AFL Round 1 injury and selection news: All the latest updates from around the competition
Elijah Hollands made a splash in his first season at Carlton in 2024. His second hasn’t started as well, with his season delayed and a return date unknown.
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Carlton forward Elijah Hollands has stepped away from the club and will not play football for an indefinite period due to personal reasons.
Hollands approached the club several weeks ago asking for support as he worked through personal issues.
Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd said Hollands would get the full support of the club.
“While Elijah has been engaged with the football program, quite rightly it is our care for him as a person which matters most, so this period of leave will allow him to focus on himself and he will be afforded as much time as he needs to do that,” he said.
“Elijah’s level of involvement within the football program during this period will be worked through at the appropriate time, however that certainly sits secondary to Elijah’s wellbeing – which is our number one priority.
“We would once again like to acknowledge Elijah for his willingness to come to us for support, and we will certainly continue to provide him with that support through this next period.”
Hollands was traded from Gold Coast to Carlton at the end of 2023 and was reunited with his brother Ollie at the Blues.
HORROR ACL BLOW FOR LUCKLESS LION
Luckless Brisbane Lions forward Lincoln McCarthy has once again ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, almost certainly ruling him out for the 2025 season.
It is the same knee that the 31-year-old injured in round 8 against Gold Coast last season, which kept him sidelined for the bulk of Brisbane’s 2024 campaign including its premiership triumph last September.
In a cruel blow for the popular Lion, McCarthy was on track to return from that ACL injury last week for the Opening Round clash with Geelong at the Gabba, which was ultimately postponed until round 3 due to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.
But on Tuesday, the club revealed McCarthy had been sent for scans last week after advising the club’s medical team of swelling and soreness in his knee following training.
Those scans confirmed he had again ruptured his ACL.
“It’s incredibly disappointing and heartbreaking for Linc, his family and everyone at the Brisbane Lions to see him injure his ACL again,” Lions GM of football Danny Daly said.
“We have all been so impressed with the way Linc dealt with his last ACL injury and how committed he was to return, so we have no doubt he will tackle this injury with the same attitude.
“In the meantime, everyone at the club will rally around Linc and support him through this process and he is a fan-favourite as well, so no doubt they will be sending their support for Linc.”
McCarthy’s setback continues a worrying trend for the Lions regarding knee injuries.
Last season, defender Tom Doedee was slated to make his return from an ACL injury against Collingwood in round 3 only to reinjure himself at training days beforehand.
Rebounding defender Keidean Coleman, who ruptured his ACL in the Opening Round loss to Carlton this time last year, has suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery including recent swelling which last month forced him to stop running until it subsided.
Coleman recently recommenced running but a return date is still undecided. Doedee is 4-5 weeks away from a return.
Darcy Gardiner, who ruptured his ACL in the same game as McCarthy last season, is slated to return within the next fortnight.
In better news for the Lions, lockdown defender Brandon Starcevich and ruck-forward Darcy Fort are both in the mix for selection ahead of Saturday’s grand final rematch against Sydney at the SCG.
Starcevich was set to miss the postponed Opening Round Cats’ clash due to concussion, but has been cleared of any lingering issues and will almost certainly return to the line-up to face the Swans.
Fort suffered a hamstring strain in an intraclub match last month and will now likely battle with Sam Day for the ruck-forward role.
KING OUT OF ROUND 1
St Kilda spearhead Max King has been ruled out of a round 1 meeting with Adelaide but star pair Rowan Marshall and Jack Sinclair will be available.
King has been hit with a knee issue in the latter half of pre-season before undergoing minor surgery and remains sidelined to kick off the year.
His absence will force a forward line rethink with fellow marking player Cooper Sharman (thumb) also out.
Speedy goalkicker Dan Butler will also miss with an achilles issue.
The Saints could hand a debut to mature ruck Harry Boyd, allowing Marshall to spend more time forward as a marking target.
Marshall (pelvis) and Sinclair (hamstring) are good to go to face the Crows.
Mitch Owens is still hopeful of playing, with the springy forward to test his shoulder during Friday’s main session.
Liam Henry (knee), Mattaes Phillipou (leg) and Dougal Howard (shoulder) will miss the opening weeks of the season.
DEES FORWARD MIX NOT LOCKED IN AS FORMER EAGLE GROUNDED
Summer signing Jai Culley will not be part of Melbourne’s round 1 plans, with the ex-Eagle to miss up to six weeks with a foot stress injury.
The midfielder was signed thanks to an AFL extension of the Supplemental Selection Period (SSP) rules, after running defender Andy Moniz-Wakefield suffered a season-ending knee injury.
But Culley felt soreness in his foot and will not feature for at least the opening month of the season.
The Dees will be missing a host of players for Sunday’s season opener against GWS, with Kysaiah Pickett (suspension), Judd McVee (hamstring), Koltyn Tholstrup (back) and Marty Hore (hand) among those ruled out.
But Simon Goodwin will have some options up front with Aidan Johnson and Matt Jefferson both pushing to pair Jacob van Rooyen in attack against the Giants.
The Demons will hold a main session on Friday, after naming their extended squad on Thursday night, which could determine if second-year forward Jefferson or VFL graduate Johnson gets the nod, or if the Dees go with a shorter forward line.
Meanwhile, North Melbourne could hand out jumpers to a host of new faces.
No.2 draft pick Finn O’Sullivan will play his first match against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday, with experienced trio Luke Parker, Caleb Daniel and Jack Darling all in line for a club debut.
Former Swan Jacob Konstanty is also pushing for a spot after the small forward didn’t earn a debut in two seasons on Sydney’s list.
Finn O’Sullivan is DEBUTING!! #Kangas#NMFCpic.twitter.com/YOM73xmOYp
— Dan (@TWTME26) March 10, 2025
The Roos trained in sweltering heat on Tuesday and are set to hold a main session on Thursday.
Essendon announced on Tuesday announced livewire Isaac Kako and former Lion Jaxon Prior would play their first games for the Bombers on Friday against rival Hawthorn.
HAWKS BREATHE SIGH OF RELIEF OVER WORPEL
Hawthorn has breathed a sigh of relief after midfielder James Worpel was cleared of a serious ankle injury from a nasty incident that forced him from the field against Sydney.
Worpel has avoided surgery and will miss three to four weeks with a moderate grade ankle syndesmosis injury after his right leg was caught under himself in a Brodie Grundy tackle during the second quarter of the AFL season opener on Friday night.
Hawthorn fitness boss Peter Burge said the 26-year-old, who is due to come out of contract at the end of this season, would be managed conservatively, suggesting he was unlikely to return until after the Hawks’ round 4 bye.
“(Worpel) has been for scans and the scans are relatively promising. He’s got a moderate-grade syndesmosis ankle injury,” Burge said.
“We’re thinking it’s a three to four-week turnaround. He certainly won’t need any surgery. It’ll be conservative management like we’ve done before – we had Lloyd Meek, Jack Scrimshaw and Nick Watson last year with the same injury and we were able to turn them around in a pretty reasonable time. We’re confident that we’ll be able to do the same with this one.”
Burge said 2024 forward sensation Calsher Dear would have another scan this week on his back as he recovered from a stress fracture, with both him and Mitch Lewis yet to be placed on a clear timeline for a return.
It came as powerful St Kilda forward Mitch Owens raced the clock to prove his fitness in time for the Saints’ season opener against Adelaide.
Owens, who was cleared of major damage to his AC joint after coming from the field in the practice match against Port Adelaide, will need to pass a fitness test later next week to take his place in the side.
St Kilda had last week refused to rule Max King out of a round 1 return, but the spearhead is yet to rejoin training following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee 12 days ago.
It means King is also set to miss the round 2 Saturday night clash against Geelong, and is more likely to return the week after against Richmond.
The Saints expect both Jack Sinclair (hamstring) and Rowan Marshall (pelvis) to play after missing both pre-season games following injury setbacks over summer.
POWER SKIPPER SET FOR ROUND 1
- Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee trained at Alberton on Monday after scans cleared him of any injury to his toe.
Rozee departed the Power’s internal trial early on Friday evening after hurting his toe after being tackled by Jason Horne-Francis.
The Power said it would take no risks with Rozee - with Zak Butters, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Todd Marshall already long-term injuries - and were confident that the skipper would be fine.
He was still sent in for a scan on Saturday and it cleared him of any injury.
Key defender Esava Ratugolea underwent a testing individual session as he tries to prove his fitness for Round 1.
Ratugolea had to have his meniscus trimmed after hurting his knee in a warm-up and was considered touch and go for Collingwood at the MCG.
The emergence of Jeremy Finlayson as an option in defence does allow the Power to not take any risks with Ratugolea.
Over at West Lakes defender Max Michalanney was still marking the footy with one hand as he comes back from a thumb injury.
Key defender Mark Keane was able to take part in the light session as he returns from a quad issue suffered against Brisbane.
Chayce Jones did running away from the main group as he recovers from an AC joint injury.
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