AFL pre-season teams: Matthew Flynn to miss Giants last pre-season game

Thousands of KFC SuperCoaches have been thrown a huge curveball with one of the most-popular rookies out of his side’s last pre-season match.

Brodie Grundy is ready to recapture his best form. Picture: Getty

Disaster struck for KFC SuperCoaches on Saturday when ruck cheapie Matthew Flynn was left out of GWS’ team to face Sydney in the pre-season series.

Young ruckman Kieren Briggs was instead named as the Giants’ first-choice ruckman after Flynn was ruled out due to an ankle sprain.

It will leave KFC SuperCoaches with a nervous wait ahead of Round 1.

Meanwhile, Supplementary signing Alec Waterman had another chance to press his claims for a Round 1 debut after being named in Essendon’s team to take on Geelong.

The former Eagle officially became a Bomber this week and has been named on the bench after a four-goal outing in a trial match against Carlton.

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Essendon has given a strong indication it will blood top-10 pick Nik Cox, who has been named on a wing, while Archie Perkins is also in the side which will travel to the Cattery.

The Cats have named a strong outfit as they build toward their Round 1 clash with Adelaide.

Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins, Tom Stewart and Joel Selwood will feature, while Isaac Smith has been named for his first game as a Cat.

Chad Wingard and Tom Mitchell remain in doubt for Round 1 and will miss Hawthorn’s clash with North Melbourne.

The Roos could blood No. 3 draftee Will Phillips, who is in their squad.

Tom Mitchell is in doubt for Hawthorn’s Round 1 clash with Essendon.

PIES CONFIDENT GRUNDY WILL BE BACK TO BEST

Collingwood believes Brodie Grundy is ready to reclaim his mantle as one of footy’s elite ruckmen as he begins a lucrative seven-season deal at the Pies.

Grundy has been best-afield in both of the club’s warm-up games in the past fortnight as the Pies clash with premiers Richmond on Friday night in their AAMI Community Series clash.

Jordan De Goey will also play in that clash after an ankle roll and abdominal strain in a new midfield role for the Pies.

Grundy struggled with motivation while cooped up in hublife and while he still played 19 games he finished seventh in the best-and-fairest trophy.

Despite winning the Copeland Trophy and All Australian selection in 2018 and 2019 former club recruiter Matt Rendell said he had told the club Grundy shouldn’t receive a seven-year deal.

But Collingwood assistant coach Hayden Skipworth told the Herald Sun ahead of the clash with Ivan Soldo that Grundy had the fire in the belly again.

Brodie Grundy is ready to recapture his best form. Picture: Getty

“We played Geelong last week and he was our best player along with Jamie Elliott and the game before we had a City v Country game and he was best on in that game as well,” he said.

“So his two weeks leading into this clash he’s been our best player and it’s really good sot see him dominating the game like he can again. Hopefully that form continues.

“It was a tough year all round (in 2020). Even the game changed with game lengths (at 16-minute quarters). He is that grinding ruckman as well and we saw Nic Nat’s impact with shorter quarters. So all those factors were in play but I see him being at his best this year.”

Collingwood youngsters Ollie Henry, the No. 17 overall draft pick and exciting forward Will Kelly will get a crack at cementing spots in the Round 1 side against the Tigers.

Taylor Adams will miss the clash with a hamstring but believes he will be ready for Round 1, while Chris Mayne will miss with concussion but is free to resume training on March 8.

Greater Western Sydney v Sydney

Giants Stadium, Sunday March 7, 1.10pm AEDT

GIANTS

B: N.Haynes 19 L.Keeffe 25 C.Idun 39

HB: I.Cumming 13 S.Taylor 15 H.Perryman 36

C: J.Kelly 22 T.Taranto 14 C.Ward 8

HF: T.Bruhn 5 H.Himmelberg 27 M.de Boer 24

F: T.Greene 4 J.Riccardi 26 D.Lloyd 38

Foll: K.Briggs 32 J.Hopper 2 S.Coniglio - C 3

I/C: L.Ash 7 J.Buckley 44 T.Green 12 S.Reid 50 N.Shipley 34 M.Buntine 21 X.O’Halloran 33 J.Finlayson 31

Emerg: S.Mumford 41 Z.Sproule 28 B.Hill 37 C.Stone 18

SWANS

B: M.Ling 19 L.Melican 43 D.Rampe 24

HB: J.Dawson 34 T.McCartin 30 C.Mills 14

C: B.Campbell 16 J.Kennedy - C 12 N.Blakey 22

HF: J.Bell 32 L.McDonald 6 G.Hewett 29

F: W.Hayward 9 I.Heeney 5 S.Reid 20

Foll: C.Sinclair 18 L.Parker 26 T.Papley 11

I/C: O.Florent 13 J.Rowbottom 8 C.Warner 1 E.Gulden 21 H.Cunningham 7 S.Wicks 45 T.Hickey 31 R.Clarke 4

Emerg: H.McLean 41 D.Stephens 3 B.Ronke 25 J.McInerney 27

Adelaide v Port Adelaide

Flinders University Stadium, Sunday March 7, 3.40pm ACDT

ADELAIDE

B: L.Brown 16 N.Murray 18 A.McPherson 36

HB: B.Smith 33 J.Butts 41 M.Hinge 20

C: C.Jones 1 M.Crouch 5 L.Sholl 38

HF: N.McHenry 25 T.Walker 13 B.Keays 2

F: J.Rowe 31 B.Frampton 22 D.Fogarty 32

Foll: R.O’Brien 43 R.Laird 29 R.Sloane - C 9

I/C: W.Hamill 17 P.Seedsman 11 H.Schoenberg 26 S.McAdam 23 R.Thilthorpe 7 S.Berry 21 T.Lynch 27 L.Murphy 4

Emerg: K.Strachan 45 E.Himmelberg 34 F.McAsey 3 J.Hately 6

PORT ADELAIDE

B: R.Burton 3 T.Clurey 17 D.Houston 5

HB: R.Bonner 26 T.Jonas - C 1 D.Byrne-Jones 33

C: X.Duursma 7 O.Wines 16 K.Amon 15

HF: O.Fantasia 13 M.Georgiades 19 C.Rozee 20

F: Z.Butters 18 C.Dixon 22 R.Gray 9

Foll: S.Lycett 29 W.Drew 28 T.Boak 10

I/C: P.Ladhams 38 J.Mead 44 S.Motlop 6 M.Bergman 14 A.Aliir 21 K.Farrell 24 L.Jones 34 T.Rockliff 11

Emerg: J.Lienert 40 S.Mayes 32 J.Garner 27 B.Woodcock 36

West Coast v Fremantle

Optus Stadium, Sunday, March 7, 4.10pm AWST

WEST COAST

B: T.Cole 28 T.Barrass 37 B.Sheppard 5

HB: S.Hurn 25 J.McGovern 20 A.Witherden 23

C: L.Duggan 14 J.Redden 8 A.Gaff 3

HF: Z.Langdon 7 O.Allen 12 J.Cripps 15

F: J.Petruccelle 21 J.Darling 27 L.Ryan 1

Foll: N.Naitanui 9 D.Sheed 4 L.Shuey - C 13

I/C: J.Jones 31 N.Vardy 19 I.Winder 22 X.O’Neill 24 Z.Trew 26 J.Nelson 30 J.Rotham 35 H.Edwards 42

Emerg: J.Brander 10 L.Foley 29 B.Ainsworth 33 B.Ah Chee 41

FREMANTLE

B: A.Pearce 25 B.Cox 36 R.Conca 6

HB: E.Hughes 15 J.Hamling 21 T.Watson 38

C: J.Aish 11 N.Fyfe - C 7 M.Frederick 43

HF: M.Crowden 12 M.Taberner 20 L.Schultz 28

F: B.Banfield 41 R.Lobb 37 M.Walters 10

Foll: L.Meek 22 A.Brayshaw 8 D.Mundy 16

I/C: H.Young 26 B.Acres 9 C.Blakely 19 D.Tucker 18 T.Colyer 33 H.Chapman 27 L.Henry 23 J.Treacy 35

Emerg: S.Switkowski 39 J.Western 34 N.Wilson 14 T.Duman 44

North Melbourne v Hawthorn

Arden Street Oval, Saturday March 6, 4.10pm.

NORTH MELBOURNE

B: K.Hayden 37 B.McKay 23 S.Atley 18

HB: J.Ziebell - C 7 A.Corr 4 L.McDonald 11

C: B.Scott 8 L.Davies-Uniacke 9 J.Stephenson 2

HF: K.Turner 28 C.Zurhaar 44 T.Thomas 26

F: T.Powell 24 N.Larkey 20 C.Taylor 5

Foll: T.Goldstein 22 D.Tyson 21 J.Simpkin 12

I/C: J.Mahony 1 A.Bosenavulagi 15 La. Young 17 J.Walker 19 W.Phillips 29 C.Lazzaro 35 P.Spicer 36 T.Campbell 42

Emerg: T.Garner 6 C.Menadue 31 P.Walker 33 E.Ford 40

HAWTHORN

B: K.Hartigan 28 S.Frost 8 S.Burgoyne 9

HB: J.Impey 4 B.Hardwick 15 W.Day 12

C: D.Moore 36 J.Worpel 5 H.Morrison 1

HF: T.Phillips 16 T.O’Brien 23 O.Hanrahan 13

F: T.Brockman 42 M.Lewis 2 J.Koschitzke 34

Foll: B.McEvoy - C 7 L.Shiels 26 D.Howe 17

I/C: C.Jiath 29 L.Bramble 0 J.Ceglar 18 C.Downie 41 D.Greaves 30 C.Nash 11 M.Hartley 27 F.Maginness 32

Emerg: E.Jeka 39 D.Grainger-Barras 38 N.Reeves 37 J.Morris 35

Geelong v Essendon

GMHBA Stadium, Saturday, March 6, 7.10pm

GEELONG

B: J.Henry 38 M.Blicavs 46 T.Stewart 44

HB: M.O’Connor 42 L.Henderson 25 Z.Tuohy 2

C: I.Smith 7 P.Dangerfield 35 S.Menegola 27

HF: G.Miers 32 J.Cameron 5 S.Higgins 4

F: G.Rohan 23 T.Hawkins 26 T.Atkins 30

Foll: S.De Koning 16 J.Selwood - C 14 B.Parfitt 3

I/C: J.Bews 24 J.Clark 6 C.Guthrie 29 J.Jenkins 11 J.Kolodjashnij 8 C.Constable 18 Z.Guthrie 39 F.Evans 31

Emerg: N.Kreuger 15 Q.Narkle 19 B.Jarvis 10 S.Neale 33

ESSENDON

B: J.Stewart 17 A.Francis 10 J.Laverde 15

HB: N.Hind 19 J.Ridley 14 D.Heppell - C 21

C: K.Langford 4 Z.Merrett 7 N.Cox 13

HF: D.Shiel 9 H.Jones 23 W.Snelling 40

F: A.McDonald-Tipungwuti 43 P.Wright 20 C.Hooker 26

Foll: S.Draper 2 J.Caldwell 6 B.Ham 33

I/C: N.Cahill 28 A.McGrath 1 D.Parish 3 D.Smith 5 M.Gleeson 8 N.Bryan 24 A.Perkins 16 A.Waterman 42

Emerg: T.Cutler 12 Z.Reid 31 B.Zerk-Thatcher 30 J.Eyre 32

Collingwood v Richmond

Marvel Stadium, Friday March 5, 7.25pm.

COLLINGWOOD

B: J.Howe 38 J.Roughead 23 B.Maynard 37

HB: J.Crisp 25 D.Moore 30 I.Quaynor 3

C: T.Brown 6 S.Pendlebury – C 10 J.Noble 9

HF: O.Henry 35 M.Cox 46 W.Hoskin-Elliott 32

F: J.Elliott 5 W.Kelly 20 J.Daicos 7

Foll: B.Grundy 4 J.De Goey 2 S.Sidebottom 22

I/C: J.Thomas 24 T.Ruscoe 21 C.Brown 17 J.Madgen 44 D.Cameron 14 T.Bianco 8 L.Greenwood 19 B.Sier 36

Emerg: T.Wilson 12 C.Poulter 27 N.Murphy 28 A.Tohill 43

RICHMOND

B: D.Grimes 2 D.Astbury 12 N.Balta 21

HB: L.Baker 7 N.Vlastuin 1 J.Short 15

C: K.McIntosh 33 S.Bolton 29 J.Caddy 22

HF: J.Aarts 16 S.Edwards 10 J.Castagna 11

F: C.Coleman-Jones 40 D.Martin 4 J.Riewoldt 8

Foll: T.Nankervis 25 T.Cotchin – C 9 K.Lambert 23

I/C: D.Rioli 17 N.Broad 35 J.Graham 34 M.Pickett 50 M.Chol 41 W.Martyn 36 R.Collier-Dawkins 26 D.Eggmolesse-Smith 43

Emerg: T.Dow 27 P.Naish 6 J.Ross 5 R.Garthwaite 42

Originally published as AFL pre-season teams: Matthew Flynn to miss Giants last pre-season game