AFL Round 7 teams and tips: Gastro won’t stop Pies pair from taking on Suns
After a mid-week illness scare, Jordan De Goey and Will Hoskin-Elliott trained on Saturday morning in a boost to Collingwood’s chances against the Suns.
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Collingwood received a boost ahead of Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast with star mid-forward Jordan De Goey and forward Will Hoskin-Elliott back on the training track following a gastro scare.
The pair missed training earlier in the week amid fears both could miss the Suns clash, which would have compounded the loss of Brodie Grundy (knee) for up to three months.
But De Goey and Hoskin-Elliott attended the Magpies’ captain’s run on Saturday morning, indicating they will be right to take on Gold Coast at the MCG.
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It comes as Melbourne is hopeful it won’t lose any more players under AFL health and safety protocols ahead of Saturday’s twilight fixture with Hawthorn.
The Demons have lost five players as well as senior coach Simon Goodwin for the clash with the Hawks under the Covid protocols.
Alex Neal-Bullen tested positive to Covid late on Friday and will miss the game along with Luke Jackson, Kysaiah Pickett, Harrison Petty and Tom Sparrow.
Adem Yze will stand in for Goodwin in the clash with Hawthorn.
Rookie big man to debut in place of Grundy
Collingwood has turned to 19-year-old ruckman Aiden Begg to help solve its ruck issues after losing Brodie Grundy to a PCL injury.
Mid-season draftee Begg, who is listed as 197cm, has been preferred to Mason Cox for Sunday’s clash against Gold Coast.
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He will partner Darcy Cameron, who has been named first-choice ruck after Grundy was injured in the Magpies’ Anzac Day triumph over Essendon.
Jordan De Goey and Will Hoskin-Elliott have been named despite missing training on Friday due to illness.
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Meanwhile, Carlton has named midfielder Jack Carroll to debut against North Melbourne after losing George Hewett to a corked calf.
“He had a pre-season which was absolutely outstanding. He could have stated a strong case to play in Round 1, had a few little interruptions and a couple more in the last month, but his last couple of weeks have been really strong,” coach Michael Voss said of Carroll.
Hewett was one of two Blues to withdraw from the original squad on Friday with Will Setterfield to miss due to illness.
Dylan Shiel has paid the price for Essendon’s horror start to the season, axed for the club’s match against Western Bulldogs.
Shiel and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher have made way for Zach Reid and Tom Cutler.
Darcy Parish has been selected despite concern over an ankle injury.
The Bulldogs have recalled Roarke Smith, Laitham Vandermeer and Mitch Wallis in place of Josh Schache, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Anthony Scott.
Sam Reid and Tom Papley return for Sydney’s blockbuster clash with Brisbane Lions, while Lions veteran Mitch Robinson will return from injury through the VFL.
The Blues have dropped Matthew Cottrell for Saturday night’s match against North Melbourne, along with losing ruckman Marc Pittonet and defender Luke Parks to injury.
Utility Jack Silvagni and Matthew Kennedy are back from one-game absences, while Liam Stocker is in for the first time this season.
There was no ruckman brought into the team, giving youngster Tom De Koning the chance to shine in the number-one role with Pittonet sidelined for two to three months with a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament.
Blues coach Michael Voss said the club thought De Koning was ready to step up in Pittonet’s absence.
“This gives him a really good opportunity to get stuck into his craft,” Voss told Sportsday on Thursday night.
“He got plenty of exposure last year when Pitto was missing and will get more of it this year.
“We’re really invested in him being able to get himself better and give our mids a first look.”
Richmond has welcomed back co-captain Dylan Grimes for his first match since Round 3, as well as Lambert and Sydney Stack for their season debuts.
There had been concerns earlier this year that Lambert could face a lengthy stint on the sidelines with a hip problem but he had improved steadily in recent weeks.
The trio was among a whopping five Tigers changes for Friday night’s crunch clash with West Coast in Perth.
Ruckman Ivan Soldo and two-gamer Maurice Rioli are the other inclusions, while Jack Ross and Rhyan Mansell were both omitted, and Thomson Dow was left out due to a corked thigh.
As reported earlier this week, veterans Trent Cotchin and Robbie Tarrant did not make the trip to Perth because they were being managed.
St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall has not recovered from his corked quad so ex-Power star Paddy Ryder will come in to face his former side in Cairns on Saturday night.
Tom Campbell replaces Saints anterior cruciate ligament victim Jack Hayes.
Forward Jackson Callow, who Hawthorn drafted mid-season last year, was named to debut against Melbourne on Saturday.
The Hawks made two changes, adding Lachlan Bramble and managing top-10 picks Josh Ward and Denver Grainger-Barras.
ROUND 7 TEAMS
All times AEST
WEST COAST EAGLES v RICHMOND
Friday April 29, 8:10pm at Optus Stadium
EAGLES
B: S.Hurn, T.Barrass, H.Edwards
HB: A.Witherden, J.McGovern, L.Duggan
C: P.Naish, T.Kelly, C.West
HF: W.Rioli, J.Darling, J.Cripps
F: J.Waterman, J.Kennedy, L.Ryan
FOLL: L.Strnadica, J.Redden, L.Shuey
I/C: X.O’Neill, J.Nelson, G.Clark, S.Petrevski-Seton
EMG: A.Gaff, Z.Langdon, J.Rotham, H.Dixon
IN: J.McGovern, G.Clark, S.Petrevski-Seton
OUT: Z.Langdon (omitted), B.Williams, E.Yeo (both injured), L.Foley (HS Protocol)
TIGERS
B: J.Gibcus, N.Balta, D.Grimes
HB: L.Baker, N.Vlastuin, D.Rioli
C: K.McIntosh, J.Short, S.Edwards
HF: J.Castagna, K.Lambert, S.Bolton
F: T.Lynch, S.Stack, J.Riewoldt
FOLL: T.Nankervis, D.Prestia, R.Collier-Dawkins
I/C: N.Broad, J.Graham, I.Soldo, M.Rioli
EMG: B.Nyuon, J.Aarts, R.Mansell, J.Ross
IN: D.Grimes, K.Lambert, S.Stack, I.Soldo, M.Rioli
OUT: J.Ross, R.Mansell, M.Parker (all omitted), T.Dow (injured), R.Tarrant, T.Cotchin (both managed)
GEELONG CATS v FREMANTLE
Saturday April 30, 1:45pm at GMHBA Stadium
CATS
B: S.De Koning, M.Blicavs, J.Bews
HB: J.Kolodjashnij, T.Stewart, T.Atkins
C: M.Duncan, C.Guthrie, I.Smith
HF: O.Dempsey, J.Cameron, M.O’Connor
F: B.Close, T.Hawkins, T.Stengle
FOLL: R.Stanley, M.Holmes, J.Selwood
I/C: Z.Tuohy, B.Parfitt, S.Higgins, G.Miers
EMG: C.Stephens, L.Dahlhaus, Z.Guthrie, E.Ratugolea
IN: Nil
OUT: L.Dahlhaus (sub)
DOCKERS
B: B.Cox, A.Pearce, G.Logue
HB: B.Acres, L.Ryan, J.Clark
C: T.Colyer, A.Brayshaw, J.Aish
HF: M.Walters, J.Treacy, S.Switkowski
F: N.O’Driscoll, R.Lobb, L.Schultz
FOLL: L.Meek, W.Brodie, C.Serong
I/C: D.Tucker, D.Mundy, B.Walker, M.Frederick
EMG: B.Banfield, K.Worner, N.Wilson, E.Hughes
IN: J.Treacy, L.Meek
OUT: M.Taberner, S.Darcy (both injured), B.Banfield (omitted)
ADELAIDE CROWS v GWS GIANTS
Saturday April 30, 2:10pm at Adelaide Oval
CROWS
B: T.Doedee, J.Butts, L.Brown
HB: B.Smith, B.Frampton, J.Dawson
C: B.Cook, R.Laird, L.Sholl
HF: LMurphy, E.Himmelberg, N.McHenry
F: S.McAdam, T.Walker, J.Rachele
FOLL: R.O’Brien, B.Keays, M.Crouch
I/C: L.Gollant, J.Hately, S.Berry, C.Jones
EMG: D.Fogarty, M.Hinge, L.Pedlar, H.Schoenberg
IN: Nil
OUT: W.Hamill (sub)
GIANTS
B: L.Keeffe, S.Taylor, I.Cumming
HB: A.Kennedy, N.Haynes, H.Perryman
C: L.Whitfield, C.Ward, L.Ash
HF: T.Taranto, H.Himmelberg, S.Coniglio
F: B.Hill, J.Hogan, T.Greene
FOLL: B.Preuss, J.Kelly, T.Green
I/C: M.Flynn, F.Callaghan, C.Hamilton, C.Idun
EMG: M.de Boer, J.Wehr, J.Riccardi, J.Stein
IN: J.Hogan, C.Hamilton
OUT: T.Bruhn, J.Stein (both omitted), M.de Boer (sub)
MELBOURNE v HAWTHORN
Saturday April 30, 4:35pm at the MCG
DEMONS
B: T.Rivers, S.May, J.Smith
HB: J.Jordon, J.Lever, J.Bowey
C: A.Brayshaw, C.Petracca, E.Langdon
HF: T.McDonald, S.Weideman, B.Fritsch
F: T.Bedford, B.Brown, J.Harmes
FOLL: M.Gawn, C.Oliver, J.Viney
I/C: C.Spargo, L.Dunstan, J.Hunt, A.Neal-Bullen
EMG: A.Tomlinson, O.Baker, K.Chandler, M.Brown
IN: J.Lever, T.McDonald, J.Viney
OUT: H.Petty, K.Pickett, L.Jackson, T.Sparrow (all HS Protocol)
HAWKS
B: J.Scrimshaw, S.Frost, B.Hardwick
HB: H.Morrison, J.Sicily, W.Day
C: J.O’Meara, T.Mitchell, L.Shiels
HF: C.Nash, L.Breust, C.Macdonald
F: D.Moore, J.Gunston, J.Impey
FOLL: M.Lynch, J.Newcombe, J.Worpel
I/C: J.Callow, L.Bramble, C.Wingard, J.Koschitzke
EMG: F.Maginness, D.Grainger-Barras, N.Long, D.Howe
IN: J.Callow, L.Bramble
OUT: J.Ward, D.Grainger-Barras (both managed), F.Maginness (omitted)
ST KILDA v PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday April 30, 7:25pm at Cazalys Stadium
SAINTS
B: C.Wilkie, D.Howard, J.Battle
HB: B.Paton, D.McKenzie, J.Webster
C: B.Hill, S.Ross, M.Wood
HF: B.Crouch, T.Membrey, D.Butler
F: M.King, J.Gresham, J.Higgins
FOLL: P.Ryder, J.Steele, J.Sinclair
I/C: B.Long, M.Windhager, T.Campbell, N.Wanganeen-Milera
EMG: J.Lienert, T.Highmore, R.Byrnes, M.Owens
IN: P.Ryder, T.Campbell
OUT: R.Marshall, J.Hayes (both injured), J.Lienert (omitted)
POWER
B: R.Burton, A.Aliir, T.Clurey
HB: D.Houston, T.Jonas, D.Byrne-Jones
C: K.Amon, W.Drew, R.Bonner
HF: Z.Butters, M.Georgiades, C.Rozee
F: R.Gray, T.Marshall, S.Powell-Pepper
FOLL: S.Hayes, O.Wines, T.Boak
I/C: S.Motlop, J.Finlayson, K.Farrell, T.Dumont
EMG: X.Duursma, J.McEntee, S.Mayes, J.Pasini
IN: Nil
OUT: L.Jones (omitted)
COLLINGWOOD v GOLD COAST SUNS
Sunday May 1, 1:10pm at the MCG
MAGPIES
B: I.Quaynor, D.Moore, J.Crisp
HB: B.Maynard, J.Howe, J.Daicos
C: S.Sidebottom, T.Adams, J.Noble
HF: W.Hoskin-Elliott, J.Ginnivan, B.Mihocek
F: T.Brown, J.De Goey, R.McInnes
FOLL: D.Cameron, P.Lipinski, S.Pendlebury
I/C: A.Begg, N.Daicos, B.McCreery, J.Madgen
EMG: T.Bianco, C.Brown, M.Cox, O.Henry
IN: T.Brown, A.Begg
OUT: N.Kreuger, B.Grundy (both injured), C.Brown (sub)
SUNS
B: C.Budarick, S.Collins, S.Lemmens
HB: L.Weller, C.Ballard, J.Farrar
C: D.Swallow, T.Miller, B.Ellis
HF: B.Ainsworth, L.Casboult, I.Rankine
F: J.Lukosius, M.Chol, N.Holman
FOLL: J.Witts, M.Rowell, N.Anderson
I/C: A.Davies, B.Fiorini, D.Macpherson, M.Rosas
EMG: R.Atkins, C.Burgess, O.Markov, J.Sharp
IN: J.Farrar, J.Lukosius, D.Macpherson, M.Rosas
OUT: O.Markov, J.Sharp (both omitted), W.Powell, C.Burgess, J.Corbett (all injured)
WESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON
Sunday May 1, 3:20pm at Marvel Stadium
BULLDOGS
B: E.Richards, R.Gardner, T.Duryea
HB: C.Daniel, T.O’Brien, B.Dale
C: L.McNeil, J.Macrae, R.Smith
HF: B.Smith, Z.Cordy, J.Dunkley
F: T.Liberatore, A.Naughton, C.Weightman
FOLL: S.Martin, M.Bontempelli, A.Treloar
I/C: R.McComb, L.Vandermeer, M.Wallis, B.Williams
EMG: H.Crozier, J.Schache, R.West, J.Sweet
IN: R.Smith, L.Vandermeer, M.Wallis
OUT: A.Scott (HS Protocol), J.Schache, J.Ugle-Hagan (both omitted), R.West (sub)
BOMBERS
B: D.Heppell, Z.Reid, J.Ridley
HB: A.McGrath, J.Kelly, M.Redman
C: N.Martin, Z.Merrett, N.Cox
HF: A.Perkins, A.Waterman, M.Guelfi
F: B.Hobbs, P.Wright, S.Durham
FOLL: S.Draper, D.Parish, J.Stringer
I/C: T.Cutler, J.Laverde, J.Caldwell, K.Baldwin
EMG: N.Hind, D.Shiel, N.Bryan, B.Zerk-Thatcher
IN: Z.Reid, T.Cutler
OUT: B.Zerk-Thatcher, D.Shiel (both omitted), N.Hind (sub)
SYDNEY SWANS v BRISBANE LIONS
Sunday May 1, 4:40pm at the SCG
SWANS
B: H.Cunningham, D.Rampe, B.Campbell
HB: J.Lloyd, T.McCartin, J.McInerney
C: O.Florent, C.Mills, N.Blakey
HF: L.Parker, L.Frankin, W.Hayward
F: B.Ronke, S.Reid, H.McLean
FOLL: P.Ladhams, I.Heeney, C.Warner
I/C: E.Gulden, J.Kennedy, J.Rowbottom, T.Papley
EMG: C.Sinclair, W.Gould, D.Stephens, J.Bell
IN: S.Reid, T.Papley
OUT: P.McCartin, L.McDonald (both injured), J.Bell (omitted)
LIONS
B: D.Gardiner, H.Andrews, M.Adams
HB: B.Starcevich, D.Rich, D.Zorko
C: N.Answerth, J.Berry, H.McCluggage
HF: Z.Bailey, D.McStay, L.McCarthy
F: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, C.Cameron
FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Lyons, L.Neale
I/C: C.Ah Chee, K.Coleman, J.Prior, D.Fort
EMG: D.Robertson, N.Cockatoo, J.Madden, T.Fullarton
IN: None
OUT: K.Lohmann (injured)
ROUND 7 EXPERT TIPS: CATS TIPPED TO END DOCKERS RUN
Geelong, with the twin towers of Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron hitting their straps, will be eager to continue their push up the table when they take on form side Fremantle at home on Saturday afternoon.
It one of several interesting contests in round 7 this weekend.
The GWS Giants have their backs to the wall languishing in 15th place, but a rejuventated Adelaide at home will be no pushover.
High-flying Melbourne might have expected an easy day out against Hawthorn on Saturday afternoon, but a Covid cluster at the club has changed all of that.
While the Saints can stamp out any sort of Port Adelaide revival once and for all when they travel to Adelaide on Saturday night.
Grand finalists Western Bulldogs will be desperate to dispatch Essendon and get their year back on track after a disappointing start to the season.
Check out who the Herald Sun experts are tipping in round 7.
EXPERT TIPSTERS
Jane Bunn 43
Richmond 10
Geelong 10
Adelaide 15
Melbourne 4
Carlton 18
St Kilda 8
Collingwood 12
Western Bulldogs 10
Sydney 3
Last Week 8
Glenn McFarlane 40
Richmond 17
Geelong 9
Adelaide 6
Melbourne 10
Carlton 30
St Kilda 18
Collingwood 20
Western Bulldogs 9
Sydney 1
Last Week 8
Jay Clark 39
Richmond 10
Geelong 6
Adelaide 12
Melbourne 20
Carlton 20
St Kilda 5
Collingwood 18
Western Bulldogs 11
Brisbane Lions 15
Last Week 7
Scott Gullan 38
Richmond 15
Geelong 7
GWS Giants 2
Melbourne 14
Carlton 29
Port Adelaide 1
Collingwood 9
Western Bulldogs 19
Sydney 4
Last Week 7
Simeon Thomas-Wilson 38
Richmond 16
Fremantle 8
Adelaide 6
Melbourne 16
Carlton 30
St Kilda 15
Collingwood 15
Western Bulldogs 17
Sydney 4
Last Week 8
Lauren Wood 38
Richmond 17
Geelong 9
Adelaide 13
Melbourne 20
Carlton 24
St Kilda 22
Collingwood 14
Western Bulldogs 11
Sydney 7
Last Week 8
David King 37
Richmond 10
Geelong 5
Adelaide 12
Melbourne 15
Carlton 25
St Kilda 7
Collingwood 10
Essendon 3
Brisbane Lions 6
Last Week 6
Sam Landsberger 37
Richmond 18
Fremantle 4
Adelaide 10
Melbourne 24
Carlton 25
St Kilda 7
Collingwood 11
Western Bulldogs 20
Brisbane Lions 6
Last Week 8
Jon Ralph 37
Richmond 12
Geelong 2
Adelaide 4
Melbourne 34
Carlton 87
St Kilda 1
Gold Coast 4
Western Bulldogs 2
Brisbane Lions 1
Last Week 7
Tim Watson 37
Richmond 7
Geelong 21
GWS Giants 3
Melbourne 32
Carlton 37
St Kilda 4
Collingwood 6
Western Bulldogs 11
Brisbane Lions 1
Last Week 8
Ebony Marinoff 36
Richmond
Geelong
Adelaide
Melbourne
Carlton
St Kilda
Collingwood
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane Lions
Last Week 8
Rebecca Williams 36
Richmond 11
Geelong 15
Adelaide 9
Melbourne 12
Carlton 16
St Kilda 15
Collingwood 10
Western Bulldogs 9
Sydney 7
Last Week 7
Chris Cavanagh 35
Richmond 12
Geelong 6
Adelaide 1
Melbourne 24
Carlton 42
St Kilda 12
Collingwood 18
Western Bulldogs 18
Sydney 1
Last Week 8
Sarah Jones 35
Richmond 7
Geelong 20
Adelaide 18
Melbourne 6
Carlton 20
St Kilda 35
Collingwood 19
Essendon 4
Sydney 6
Last Week 6
Kath Loughnan 35
Richmond 10
Fremantle 6
Adelaide 12
Melbourne 22
Carlton 30
St Kilda 9
Collingwood 15
Western Bulldogs 10
Sydney 6
Last Week 8
Mick Malthouse 35
Richmond 1
Fremantle 10
GWS Giants 10
Melbourne 15
Carlton 10
St Kilda 9
Collingwood 15
Western Bulldogs 9
Sydney 15
Last Week 8
Mark Robinson 35
Richmond 22
Geelong 22
Adelaide 5
Melbourne 32
Carlton 19
Port Adelaide 2
Collingwood 11
Western Bulldogs 32
Brisbane Lions 2
Last Week 8
Gerard Whateley 35
Richmond 1
Geelong 18
Adelaide 4
Melbourne 24
Carlton 20
St Kilda 2
Collingwood 8
Western Bulldogs 12
Brisbane Lions 6
Last Week 7
Dermott Brereton 34
Richmond 3
Geelong 18
Adelaide 12
Melbourne 27
Carlton 21
St Kilda 30
Collingwood 7
Western Bulldogs 36
Sydney 5
Last Week 6
Graham Cornes 34
Richmond 16
Geelong 18
Adelaide 6
Melbourne 23
Carlton 31
St Kilda 15
Collingwood 11
Essendon 14
Brisbane Lions 2
Last Week 5
Mick McGuane 32
Richmond 22
Geelong 20
Adelaide 8
Melbourne 27
Carlton 26
St Kilda 9
Collingwood 11
Western Bulldogs 15
Sydney 2
Last Week 8
Liz Walsh 32
Richmond 6
Geelong 28
Adelaide 6
Melbourne 35
Carlton 22
St Kilda 15
Collingwood 8
Western Bulldogs 14
Brisbane Lions 8
Last Week 8
Matt Turner 31
West Coast 4
Geelong 26
Adelaide 16
Melbourne 23
Carlton 16
St Kilda 18
Collingwood 15
Western Bulldogs 14
Sydney 8
Last Week 5
James Hird 30
Richmond 10
Geelong 11
GWS Giants 6
Melbourne 7
Carlton 8
St Kilda 11
Collingwood 11
Western Bulldogs 12
Sydney 6
Last Week 6
Chloe Molloy 29
Richmond
Geelong
GWS Giants
Melbourne
Carlton
St Kilda
Collingwood
Essendon
Sydney
Last Week 5
Sally Capp 25
Richmond 14
Geelong 8
Adelaide 14
Melbourne 18
Carlton 32
St Kilda 16
Collingwood 15
Western Bulldogs 23
Sydney 9
Last Week 6
Kiss of Death 17
West Coast 13
Fremantle 13
GWS Giants 13
Hawthorn 13
North Melbourne 13
Port Adelaide 13
Gold Coast 13
Essendon 13
Brisbane Lions 13
Last Week 1
Polarising Hawk primed to lead
Star defender James Sicily will get the chance to push his case as Hawthorn’s next captain after being chosen to skipper the side against Melbourne this Saturday in his 100th game and for three matches that follow.
New Hawks coach Sam Mitchell conceded the 27-year-old was a “polarising figure” in the AFL but said no one could doubt his passion for his team and his teammates.
With a new contract also looming, Sicily will take his role in the captaincy rotation at Hawthorn with Ben McEvoy still wearing a neck brace and unlikely to play before the second half of the season.
Mitchell said he sat down with both Sicily and Jaeger O’Meara who showed “great promise” as potential captains and they opted to share the captaincy until at least Round 1o.
Having stamped himself on the competition as a star defender, after starting his career as a sometimes temperamental forward, Mitchell said Sicily had become a clear leader at the club.
“James Sicily is one of those polarising figures in the game,” Mitchell said on Wednesday.
“He’s probably the most asked-about player, “what’s James Sicily like”, and he’s matured significantly.
“His passion for the game, his understanding of it and his ability to read what’s happening live as well as post-game (is outstanding).
“His passion for not just his own performance but the team’s collective performance and the direction that we’re going has been significant.”
Sicily missed all of the 2021 season with a knee injury but has returned with stunning effect in 2022 and, despite attracting interest from other clubs, has already declared his intention to sign a new deal with Hawthorn.
McEvoy was reappointed captain this year but at 32 the Hawks could look to make a change in 2023 and Sicily and O’Meara, who has also acted as stand-in skipper, loom as potential choices.
“They’ve both brought different things to the table, but we feel they’re both ready to captain the AFL team at the moment,” Mitchell said.
“We‘ll wait and see if anyone else steps up, but they’re the two standout candidates at the moment.”
Hawthorn is looking to bounce back from a second-half fade-out against Sydney last week when they confront the unbeaten Demons at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
Mitchell said there would be “no ins” from the club’s injury list which includes dashing defender Changkuoth Jiath and key forward Mitch Lewis who haven’t recovered from their respective hamstring injuries.
Cooper still banking on going twin turbo
By Marc McGowan
Greater Western Sydney’s newest debutant Cooper Hamilton has mixed feelings discussing how his AFL dream was realised in November last year.
There was the bitter disappointment at being overlooked in the national draft, then the elation of finding out the Giants were selecting him as a rookie.
But there was one last dip on the hard-running defender’s emotional rollercoaster: his twin, Hugh, hadn’t found an AFL home.
Five months on, Hamilton’s strong VFL form has earned him a spot in Leon Cameron’s senior side for Saturday’s must-win clash with the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Hugh will be in the stands to watch before racing home to Bendigo, in north-east Victoria, to play for the Pioneers on Sunday in the under-18 NAB League, after starting the season with Carlton’s VFL team.
“Ultimately, it’s bittersweet because I was lucky enough to get picked up and Hugh was unfortunately not able to get onto a list,” Hamilton said.
“But he’s been extremely supportive of me and he was really happy when I told him I’m making my debut, so he’s pretty ecstatic for me.
“He’s still grinding it out and trying to get onto an AFL list ... but it was really hard, especially at the start. I think we’ve slowly adjusted to it, and Hugh’s definitely been really good about it.”
An interesting spin-off to Hamilton’s debut is he could find himself playing on his best friend, Adelaide’s first-year sensation Josh Rachele.
“(Rachele)’s playing some really good footy at the moment and hopefully we can mitigate his impact on the game this weekend but that obviously adds more excitement to it,” he said.
“I get to play against my best mate, which not too many people can do that. He’s had a wonderful start to his campaign and career, but I’m just starting out and I don’t have too high expectations on myself.
“I just want to get through the game and have a win, hopefully. Maybe we’ll cross paths at one point, but I’ll give him a cheeky little bump if I ever do get onto him.”
Hamilton is a gifted runner who smashed the Giants’ 2km record by 18 seconds in December, after also setting the second-fastest time ever at the AFL draft combine over the same distance.
He promises to “compete”, give his absolute best and do whatever Cameron tells him to on Saturday. It’s not hard to believe Hamilton when you learn what he’s endured to make it this far.
The 18-year-old relocated from Bendigo to Melbourne to attend Caulfield Grammar — an experience that helped prepare him for the move to Sydney — but also watched his mother be diagnosed with, then beat cancer.
“After (my mum)’s mother passed away while I was at school; she was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Hamilton said.
“That was really difficult, and then lockdown happened and we were all isolated. It was good to see her but it was hard to see her every day, because she was pretty unwell and going through chemotherapy.
“She was always upbeat ... luckily, and thankfully, she’s perfect now. She’s on the mend, recovered from the cancer and doing really well, so I couldn’t be happier.”
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