That's a wrap for a massive day of AFL news – check in soon for all the Round 18 teams and join us from 7am tomorrow for another edition of AFL Daily.
AFL Daily: Daniel Wells could be finals X-factor, rolling footy news for Thursday, July 18, 2019
Injury-cursed Collingwood midfielder Daniel Wells has stepped up his training and Nathan Buckley has no doubt he can be a factor in the finals. RECAP TODAY'S FOOTY NEWS
Collingwood veteran Daniel Wells is stepping up his training, with the Magpies still hopeful the midfielder can play a role in a potential finals campaign.
In his only game this year, Wells damaged the posterior and medial ligaments in his left knee after being tackled by Sydney’s Jackson Thurlow in Round 10.
Wells had gathered 11 disposals and kicked three goals before the third-quarter incident in what was his return from a long-term foot injury which had sidelined him for almost 12 months.
Asked if Wells was any chance to be part of a finals campaign, Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said today there was little doubt.
“Yes, he is, and that’s his endeavour and has been ours for the whole recovery,” Buckley said.
“I’ve got no doubt that the cameo – it was more than a cameo, wasn’t it – in the Sydney game whet his and our appetite for it, of being able to return at the back end of the year at some point.
“He’s doing everything in his power and is actually moving okay. He’s taking the steps ahead of schedule and still with the belief and the vision of being able to get back.”
Wells, 34, has played just 15 games since joining Collingwood for the 2017 season, however the Magpies have posted 11 wins and a draw from those matches.
Recap all today's footy news in the blog below
Updates
Tiger Higgins booked in for brain surgery
Richmond doctor Greg Hickey has provided an update on the treatment of young forward Jack Higgins:
“Jack’s neurosurgeon has decided the best course of action is for Jack to have surgery next week to repair the area of abnormal blood vessels responsible for the bleeding on his brain.
“Following the surgery, there will be a period of recovery and rehabilitation for some months, but we certainly expect Jack to resume playing football next season.”
Earlier today Tigers coach Damien Hardwick revealed Higgins had an abnormality since birth in the blood vessels in his brain.
He was admitted to hospital this week after suffering bleeding on the brain. He is resting at home after being released today.
The Topps Trading Card company has released a limited edition signed Maxon Cox card as part of its 2019 Allen and Ginter Baseball collection. Very cool!
A documentary about the final stages of Adam Goodes' career and the abuse he endured airs tonight on Channel 10. After watching an advance screening, Mark Robinson wrote this account of what people can expect.
"It is haunting and shameful. It makes you wince in parts. It’s makes you sad and angry. And it hurts in places.
"When it was over, I didn’t have the tears of Goodes' teammate Michael O’Loughlin, it was more like: Did this really happen? How could this happen?
"Really, we aren’t the Lucky Country, we are a country with an undeniable undercurrent of racism.
"Readers may disagree once they have seen it. Some readers may agree. But it should certainly be seen."
Click here to read Robbo's full story.
Why you must watch Goodes doco
A documentary about the final stages of Adam Goodes' career and the abuse he endured airs tonight on Channel 10. After watching an advance screening, Mark Robinson wrote this account of what people can expect.
"It is haunting and shameful. It makes you wince in parts. It’s makes you sad and angry. And it hurts in places.
"When it was over, I didn’t have the tears of Goodes' teammate Michael O’Loughlin, it was more like: Did this really happen? How could this happen?
"Really, we aren’t the Lucky Country, we are a country with an undeniable undercurrent of racism.
"Readers may disagree once they have seen it. Some readers may agree. But it should certainly be seen."
Click here to read Robbo's full story.
Tigers welcome back Nank
– Paul Sebastiani
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has confirmed the return of Toby Nankervis this week, albeit through the reserves.
The Tigers premiership ruckman suffered an adductor injury which has sidelined him since the Tigers' win against Fremantle in Round 8.
“Toby will play some game time this week at VFL level. He’s missed a significant amount of football and hopefully he’ll be available for AFL selection next week,” Hardwick said at Punt Rd.
Hardwick also provided a positive update on star defender Alex Rance and his comeback from an ACL tear suffered in Round 1 against Carlton.
“Alex is moving well and he’s doing all he can to put his hand up to play,” Hardwick said.
“We’ll just let that run its course until a decision has to be made.”
Teams news: No Weideman for Dees
– Paul Sebastiani
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has ruled out Sam Weideman for a second consecutive week as the young key forward struggles to shake off a calf complaint.
Goodwin said the 22-year-old would not make the trip to Alice Springs, but highlighted it was an opportunity for others in the squad to step up.
“Sam will be out of the team again,” Goodwin said.
“But Harrison Petty we saw last week went forward and kicked his three goals. Bayley Fritsch went forward and kicked a couple so that’s pleasing to see.”
Goodwin also gave the go-ahead for forward Tim Smith to return to the side after training strongly during the week.
Nathan Buckley may have to work harder on his comedy delivery, if comments today by Geelong coach Chris Scott are any guide.
Scott responded to an unprompted remark by Buckley yesterday that Collingwood "don't get 18 home games like Geelong".
After the audio was played today, Scott said: "It doesn't make any sense to me.
"Sometimes Bucks tries to be funny and it falls a bit flat at least for me, anyway. It’s an attempt at humour, that’s my best guess.”
Buckley was quizzed about his comments at his press conference today.
“I presume you’re referencing the throwaway line that I made about Geelong and home games when I had Gerard Whateley, a Geelong supporter, sitting in front of me and I was trying to get a response but I didn’t get one," he said.
“The draws are different. Geelong have traditionally been seen as a Victorian team. They’ve played a lot of their home games as the MCG, as we do. The MCG is seen as the home of the finals, the home of AFL footy still at this point despite the fact the interstate clubs make up a fair bit of the competition. "We’ve lost our home ground advantage in regards to the MCG. There’s a lot of clubs that play a lot of footy there so we end up playing at what we see as quite a neutral venue, and a neutral venue’s probably a good place to have your finals."
Scott then had a dig of his own at Richmond, which doesn't leave the MCG for the rest of the home-and-away season.
“I’ll tell what I did give a bit of thought to, is the fact that Richmond have won an inordinate number of games in a row at the MCG, and we’re facing that sort of scenario again,” Scott said on SEN.
“There is every possibility that Richmond could play their last seven games at their home venue at the MCG, not qualify for a home final, but play their first final at their home venue for the eighth time in a row."
In 2017 the Tigers finished third but their qualifying final against the second-placed Cats was played at Richmond's home ground in front of a pro-Tigers crowd of 95,028 fans.
“I think there is some paranoia around the competition about home ground advantage because everyone acknowledges how important it is," Scott said.
“If you told someone in the US for example that a team could play at the Grand Final venue for the last seven times in a row and then not qualify for a home final but still play the MCG, I think they would laugh at us.”
Richmond was fixtured to play its final seven home-and-away matches at the MCG, including two away games against Collingwood and Melbourne, after just six MCG fixtures in the first 16 rounds.
Chris Scott responds to Buckley 'gag'
Nathan Buckley may have to work harder on his comedy delivery, if comments today by Geelong coach Chris Scott are any guide.
Scott responded to an unprompted remark by Buckley yesterday that Collingwood "don't get 18 home games like Geelong".
After the audio was played today, Scott said: "It doesn't make any sense to me.
"Sometimes Bucks tries to be funny and it falls a bit flat at least for me, anyway. It’s an attempt at humour, that’s my best guess.”
Buckley was quizzed about his comments at his press conference today.
“I presume you’re referencing the throwaway line that I made about Geelong and home games when I had Gerard Whateley, a Geelong supporter, sitting in front of me and I was trying to get a response but I didn’t get one," he said.
“The draws are different. Geelong have traditionally been seen as a Victorian team. They’ve played a lot of their home games as the MCG, as we do. The MCG is seen as the home of the finals, the home of AFL footy still at this point despite the fact the interstate clubs make up a fair bit of the competition. "We’ve lost our home ground advantage in regards to the MCG. There’s a lot of clubs that play a lot of footy there so we end up playing at what we see as quite a neutral venue, and a neutral venue’s probably a good place to have your finals."
Scott then had a dig of his own at Richmond, which doesn't leave the MCG for the rest of the home-and-away season.
“I’ll tell what I did give a bit of thought to, is the fact that Richmond have won an inordinate number of games in a row at the MCG, and we’re facing that sort of scenario again,” Scott said on SEN.
“There is every possibility that Richmond could play their last seven games at their home venue at the MCG, not qualify for a home final, but play their first final at their home venue for the eighth time in a row."
In 2017 the Tigers finished third but their qualifying final against the second-placed Cats was played at Richmond's home ground in front of a pro-Tigers crowd of 95,028 fans.
“I think there is some paranoia around the competition about home ground advantage because everyone acknowledges how important it is," Scott said.
“If you told someone in the US for example that a team could play at the Grand Final venue for the last seven times in a row and then not qualify for a home final but still play the MCG, I think they would laugh at us.”
Richmond was fixtured to play its final seven home-and-away matches at the MCG, including two away games against Collingwood and Melbourne, after just six MCG fixtures in the first 16 rounds.
St Kilda came up with a creative way to reveal a debutant against the Bulldogs this week.
Pacy midfielder Doulton Langlands, who was recruited with pick 8 in the 2017 rookie draft, was told by caretaker coach Brett Ratten he had to kick a goal at training today to win his spot in the team.
But when he lined up from 20m out, things didn't go entirely to plan. Watch the hilarious and heartwarming video below.
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