AFL Round 17 teams: All the ins and outs as Jack Ginnivan ruled out with broken leg

Hawthorn has suffered a blow ahead of Saturday’s trip down to the Cattery with Jack Ginnivan ruled out. Will he be back for the clash with Collingwood? See all the round 17 teams.

Jack Ginnivan is hoping to be back to face his old side Collingwood in round 19 after being hit with a fractured fibula.

The goalsneak was on Friday ruled out of the trip to Geelong for Saturday’s key game, with the recruit being diagnosed with a hairline fracture to the fibula.

He picked up the injury in the second half of last weekend’s win over West Coast, when he collided with an opponent, and the full extent of the injury wasn’t revealed until Friday.

While he essentially has a broken leg, the Hawks hope Ginnivan’s injury is minor enough to only rule him out for two weeks.

While he played against Collingwood in round 5, that game took place at Gather Round, so the round 19 meeting would be a proper homecoming at the MCG and promises to be a top-eight shaping match.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL ROUND 17 TEAMS

Jack Ginnivan has a hairline fracture to the fibula. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos

Hawthorn doctor Liam West said the club was positive about Ginnivan’s injury.

“Given the fracture is on the minor end of the scale, we are confident Jack will return to play in the coming rounds,” he said.

Ginnivan was replaced in Hawthorn’s 23 for the Geelong game by Seamus Mitchell.

The absence of the sharpshooter offsets what was due to be a full-strength forward line, with Mitch Lewis playing his first AFL game since the last meeting with the Cats, on Easter Monday.

And veteran Luke Breust also returned after a week off.

The Hawks tuned up for Saturday’s clash – the club’s first game in front of fans at GMHBA Stadium since 2006 – by hosting a father-daughter clinic around the captain’s run on Friday.

The club invited past stars and their daughters down for a kick.

Saints young gun handed recall

- Ed Bourke

St Kilda young gun Mattaes Phillipou has earnt a recall as coach Ross Lyon plots to down Sydney with an undersized forward line missing injured talls Max King and Anthony Caminiti.

Phillipou has been dropped twice in his second season as the Saints attempt to remold him as a full-time midfielder, and will return to the side off the back of the best of his six games at VFL level this season.

The 19-year-old had 31 disposals, 12 tackles and booted two goals in Sandringham’s narrow loss to Geelong last week, and was one of five inclusions along with Ryan Byrnes, Tim Membrey, Ben Paton and Dougal Howard for the Saints.

St Kilda young gun Mattaes Phillipou has been dropped twice this season, but earned a recall for the clash with the Swans. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Swans dropped young midfielder Caiden Cleary along with the injured Harry Cunningham and brought in Matt Roberts and Robbie Fox, with one likely to be used as the sub in the Marvel Stadium clash.

Melbourne will regain defenders Christian Salem and Jake Bowey for its clash against West Coast on Sunday after the pair both missed the loss to Brisbane through injury.

Key back Adam Tomlinson was dropped along with Kynan Brown as the Demons locked in a smaller forward line against the Eagles without Harrison Petty, who will miss the clash due to hamstring tightness.

Jake Melksham passed the final checks to make his return to AFL level less than 11 months after he ruptured his ACL against Sydney in round 24 last year.

Jake Melksham (right), pictured with coach Simon Goodwin, has passed the final check to return from a ruptured ACL. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The 32-year-old had played eight consecutive games for 16 goals prior to his injury, with the Demons hoping he can rejuvenate their struggling forward line in the run towards finals.

West Coast forwards Jack Williams and Jack Hutchinson returned at the expense of injured ruckman Matt Flynn and last week’s sub Ryan Maric.

Brisbane made only one change for its Sunday twilight clash against Adelaide at the Gabba, with Jack Payne returning from a foot complaint to replace Darragh Joyce at fullback.

The Crows recalled veteran defender Brodie Smith after Will Hamill was ruled out with a broken finger suffered in the win over GWS last week.

Melksham set for return as Dogs duo out with injury

– Glenn McFarlane

Western Bulldogs have suffered a double blow ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash with Port Adelaide with key defender Liam Jones and newly re-signed forward Cody Weightman ruled out with injury.

Jones failed to overcome knee soreness and will miss the Adelaide Oval game which puts more pressure on veteran big man Rory Lobb, who will have to play a key role in only his second full game in defence.

Weightman’s absence with groin soreness is a further blow, given he has kicked two lots of three goals in his past two matches and will be sorely missed in attack. He could be on the sidelines for a few weeks.

It comes as reigning premiers Collingwood named Josh Daicos on the wing for Friday night’s blockbuster with Essendon, despite calf soreness keeping him out of training for most of the week, although Brayden Maynard is a certain starter.

Daicos will be given right up until the game to prove his fitness, with the Magpies having to make do without Beau McCreery (calf) for an extended period while John Noble is in concussion protocols.

Essendon has brought back promising young forward Nate Caddy for his third game after being surprisingly overlooked for last week’s clash with Geelong.

As predicted by Herald Sun footy analyst Mick McGuane hours before the Bombers released their team to take on the Magpies, veteran big man Todd Goldstein (managed) won’t play, while forgotten Bomber Dylan Shiel is also back for his second AFL game this season after an extended period in the VFL.

Jake Melksham flies for a mark in 2023. Picture: Michael Klein.

Last week’s 250-game milestone player Dyson Heppell has also been managed.

Melbourne has brought Jake Melksham back into the senior side for his first game since undergoing a knee reconstruction following the round 24 match against Sydney last year, naming him in the forward pocket.

It’s a show of faith in the veteran Demon who has worked tirelessly on his recovery and rehabilitation. He can provide the club with a different look in attack in the rundown to a September he was cruelly excluded from last year.

His return comes as Harrison Petty was ruled out due to injury, while Christian Salem and Jakey Bowey are among the inclusions for the West Coast game.

James Sicily (dislocated shoulder) won’t travel to Geelong for Saturday’s game at GMHBA Stadium after failing to get through a full training session, while creative small forward Jack Ginnivan remains under a cloud with a leg issue.

Mitch Lewis returns for the Hawks for his first game since Easter Monday, while the forward line has been boosted by Liam Shiels’ availability. Calsher Dear is out injured.

Zac Fisher could not prove his fitness and was replaced in North Melbourne’s team to take on Gold Coast by Colby McKercher after some good form in the VFL.

The Suns brought in Ned Moyle after a monster hitout game in the VFL last week for the injured Jarrod Witts.

Brennan Cox is back for his first game for the Dockers since round 1 this year, while Michael Walters is also available again. Dustin Martin (manager) won’t make the trip west.

Carlton welcomed back young ruck gun Tom De Koning as well as Matt Cottrell for his first game since round 9, at the expense of Marc Pittonet and George Hewett.

Originally published as AFL Round 17 teams: All the ins and outs as Jack Ginnivan ruled out with broken leg