.
Pies stars in mix for final hitout
Collingwood assistant coach Brendon Bolton said key stars Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe both remained in contention to be among “23 or 24” players Collingwood will take to Sydney for Sunday’s final pre-season hitout against GWS.
Final medical clearance later this week could decide if De Goey, who broke his rib a few weeks ago but has still been able to train and Howe, who has a groin strain, would play.
As Bolton was peppered with questions about who could be part of the team for the opening round clash with St Kilda, he said Mason Cox, who kicked three goals against Hawthorn last week, just hours after the AFL ticked off his request to wear prescription sunglasses in games this season, was “right in contention”.
Cox only played seven games in 2021 and was the last man re-signed by the club late in October but could be the beneficiary of a new system designed for fast ball delivery to forwards, a system which was on show against the Hawks.
“I’m not the senior coach so I don’t rubber stamp it, but (Cox) gave us a great contest up forward and in the ruck as well,” Bolton said. “He played both of those roles quite strongly first up. He’ll be feeling pretty confident.
“He‘s pretty similar to the whole group: I’ve just found them so receptive to want to learn and improve. He got some reward on the weekend in terms of some goals, but there will be some games where he doesn’t get rewarded with goals and we’ve got to understand key forwards sometimes aren’t always going to kick goals, they just need to make contests and do their role.
“We are trying to move the ball forward a little quicker, that’s obvious. But there will be times the opposition can holdup and you just have to persevere.”
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