AFL teams and injury news: All the ins and outs for Round 16

A star is back for the Pies, while a North Melbourne youngster will become the latest player to debut in strange circumstances. All the Round 16 ins and outs.

Collingwood will welcome back game-breaker Jordan De Goey from suspension for its Sunday afternoon contest with St Kilda at the MCG.

De Goey won a career-high 32 disposals in a full-time midfield role in his last outing against Melbourne on Queens' Birthday but has been named in the forward line, replacing injured pressure forward Beau McCreery, with last week’s medical substitute Callum Brown omitted.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE INS AND OUTS FOR ROUND 16

St Kilda regains Jack Billings — a late withdrawal in his side’s breakthrough win over Richmond last round — while Josh Battle has been dropped and Nick Coffield will also miss with injury.

North Melbourne draftee Eddie Ford is set to make his AFL debut as the substitute against the Western Bulldogs.

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Jordan De Goey is back for the Pies. Picture: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The 189cm marking forward was named as an emergency despite the Roos announcing on Thursday that he would play his first game for the club.

His call-up comes after a promising three-week stretch at VFL level, averaging 17 disposals, six marks, 88.7 ranking points and kicking six goals.

North tough nut Kyron Hayden replaces Lachie Young, while injured Bulldog Ryan Gardner makes way for fringe tall Lewis Young.

Meanwhile, the Eagles have axed five players for their important clash with Sydney, with premiership player Nathan Vardy and former Lion Alex Withderden among the inclusions.

Eddie Ford will make his AFL debut as the substitute. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Injury crisis: Tigers suffer another massive blow

Richmond’s backline is officially decimated, with Bachar Houli the latest member of the defence to go with a syndesmosis injury.

The high ankle sprain will likely keep him out for as many as eight weeks, which means at best he would return for a finals series that is still far from certain.

The Tigers were 15 minutes from an 8-5 win-loss record then coughed up a 22-point lead against West Coast and have lost games against St Kilda and Gold Coast.

Last week in the loss to the Saints full back Noah Balta and half back Nathan Broad went down with syndesmosis injuries which required surgery.

Bachar Houli is the latest Tiger to be sidelined. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The Tigers are extremely confident the pair will be back if Richmond qualifies for finals, with some players back within six weeks.

But Western Bulldogs midfielder Adam Treloar’s season could be done despite suffering that injury in Round 10 as he battles complications.

Nick Vlastuin finished the game on the field after stirring up a corked thigh but will be sore during the week.

Star midfielder Shane Edwards limped into scans on Friday with his own ankle issue, as coach Damien Hardwick admitted he had been playing banged up for some time.

He is expected to take on St Kilda, but Callum Coleman-Jones will miss a week or two with a minor calf injury.

The Tigers do not expect Dion Prestia to return next week against Collingwood but if Toby Nankervis (PCL sprain) has a strong week on the training track he could take on Brodie Grundy.

Prestia has now nicked his calf in three or four separate spots despite an eight-week block mid-season where the club tried to rebuild his body to ensure he did not break down.

They will now need to strip him back and attempt to find the cause of the issues so he does not continually suffer recurrences.

Kane Lambert has battled hip soreness in recent years but after successfully managing it, the issue flared against West Coast and then again when playing St Kilda.

He could be back against Collingwood but with the hard-running midfielder also battling some calf tightness his presence is not certain.

Damien Hardwick was out of answers about how the club could fix its current malaise, with Richmond still in the finals mix.

But if Essendon, GWS and Fremantle were to win across the weekend, the Tigers would be as low as 11th by the end of Round 16.

TEAMS: NEALE NAMED, SPARKLE BACK AS CATS REST RECRUIT

Geelong has opted for a new look for Friday night’s clash with Essendon, recalling ruckman Rhys Stanley and including exciting midfielder Quinton Narkle in the starting line-up.

On the back of a horror loss to Brisbane in Round 15, the Cats have made three changes for the match at GMHBA Stadium.

Small forward Gryan Miers also returns, with Mark O’Connor (injured), Shaun Higgins and Esava Ratugolea (both managed) all making way.

Narkle had been the Cats’ medical substitute last week but was unused.

Ratugolea has been named as one of four emergencies, but Higgins has been left off that list and will not be a medical substitute.

The Cats have rested recruit Shaun Higgins. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Small forward Will Snelling returns from a thumb injury for the Bombers, while Tom Cutler has also been included.

Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Matt Guelfi were both omitted.

Forward Jordan De Goey returns from suspension for Collingwood’s clash with St Kilda on Sunday, while Saints midfielder Jack Billings returns after missing last week’s win over Richmond with a knee complaint.

Hawthorn forward Mitch Lewis remains sidelined under the AFL’s concussion protocols, while fellow Hawks Chad Wingard (hamstring) and Will Day (ankle) will also miss Saturday’s match against Port Adelaide through injury.

Ladder-leader Melbourne has made no changes for Saturday’s match against GWS Giants.

Ruckman Shane Mumford and midfielder Tom Green return for the Giants, while tagger Matt de Boer has been omitted.

Lachie Neale was in doubt for this week’s clash with the Crows. Picture: AFL Photos

Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale was named for Saturday’s clash with Adelaide despite being treated for a niggling calf concern this week.

The 28-year-old sat out Brisbane’s training session on Thursday morning as a precaution but the club has denied reports he has suffered a calf strain, and that the injury was anything long-term.

Before Neale was included in the Lions’ 22 for the Round 16 fixture, the club confirmed he was in doubt to play in Saturday’s match.

Sam Docherty’s season could be over. Picture: Getty Images

BLUES SKIPPER’S SEASON COULD BE OVER

—Nick Smart

Sam Docherty’s season could be over after the Carlton co-captain underwent ankle surgery.

Docherty went under the knife this week to repair what the club has described as an ‘acute syndesmosis injury.’

The Blues have not ruled out Docherty — who has played 14 games this season — making a return in 2021, but further updates will be provided in the coming weeks.

Blues football boss Brad Lloyd said surgery was the best option for the 27-year-old.

“This is clearly unfortunate news for Sam, who was really looking forward to helping the side put together strong performances in the back half of the season,” Lloyd said.

“Bad luck like this is never good to receive but at least by picking up the injury early we’ve been able to ensure we can get Sam on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.”

ROUND 16 TEAMS (All time aest)

GOLD COAST SUNS v RICHMOND

Thursday July 1, 7:20pm at Marvel Stadium

SUNS

B: Powell, Collins, Lemmens

HB: Lukosius, Ballard, Bowes

C: Ellis, Sharp, Fiorini

HF: Corbett, Day, Holman

F: Swallow, King, Flanders

FOLL: Burgess, Rowell, Miller

I/C: Markov, Ainsworth, Rankine, Sexton

EMG: Brodie, MacPherson, Graham, Atkins

IN: Collins, Swallow, Burgess

OUT: Graham (Omitted), Anderson (Injured), Smith (Injured), Greenwood (Managed)

TIGERS

B: Grimes, Astbury, Vlastuin

HB: Edwards, Short, Houli

C: McIntosh, Bolton, Pickett

HF: Castagna, Cotchin, Aarts

F: Lynch, Martin, Riewoldt

FOLL: Chol, Baker, Graham

I/C: Ross, Collier-Dawkins, Naish, Coleman-Jones

EMG: Mansell, Dow, Ryan, Miller

IN: Astbury, Lynch, Ross, Collier-Dawkins, Naish

OUT: Ryan, Mansell (omitted), Balta (Injured), Broad (Injured), Lambert (Injured), Prestia (Injured)

GEELONG CATS v ESSENDON

Friday July 2, 7:50pm at GMHBA Stadium

CATS

B: Atkins, Kolodjashnij, Henry

HB: Tuohy, Stewart, Bews

C: Smith, Narkle, Menegola

HF: Dangerfield, Cameron, Miers

F: Close, Hawkins, Rohan

FOLL: Blicavs, Parfitt, Selwood

I/C: Stanley, Henderson, C.Guthrie, Dahlhaus

EMG: Z.Guthrie, Holmes, Ratugolea, Constable

IN: Miers, Stanley

OUT: O’Connor (injured), Higgins, Ratugolea (managed)

BOMBERS

B: Laverde, Stewart, Ridley

HB: Hind, Redman, Heppell

C: Cox, Merrett, Ham

HF: Smith, Jones, Waterman

F: Stringer, Hooker, McDonald-Tipungwuti

FOLL: Draper, Parish, Langford

I/C: Cutler, Snelling, Perkins, Wright

EMG: Zaharakis, Guelfi, Zerk-Thatcher, Durham

IN: Cutler, Snelling

OUT: Zerk-Thatcher, Guelfi (omitted), Zaharakis (sub)

MELBOURNE v GWS

Saturday July 3, 1:45pm at the MCG

DEMONS

B: Hunt, May, Lever

HB: Hibberd, Petty, Salem

C: Jordon, Petracca, Langdon

HF: Viney, McDonald, Spargo

F: Neal-Bullen, Jackson, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Pickett

I/C: Harmes, Brayshaw, Rivers, Sparrow

EMG: Bowey, vandenBerg, Chandler, Brown

IN: Nil

OUT: Jones (injured)

GIANTS

B: Buckley, David, Ash

HB: Perryman, Haynes, Cumming

C: Kelly, Ward, Whitfield

HF: Daniels, Himmelberg, Hill

F: Greene, Finlayson, Lloyd

FOLL: Mumford, Taranto, Hopper

I/C: Kennedy, Idun, Flynn, Green

EMG: Reid, de Boer, Briggs, O’Halloran

IN: Mumford, Green

OUT: Reid, de Boer, Briggs (omitted)

ADELAIDE v BRISBANE

Saturday July 3, 4:35pm at Adelaide Oval

CROWS

B: Doedee, Butts, Jones

HB: Smith, Kelly, Brown

C: Sholl, Keays, Mackay

HF: McHenry, Walker, Berry

F: Pedlar, Thilthorpe, Rowe

FOLL: O’Brien, Laird, Sloane

I/C: Frampton, Seedsman, Schoenberg, Murray

EMG: Hately, McPherson, Hamill, Himmelberg

IN: Pedlar, Frampton, Murray

OUT: McAdam, Fogarty, Hamill (omitted), McPherson (sub)

LIONS

B: Birchall, Andrews, Payne

HB: Rich, Adams, Starcevich

C: Zorko, Bailey, Robinson

HF: McCluggage, Hipwood, McCarthy

F: McStay, Daniher, Cameron

FOLL: McInerney, Neale, Lyons

I/C: Robertson, Ah Chee, J.Berry, Coleman

EMG: T.Berry, Prior, Mathieson, Ballenden

IN: Birchall, J.Berry

OUT: Madden (injured), Prior (omitted), Mathieson (sub)

FREMANTLE v CARLTON

Saturday July 3, 7:40pm at the MCG

DOCKERS

B: Wilson, Pearce, Ryan

HB: Aish, Logue, Tucker

C: Acres, Fyfe, Brayshaw

HF: Colyer, Lobb, Walters

F: Schultz, Treacy, Switkowski

FOLL: Darcy, Mundy, Cerra

I/C: Henry, Bewley, Serong, Walker

EMG: Crowden, Meek, Conca, Duman

IN: Fyfe

OUT: Crowden (sub), Taberner (injured)

BLUES

B: Plowman, Weitering, Saad

HB: Newman, Jones, Williamson

C: E.Curnow, Cripps, Newnes

HF: Fogarty, Casboult, Silvagni

F: Martin, McKay, Betts

FOLL: De Koning, Dow, Kennedy

I/C: Stocker, Petrevski-Seton, Owies, Walsh

EMG: O’Brien, Parks, Cottrell, Honey

IN: Williamson, Casboult

OUT: Williams (suspended), Murphy, Docherty (injured)

HAWTHORN v PORT ADELAIDE

Saturday July 3, 7:40pm at Marvel Stadium

HAWKS

B: Hardwick, Hartigan, Scrimshaw

HB: Burgoyne, Frost, Jiath

C: Shiels, Newcombe, Phillips

HF: Koschitzke, Breust, O’Meara

F: Moore, McEvoy, Howe

FOLL: Ceglar, Mitchell, Nash

I/C: Greaves, Bramble, Worpel, O’Brien

EMG: Hanrahan Cousins, Jeka, Maginness

IN: Nash, Greaves

OUT: Grainer-Barras, Day, Wingard (injured)

POWER

B: Burton, McKenzie, Aliir

HB: Houston, Jonas, Byrne-Jones

C: Bergman, Wines, Amon

HF: Rozee, Marshall, Motlop

F: Georgiades, Dixon, Powell-Pepper

FOLL: Lycett, Boak, Drew

I/C: Lienert, Farrell, Mayes, Bonner

EMG: Frederick, Ladhams, Williams, Woodcock

IN: Bonner

OUT: Williams, Frederick (omitted)

SYDNEY v WEST COAST

Sunday July 4, 1:10pm at GMHBA Stadium

SWANS

B: McCartin, Rampe, Fox

HB: Lloyd, Cunningham, Dawson

C: Hewett, Florent, McInerney

HF: Heeney, Gulden, Hayward

F: Papley, Franklin, Amartey

FOLL: Hickey, Mills, Parker

I/C: Wicks, Blakey, Bell, Kennedy,

EMG: Rowbottom, O’Riordan, Sinclair, McLean

IN: Wicks

OUT: Brand (omitted), Rowbottom (managed)

EAGLES

B: Cole, Barrass, Sheppard

HB: Hurn, McGovern, Duggan

C: Redden, Yeo, Gaff

HF: Cripps, Darling, Sheed

F: Allen, Kennedy, Jones

FOLL: Naitanui, Kelly, Shuey

I/C: Vardy, Langdon, Witherden, Foley

EMG: Petruccelle, L.Edwards, Rotham, Waterman

EMG:

IN: Jones, Langdon, Vardy, Witherden, Foley

OUT: Nelson, L.Edwards, Waterman, Nelson, Petruccelle (allomitted), Ryan (suspended)

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA

Sunday July 4, 3:20pm at MCG

MAGPIES

B: Noble, Roughead, Maynard

HB: Quaynor, Madgen, Mayne

C: Hoskin-Elliott, Crisp, Sidebottom

HF: Bianco, Cameron, Thomas

F: De Goey, Mihocek, Elliott

FOLL: Grundy, Pendlebury, Adams

I/C: Cox, Daicos, Murphy, Poulter

EMG: Lynch, Macrae, Ruscoe, C.Brown

IN: De Goey

OUT: McCreery (injured), C.Brown (medi-sub)

SAINTS

B: Highmore, Webster, Howard

HB: Sinclair, Wilkie, McKenzie

C: Hill, Dunstan, Byrnes

HF: Butler, Wood, Billings

F: Marshall, King, Membrey

FOLL: Ryder, Ross, Steele

I/C: Connolly, Crouch, Higgins, Long

EMG: Battle, Hunter, Kent, Lonie

IN: Billings

OUT: Coffield (injured), Battle (omitted)

WESTERN BULLDOGS v NORTH MELBOURNE

Sunday July 4, 4:40pm at Marvel Stadium

BULLDOGS

B: Daniel, Keath, Williams

HB: Duryea, Cordy, Dale

C: Richards, Liberatore, Smith

HF: Johannisen, Naughton, Weightman

F: Scott, Bruce, Hunter

FOLL: English, Macrae, Bontempelli

I/C: Young, McLean, Hannan, Garcia

EMG: Schache, Lipinski, Sweet, Wallis

IN: Young

OUT: Gardner (injured), Wallis (medi-sub)

KANGAROOS

B: Walker, McKay, Atley

HB: Ziebell, Tarrant, Hall

C: Dumont, Cunnington, McDonald

HF: Taylor, Larkey, Simpkin

F: Mahony, Stephenson, Zurhaar

FOLL: Goldstein, Davies-Uniacke, Thomas

I/C: Turner, Phillips, Hayden, Xerri

EMG: Scott, Polec, Ford, Campbell

IN: Hayden,

OUT: Young (omitted), Bosenavulagi (medi-sub)

Originally published as AFL teams and injury news: All the ins and outs for Round 16