AFL teams 2021: All the ins and outs for Round 22 plus expert tips
Essendon’s late tilt for a finals berth has received a big boost at selection, with Andy McGrath’s return confirmed. See all the teams plus expert tips.
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Star Essendon midfielder Andy McGrath is back for the Bombers’ finals push.
McGrath’s season was under threat when scans confirmed he suffered a knee injury against Richmond in Round 12, but he’s proven his fitness for Sunday’s must-win clash with Gold Coast.
Captain Dyson Heppell (thumb) also returns for the Bombers, who sat half a game behind the eighth-placed Giants entering the AFL’s penultimate round.
Jack Bowes is in for Brandon Ellis (hamstring) at the Suns.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE ROUND 22 TEAMS AND EXPERT TIPS
There was injury carnage elsewhere on Friday, with star Geelong defender Tom Stewart (foot) withdrawing from the Cats’ selected squad to make it five changes from last week’s team.
Sam Simpson comes into Geelong’s line-up for his second appearance of the season and first in more than three months.
Carlton’s Jack Martin (hamstring), Hawk James Worpel (foot) and St Kilda defender Tom Highmore (hand) were others to pull out after being named on Thursday night.
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Levi Casboult, Jai Newcombe and Darragh Joyce are their respective replacements.
In Sunday’s other matches, Melbourne recalled Michael Hibberd for its contest with Adelaide at the MCG, after speedster Jayden Hunt sustained an ankle setback that will sideline for a month.
The Crows promoted ruckman Kieran Strachan for just his second career game because of Reilly O’Brien’s knee injury.
West Coast’s hopes of shaking out of its form slump were boosted with the inclusions of fit-again trio Tom Barrass, Liam Ryan and Luke Shuey, as well as promising midfielder Luke Foley.
Adam Simpson’s men, who will be without Shannon Hurn (hamstring), take on Fremantle in a much-anticipated Western Derby that could decide each club’s finals fortunes.
Sam Switkowski, Bailey Banfield and Tobe Watson come in for the Dockers, who lost Nathan Wilson (hamstring) and Andrew Brayshaw (suspension).
FRANKLIN RESTED WITH 1000-GOAL MILESTONE IN SIGHT
Lance Franklin has one fewer game to reach the 1000-goal milestone this year after being rested for the Swans’ clash against North Melbourne.
Franklin needs 14 goals to become the sixth player to crack the historic barrier, will need a bag against Gold Coast in Round 23 and hope the Swans go deep into the finals to reach the mark in 2021.
“He’s played 13 games in a row, including seven since the bye, so it’s time to make sure he’s rested up,” Swans coach John Longmire said.
Fellow senior players Jake Lloyd and Callum Mills will also miss with knee and Achilles soreness respectively.
Marc Murphy is in for his 300th and final AFL game, Mitch McGovern returns for his first game since May and Brodie Kemp will make his AFL debut.
The Giants have lost Toby Greene for their mini-final against Richmond on Friday night but plenty of big names are back — Josh Kelly, Jacob Hopper, Shane Mumford, Jesse Hogan, Adam Kennedy and Daniel Lloyd.
The Tigers have named an unchanged line-up to the team that defeated North Melbourne.
Essendon has named Andrew McGrath in its squad to face Gold Coast on Sunday.
McGrath has not played since suffering a PCL injury against Richmond in Round 12.
The Bombers have also regained Dyson Heppell but have managed Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, ending the small forward’s run of 115 consecutive games.
Patrick Dangerfield has overcome a throat injury he suffered in the collision with Greene last Friday night and Jeremy Cameron is back after missing five matches with a hamstring injury.
Dan Hannebery will play his first game for the season when St Kilda faces the Cats.
Magpie Jeremy Howe won’t fly to Queensland for the clash against Brisbane, opting to stay in Melbourne with his pregnant partner, while Isaac Quaynor will miss the rest of the season after contracting glandular fever.
Lachie Neale is back for the Lions along with Darcy Gardiner.
The Bulldogs welcome back Alex Keath but have rested Jamarra Ugle-Hagan while Josh Bruce and Josh Schache will miss with knee injuries.
ROUND 21 TEAMS
AFL ROUND 22 TEAMS (All times AEST)
GWS GIANTS v RICHMOND
Friday August 13, 7:50pm at Marvel Stadium
GIANTS
B: Stein, Taylor, Cumming
HB: Peatling, Haynes, Whitfield
C: Kennedy, Ward, Ash
HF: Lloyd, Himmelberg, de Boer
F: Sproule, Hogan, Taranto
FOLL: Mumford, Hopper, Kelly
I/C: Bruhn, Perryman, O’Halloran, Idun
EMG: Riccardi, Stone, Davis, Briggs
IN: Kennedy, Lloyd, Hogan, Mumford, Hopper, Kelly
OUT: Riccardi, Briggs (both omitted), Greene (suspended), Brown, Daniels, Buntine (all injured), Shipley (sub)
TIGERS
B: Vlastuin, Grimes, Astbury
HB: Stack, Short, Rioli
C: Bolton, Cotchin, Dow
HF: Edwards, Lambert, Baker
F: Lynch, Parker, Riewoldt
FOLL: Nankervis, Prestia, Graham
I/C: Mansell, Coleman-Jones, Ralphsmith, Rioli
EMG: Garthwaite, Aarts, McIntosh, Martyn
IN: Nil
OUT: Castagna (sub)
HAWTHORN v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Saturday August 14, 1:45pm at UTAS Stadium
HAWKS
B: O’Brien, Hartigan, Frost
HB: Howe, Scrimshaw, Hardwick
C: Shiels, O’Meara, Bramble
HF: Hanrahan, Lewis, Nash
F: Wingard, McEvoy, Koschitzke
FOLL: Ceglar, Mitchell, Morrison
I/C: Burgoyne, Phillips, Worpel, Brockman
EMG: Downie, Hartley, Morris, Newcombe
IN: Nil
OUT: Moore (injured)
BULLDOGS
B: Cordy, Keath, Williams
HB: Wood, Young, Dale
C: Daniel, Liberatore, Hunter
HF: Johannisen, Hannan, Smith
F: Treloar, Naughton, Weightman
FOLL: English, Macrae, Bontempelli
I/C: Dunkley, Duryea, Vandermeer, Garcia
EMG: Smith, Scott, Khamis, Richards
IN: Keath, Young, Hannan, Weightman, Vandermeer
OUT: Richards (omitted), Schache, Bruce (both injured), Scott, Ugle-Hagan (both managed), Smith (sub)
GEELONG CATS v ST KILDA
Saturday August 14, 4:35pm at GMHBA Stadium
CATS
B: Henry, Blicavs, Henderson
HB: Simpson, Kolodjashnij, Bews
C: Holmes, C.Guthrie, Smith
HF: Dahlhaus, Cameron, Higgins
F: Close, Hawkins, Ratugolea
FOLL: Stanley, Selwood, Dangerfield
I/C: O’Connor, Menegola, Z.Guthrie, Parfitt
EMG: Clark, Evans, Narkle, Kreuger
IN: Henderson, Smith, Cameron, O’Connor, Simpson
OUT: Kreuger, Clark (both omitted), Tuohy, Rohan, Stewart (all injured), Narkle (sub)
SAINTS
B: Wilkie, Howard, Highmore
HB: Sinclair, Webster, Hill
C: Hannebery, Byrnes, Ross
HF: Butler, Crouch, Higgins
F: King, Membrey, Kent
FOLL: Marshall, Steele, Jones
I/C: Coffield, McKenzie, Dunstan, Sharman
EMG: Joyce, Long, Hunter, Bytel
IN: Howard, Hannebery
OUT: Joyce, Bytel (both omitted), Connolly (injured)
PORT ADELAIDE v CARLTON
Saturday August 14, 4:35pm at Adelaide Oval
POWER
B: Burton, Clurey, Aliir
HB: Bergman, Jonas, Byrne-Jones
C: Duursma, Wines, Houston
HF: Amon, Georgiades, Butters
F: Gray, Dixon, Rozee
FOLL: Lycett, Boak, Drew
I/C: Marshall, Bonner, Ladhams, Fantasia
EMG: Mayes, Powell-Pepper, Motlop, Lienert
IN: Clurey
OUT: McKenzie (injured), Powell-Pepper (omitted)
BLUES
B: Stocker, Weitering, Newman
HB: Saad, Plowman, Williamson
C: Walsh, Cripps, O’Brien
HF: Murphy, C.Curnow, Casboult
F: Betts, McGovern, Honey
FOLL: De Koning, Kennedy, Dow
I/C: Kemp, Newnes, Fisher, E.Curnow
EMG: Petrevski-Seton, Durdin, Fogarty, TBC
IN: McGovern, Casboult, Kemp
OUT: Jones, McKay, Silvagni, Martin (all injured)
BRISBANE LIONS v COLLINGWOOD
Saturday August 14, 7:25pm at the Gabba
LIONS
B: Gardiner, Andrews, Starcevich
HB: Birchall, Lester, Rich
C: McCluggage, Bailey, J.Berry
HF: McCarthy, McStay, Zorko
F: Ah Chee, Daniher, Cameron
FOLL: McInerney, Lyons, Neale
I/C: Cockatoo, Coleman, Prior, Fullarton
EMG: T.Berry, Mathieson, Ballenden, Madden
IN: Gardiner, Neale
OUT: Berry (sub), Robinson (injured), Mathieson (omitted)
MAGPIES
B: Ruscoe, Roughead, Maynard
HB: Crisp, Madgen, Mayne
C: Hoskin-Elliott, De Goey, Daicos
HF: Thomas, Cameron, Henry
F: Ginnivan, Mihocek, Elliott
FOLL: Grundy, Sidebottom, Adams
I/C: Bianco, McCreery, Macrae, Murphy
EMG: Lynch, McInnes, Noble, Wilson
IN: Daicos, Murphy
OUT: Quaynor (illness), Howe (managed), Noble (omitted)
NORTH MELBOURNE v SYDNEY SWANS
Saturday August 14, 7:40pm at Marvel Stadium
KANGAROOS
B: Tarrant, McKay, Turner
HB: Ziebell, Walker, Hall
C: Dumont, Simpkin, McDonald
HF: Stephenson, Comben, Thomas
F: Taylor, Larkey, Zurhaar
FOLL: Goldstein, Davies-Uniacke, Anderson
I/C: Scott, Bonar, Phillips, Ford
EMG: Bosenavulagi, Young, Spicer, Campbell
IN: Comben
OUT: Campbell (omitted), Mahony (injured)
SWANS
B: Cunningham, Melican, Rampe
HB: Blakey, McCartin, Dawson
C: McInerney, Kennedy, Florent
HF: Hayward, Heeney, Wicks
F: Gulden, Reid, Papley
FOLL: Hickey, Hewett, Parker
I/C: Fox, Rowbottom, McLean, Campbell
EMG: Sinclair, O’Riordan, Bell, Gray
IN: Melican, McLean, Campbell
OUT: Stephens (omitted), Lloyd (injured), Franklin (managed), Clarke (sub)
MELBOURNE v ADELAIDE CROWS
Sunday August 15, 2:10pm at the MCG
DEMONS
B: Salem, May, Lever
HB: Rivers, Petty, Bowey
C: Brayshaw, Petracca, Langdon
HF: Neal-Bullen, Melksham, Fritsch
F: Pickett, Brown, Spargo
FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Harmes
I/C: Jackson, Hibberd, Jordon, Sparrow
EMG: Bedford, vandenBerg, Weideman, Smith
IN: Hibberd
OUT: vandenBerg (Medi-Sub), Hunt (Injured)
CROWS
B: Murray, Butts, Kelly
HB: McPherson, Doedee, Jones
C: Cook, Keays, Seedsman
HF: Mackay, Himmelberg, Murphy
F: McHenry, Thilthorpe, Fogarty
FOLL: Strachan, Laird, Sloane
I/C: Davis, Lynch, Schoenberg, McAdam
IN: Strachan, McAdam
OUT: Hamill, Smith, O’Brien (all injured)
GOLD COAST SUNS v ESSENDON
Sunday August 15, 3:20pm at GMHBA Stadium
SUNS
B: Powell, Collins, Lemmens
HB: Farrar, Ballard, Swallow
C: Fiorini, Miller, Sharp
HF: Jeffrey, Lukosius, Sexton
F: Corbett, King, Ainsworth
FOLL: Smith, Anderson, Rowell
I/C: Townsend, Bowes, MacPherson, Burgess
EMG: Atkins, Brodie, Davies, Flanders
IN: None
OUT: B.Ellis (injured)
BOMBERS
B: Laverde, Stewart, Cutler
HB: Redman, Ridley, Hind
C: Shiel, Merrett, Durham
HF: Smith, Francis, Perkins
F: Stringer, Wright, Snelling
FOLL: Draper, Parish, Clarke
I/C: Heppell, Shiel, Guelfi, Waterman
EMG: Gleeson, Cox, Ham, Phillips
IN: McGrath, Heppell
OUT: Cox, Gleeson (both omitted), McDonald-Tipungwuti (managed)
FREMANTLE v WEST COAST EAGLES
Sunday August 15, 5:10pm at Optus Stadium
DOCKERS
B: Walker, Logue, Ryan
HB: Young, Pearce, Aish
C: Tucker, Mundy, Colyer
HF: Switkowski, Taberner, Henry
F: Schultz, Treacy, Crowden
FOLL: Darcy, Serong, Cerra
I/C: Watson, Meek, Blakely, Banfield
EMG: Bewley, Acres, Hughes, Western
IN: Switkowski, Watson, Banfield
OUT: Western (omitted), Wilson (injured), Brayshaw (suspended), Bewley (Medi-Sub)
EAGLES
B: Sheppard, Barrass, Cole
HB: Nelson, McGovern, Witherden
C: Gaff, Yeo, Sheed
HF: Redden, Darling, Ryan
F: Cripps, Kennedy, Allen
FOLL: Naitanui, Kelly, Shuey
I/C: Edwards, Vardy, Petruccelle, Foley
EMG: Waterman, Langdon, Hutchings, Edwards
IN: Barrass, Ryan, Shuey, Foley
OUT: Edwards, West, Hutchings, Langdon (all omitted), Hurn (injured)
Dees reveal Kozzie’s pain after another racist attack
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has revealed livewire forward Kysaiah Pickett was visibly distressed in the wake of being targeted by racist social media posts on Monday.
The latest in a long line of ugly incidents moved Carlton veteran Eddie Betts to declare enough was enough and for all 18 clubs to join the fight to end racism.
Melbourne condemned the attack on Pickett and referred it to the AFL integrity unit for further investigation.
Goodwin said it had been an “incredibly upsetting” time as he added his voice to the anti-racism fight.
“Seeing Kozzie post-game, being able to give him a hug and see the visible stress he was under makes it incredibly upsetting. We need to make a stand,” Goodwin said on Thursday.
“We saw Eddie Betts the other night, and it’s got to stop. It just has to stop.
“What I took from Eddie that as non-Indigenous people we need to take up the fight. It’s my responsibility and everyone’s responsibility to continue to educate and get people to understand this needs to stop.
“Kozzie has had a tough couple of days, he’s struggled. He’s in a good mindset around things now, and he’s got a lot of support around him from us as a footy club.
“But we will continue to fight for the Indigenous population because this needs to stop. Kozzie is super human that we love at our footy club.”
Pickett is set to play against Adelaide this week as the Demons look to secure a top-two berth.
The Melbourne Football Club has released the following statement in response to racist social media posts directed at one of its players following Monday night’s game at Optus Stadium.
— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) August 10, 2021
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But they will be without forward Tom McDonald as he continues to recover from back spasms that kept him out of last week’s win over West Coast.
After the win over the Eagles, Goodwin said he was prepared to rest any players who were “sore” but the majority of his team had come through a long stint in Perth, which included seven days in quarantine, well.
“Tom McDonald is still sore, so he won’t play, but outside of that we are pretty healthy,” Goodwin said.
“He just hasn’t improved the way we would like. We are really confident he’d play the week after. We’ll manage him and make sure we get him right.”
Running defender Jayden Hunt will also be sidelined until the middle of the finals after having surgery on an injured ankle. His recovery is expected to be four weeks.
Revenge game? Why Suns should be wary of 2m Peter
The lack of faith Gold Coast showed in Peter Wright could come back to haunt them when he returns north to face the Suns brimming with confidence after a career-best game last week.
Wright revealed he was “disappointed and frustrated” with his treatment at the Suns in the last two seasons of his six at the club that ended with him being traded to the Bombers for a fourth-round draft pick.
The Suns even consented to pay a portion of his wage at the Bombers, where he signed a three-year deal during last year’s trade period.
Wright said he felt “needed” as soon as he got to Tullamarine and building his confidence was key to a seven-goal haul last week against the Western Bulldogs that has put the Bombers on the precipice of making the finals.
Essendon needs to win its final two games, against the Suns and Collingwood to be any chance of featuring in September.
A repeat effort from Wright, who earned a perfect 10 votes from the coaches last weekend, could be key to that happening, and the 24-year said he was brimming with confidence.
“Last year was a frustrating 12 months (at the Gold Coast), but ever since I walked in the door the I’ve got a lot of faith from the coaches. I am just looking to repay that,” Wright said on Wednesday,
“The last month, six weeks, I have been able to grow my confidence and feel like I belong out there.”
Wright said he felt like he belonged in the AFL when he was at the Suns too, but the coaches didn’t feel the same.
The 203cm key forward didn’t play a single senior game in 2020 but has played 18 of Essendon’s 21 this year and kicked two or more goals eight times, including his bag last week.
“I definitely felt like I was capable of playing food football up there and was disappointed and frustrated the last 12-18 months I had there,” Wright said.
“Just the faith I have had given in me since I walked in the door from all the coaches has helped me feel like I am a valuable contributor.
“That has helped as the year has progressed … helped me realise the contribution I can make.”
Murphy’s advice from Dad
Former Carlton captain Marc Murphy says a piece of advice from his famous father stuck with him throughout his career as he prepares to become just the sixth Carlton player to reach 300 games this weekend.
Murphy called his family on Monday, including his father John, to break the news that he would be selected in the starting 22 for his 300th and final game against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
John Murphy played 214 games for Fitzroy before moving to South Melbourne and later North Melbourne to finish a glittering 246-game career.
However, despite Fitzroy’s struggles he always regretted leaving the club where he got his start and won five best-and-fairest awards.
“That’s one thing that my old man said to me as soon as I was drafted to Carlton,” Murphy said.
“He was like, ‘Make sure you’re a one-club player’ because that’s something he regretted when he left Fitzroy. So that’s something that stuck in my mind.
“I never caught up with another club and discussed with any coach or anything about an opportunity outside of Carlton.
“There was a lot of talk a few years ago about me leaving, but from my point of view when there came an opportunity to talk to someone else it just didn’t really sit well in my gut and I knew from that I was never going to leave the footy club.”
Murphy’s loyalty to the Blues has come at the cost of success.
He has played in just six finals throughout his career, only two of which Carlton has won.
Murphy never made it to a preliminary final — let alone a Grand Final — which is something that burns deep down.
“It has been an up-and-down 16 years,” Murphy said.
“I would have loved to have hung my hat on a flag with this footy club, but unfortunately that’s not part of my story.”
Murphy’s journey to 300 games this year has been unconventional and something he feared might not reach after his “banged-up” body suffered another setback with a calf injury in Round 15.
“I was hobbling around for a couple of weeks and thought I was probably done,” Murphy said.
“But I managed to get back in different circumstances as well, being medical sub a couple of times. To finally get there is pretty special.”
Murphy nominated winning elimination finals against Essendon in 2011 and Richmond in 2013 as career highlights, as well as his own matchwinning goal against Fremantle in the final minute of the game in Round 15, 2019.
“I didn’t mind selling candy and kicking a banana from the boundary line every now and then,” Murphy said.
“To kick that was pretty special.”
The 34-year-old said he was likely to seek up a new challenge outside of football next year but would continue to cheer on the Blues as a supporter.
However, first he wants to add one more win to his own record against the Power.
“I just realised before we’re wearing the white jumper so I won’t wear the navy Blue one more time, but it’s all still pretty much the same,” Murphy said.
“Hopefully we can get a win, I can sing the song one last time with the boys and hopefully there’s a few smiles after the game.”
Originally published as AFL teams 2021: All the ins and outs for Round 22 plus expert tips
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