KFC SuperCoach 2021: All the late mail and trade advice

KFC SuperCoaches are sweating on the fitness of GWS star Josh Kelly - and the latest update is a good one. Plus, Lachie Neale’s training injury and all the team news.

In a boost for KFC SuperCoaches, key Giant Josh Kelly looks set to take his place in the must-win clash against the Bombers.

The star midfielder was named on Thursday night despite hurting his ankle - the same one he injured earlier this season against the Swans - and teammate Phil Davis expects Kelly to run on for his 150th game on Sunday.

“Josh is looking really good,” Davis said on SEN on Friday.

“As we all know, when you roll one (ankle), they hurt, but they recover quite quickly.

“We’re expecting him to play, it’s his 150th which is fantastic, it makes him a life member.”

GWS coach Leon Cameron was a little more hesitant on Thursday, so keep you eyes peeled over the weekend.

“He’ll still be touch-and-go, and we’ll be smart about that,” Cameron said after training.

“It was good progress today (Thursday) but he’s still got to do a main session tomorrow or Saturday.”

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Lachie Whitfield will return for the Giants on Sunday. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Josh Kelly has also been named. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

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The signs are good, but get that bench cover sorted in case Kelly doesn’t get up for the final fixture of the round.

Cameron, however, was more convincing on the returning Lachie Whitfield in more good news for KFC SuperCoaches.

“Lachie has trained really, really well. He’s passed every test in that 12-day protocol so he’s trained really well today, he did full contact,” he said.

“We’ll tick off the Captain’s Run on Saturday and we expect him to play.”

NEALE INJURY EXPLAINED

Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale sent a scare through the KFC SuperCoach community on Tuesday, leaving training early after a heavy shoulder knock.

But coach Chris Fagan says it’s not the first time it's happened since the initial injury in Round 15 and his star midfielder is right to go.

“He has had a lot of injuries, that’s for sure, so it’s been probably the most challenging year for him in that regard, but he’s found a way to fight through it,” Fagan told reporters on Friday.

“As you saw on Tuesday at training, he got a bit of a knock on the shoulder. That’s happened three or four times since he actually had the injury, so it’s a bit of a stinger.

“There’s a reaction in the first couple of minutes, then it settles down, so he’s going to play on with it.

“That’s the sort of guy that he is – full of courage and character.”

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Lachie Neale will battle on through the pain this year. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

The 28-year-old missed five games earlier this season with an ankle injury and sat out Brisbane’s Round 16 win over the Crows with a calf issue.

After Lions forward Lincoln McCarthy told Melbourne radio Neale was “all good to go” on Thursday, Fagan’s comments is the confirmation more than 21,000 KFC SuperCoaches needed to hear.

ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE

The bench cover for many KFC SuperCoaches has received a timely boost with the return of Collingwood draftee Finlay Macrae and popular forward Callum Coleman-Jones, who has been named in Richmond’s 25-man squad.

Macrae joins debutants Anton Tohill ($123k FWD) and Jack Ginnivan ($102k FWD-MID) in the Magpies’ 22, with the latter - a forward taken in last year’s rookie draft - booting 11 goals, and posting KFC SuperCoach scores of 99, 124 and 90, in his past three VFL matches.

Finlay Macrae is finally back in Collingwood’s 22. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

At Port Adelaide, Zak Butters will make a surprise early return after spraining the medial ligament in his knee the in his first game back from an extended injury layoff.

But, despite his appealing price tag of $454,000, thanks, largely, to the 39-point score in Round 17, the percentage play is to wait this time.

With a breakeven of 138, the Power young gun is likely to lose even more value after Friday night’s clash with Collingwood.

Meanwhile, West Coast has recalled Mark Hutchings for his first senior appearance this year.

The 30-year-old has played a variety of roles over his career but he’s had plenty of success as a tagger - and the Eagles meet Jack Steele and the Saints on Saturday afternoon.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2021: All the late mail and trade advice