All the latest team news for week two of the AFL Finals
Geelong captain Joel Selwood may play with a glove after being named to face Collingwood eight days after finger surgery. The Cats have made one change for their knockout final. SEE THE TEAMS
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Geelong captain Joel Selwood will play against Collingwood on Saturday night eight days after finger surgery.
Selwood has named in the Cats team on Friday night for the knockout semi-final, with the Cats making one change — dropping Tom Atkins and bringing in Sam Simpson.
It will be Simpson’s first game since Round 12 and just his eighth AFL appearance in three years.
Simpson was the only change to either team for Saturday night’s semi-final between the Cats and the Collingwood at the Gabba, with fellow forward Tom Atkins (omitted) the player making way.
Atkins logged only 12 disposals in last week’s qualifying final loss to Port Adelaide and has gone goal-less from his past five matches.
Simpson, 22, had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, but returned and performed well in a scratch-match last Saturday before training strongly this week.
Simpson has averaged 13.8 disposals and kicked three goals from six senior matches this year.
Geelong captain Joel Selwood, who had finger surgery last Friday, has been named for the clash after being in some doubt earlier in the week.
Esava Ratugolea has been named as an emergency, leaving Rhys Stanley and Mark Blicavs to again shoulder the load in the ruck.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL TEAMS
The Magpies will take in an unchanged line-up after last week’s nailbiting elimination final win against West Coast.
The procedure Selwood underwent last Friday night cut into the middle knuckle on the finger to stabilise it after it was dislocating without warning during a flight from Adelaide to Brisbane.
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“Given that they made this decision (to have surgery), they didn’t think (strapping it up) was a possible way to go, so they have really rolled the dice,” sports medico Dr Peter Larkins said this week.
“The long finger is really important for making a fist and gripping like tackling somebody or handling the ball, so it will be an extraordinary performance for him to play.”
Midfielder Simpson will play his first game since Round 12.
AFL SEMI-FINALS TEAMS
RICHMOND v ST KILDA
Friday October 9, 7:50pm at Metricon Stadium
TIGERS
B: D.Astbury, D.Grimes, N.Balta
HB: L.Baker, N.Vlastuin, B.Houli
C: K.McIntosh, J.Graham, M.Pickett
HF: S.Bolton, J.Castagna, D.Martin
F: T.Lynch, J.Riewoldt, D.Rioli
FOLL: T.Nankervis, S.Edwards, T.Cotchin
I/C: D.Prestia, J.Short, K.Lambert, N.Broad
EMG: O.Markov, J.Caddy, M.Chol, J.Aarts
IN: T.Lynch, N.Broad
OUT: J.Aarts, M.Chol (both omitted)
SAINTS
B: J.Marsh, D.Howard, B.Paton
HB: N.Coffield, C.Wilkie, J.Geary
C: B.Hill, S.Ross, J.Billings
HF: D.Butler, T.Membrey, J.Sinclair
F: D.Kent, M.King, J.Battle
FOLL: R.Marshall, Z.Jones, J.Steele
I/C: S.Savage, H.Clark, D.Hannebery, J.Lonie
EMG: R.Abbott, D.Roberton, N.Hind, J.Webster
IN: J.Marsh, J.Battle, S.Savage
OUT: B.Long (suspended), J.Carlisle (family reasons), P.Ryder (injured)
GEELONG CATS v COLLINGWOOD
Saturday October 10, 7:40pm at the Gabba
CATS
B: J.Henry, H.Taylor, J.Bews
HB: L.Henderson, M.Blicavs, T.Stewart
C: Z.Tuohy, J.Selwood, S.Menegola
HF: L.Dahlhaus, G.Rohan, G.Miers
F: M.O’Connor, T.Hawkins, G.Ablett
FOLL: R.Stanley, P.Dangerfield, C.Guthrie
I/C: J.Kolodjashnij, M.Duncan, B.Parfitt, S.Simpson
EMG: T.Atkins, Z.Guthrie, E.Ratugolea, B.Close
IN: S.Simpson
OUT: T.Atkins
MAGPIES
B: J.Crisp, J.Roughead, J.Madgen
HB: B.Maynard, D.Moore, I.Quaynor
C: C.Mayne, A.Treloar, J.Daicos
HF: W.Hoskin-Elliott, B.Mihocek, J.Thomas
F: J.Elliott, M.Cox, J.De Goey
FOLL: B.Grundy, T.Adams, S.Pendlebury
I/C: J.Stephenson, J.Noble, L.Greenwood, D.Cameron
EMG: W.Kelly, T.Brown, T.Varcoe, M.Keane
No changes
TIGERS DUMP TWO, FORGOTTEN SAINT BACK
St Kilda has pulled a major selection surprise, recalling Shane Savage for only his second game of the season in Friday night’s semi-final against Richmond.
The former Hawk managed his only game in Round 9 when he had 14 touches against Sydney, but got the nod to replace suspended Ben Long in the cut-throat final.
Running machine Savage, 29, is one of three changes for the Saints, with Josh Battle and former Pie Jonathon Marsh replacing Jake Carlisle (personal) and Paddy Ryder (hamstring).
The Tigers have made two changes, welcoming back premiership spearhead Tom Lynch and intercepting defender Nathan Broad for Jake Aarts and Mabior Chol.
The decision to drop Chol means defender Noah Balta and possibly Nathan Broad will help assist Toby Nankervis in the ruck.
Lynch, who returns from a hamstring injury, will help share the ruck duties in attack.
Utility Josh Caddy, who played in the Tigers’ 2017 and 2019 premiership sides, has missed out on selection and was named an emergency.
Caddy was dropped after having only eight possessions against Adelaide in Round 18.
The Saints will start clear outsiders after a pulsating last-gasp win over the Western Bulldogs helped clinch their first finals victory since 2010.
The loss of top-line talls Ryder and Carlisle, who were both excellent in the triumph over the Bulldogs, is a massive blow to the Saints’ hopes of stopping the reigning premier.
And Savage’s surprise call-up means the Kiwi will get a big job trying to help curtail the threat Richmond’s small forwards pose in the forward half and midfield.
Similarly, the Saints have turned to versatile tall Marsh after only five games this year, while Battle could also help out in either half on Friday night after missing the win over the Dogs with a foot issue.
Defender Dylan Roberton, who has been overlooked for all but one game this season after coming back from a heart problem, was named as an emergency.
St Kilda shocked Richmond by 26 points earlier this season at Docklands but Lynch’s return will give the Tigers a massive boost in their bid to play in a fourth-straight preliminary final.
Lynch booted nine goals in the club’s three finals last year and has had 28 days to recover from the hamstring strain he suffered in the Round 17 win over Geelong.
The Tigers made the big call to rest him for their elimination final loss to Brisbane Lions but he has trained fully this week in preparation for the clash against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium.
Mature-age pickup Aarts has made huge strides this season but after 14 games was unlucky to get the chop after only eight possessions last week.
Broad comes back in for his first game since Round 15.
St Kilda coach Brett Ratten on Thursday referenced famous finals history as he urged his players to believe they could create their own against Richmond on Friday night.
The Saints will seek to blunt the Tigers’ aerial dominance, with Ratten imploring his side to take away one of Richmond’s greatest strengths.
“The big thing for us is we’ve spoken about everyone’s opportunity,” Ratten said at the captain’s run at Noosa on Thursday morning.
“With finals series, whether it’s your first final or your first game for the year, you look through history and it is littered with people who have come in and had an impact.
“All the way back to Dermott (Brereton who made his debut in the 1982 final), 1995 with Matty Hogg, last year with Marlion Pickett for the Tigers.
“People are going to get these opportunities and it’s whether you can grab them with both hands and make the most of it.
“We’ve got players here who are going to try to do that.”
The Saints are making the three-hour trip from Noosa to the Gold Coast on Thursday and will stay the night to avoid any traffic snarls on match day.
“I think there’s some key stats for (Richmond) that show their team defence … is really important for us to negate,” Ratten said.
“Their intercept marking, when they do that they’re hard to stop.
“That builds their offensive game and we have to take that away from them.
“They can’t mark the footy in our forward line and start their counter-attack and their chains that they do so well.
“There’s aspects of their game we have to respect, but in their coaches box hopefully they’re thinking about what we can do and our potency.”
Ratten said Rowan Marshall would relish the opportunity to lead the ruck on Friday night, having shared the role with Ryder all season.
“He’s been looking to play more ruck time, so this is a great opportunity for him,” Ratten said.
“That’s why we brought in Paddy, to make sure (players like Marshall) were fresh at the pointy end of the year too.
“It’s been a big workload for some of the ruckmen in the competition who have had to do it themselves … I think he will really thrive in this environment.”
Ratten confirmed Carlisle, who left the hub on Monday for the birth of his third child, could be available for a preliminary final in South Australia if the Saints progress.
LYNCH A LOCK BUT TIGERS HAVE A PROBLEM
Richmond says a semi-final week scan on hamstrung spearhead Tom Lynch’s finger is a “non-issue” as coach Damien Hardwick takes the blame for the Tigers becoming the AFL’s problem child on the field.
The Tigers must defeat St Kilda to advance to a fourth-straight preliminary final, and would then need to knock off Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) to reach the Grand Final, after undisciplined acts triggered Friday night’s qualifying final loss to Brisbane.
Hardwick said Lynch was “98 per cent” ready last week, and now certain to play as the Tigers mull who should support ruckman Toby Nankervis.
They regretted not playing an extra ruckman against Lions’ Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney last week.
“Our preference is for Nank to have a second ruck to go with, whether that’s Marbs (Mabior Chol) or we look at some other combination,” Hardwick said.
“Last week with the humidity of the game and Nank being required to play some 80-odd per cent, and some forward, it was probably a little bit too much.”
Premiership defender Nathan Broad could enter calculations.
If the Tigers retain Chol then Lynch is likely to replace a small forward, such as Jake Aarts, Dan Rioli or Jason Castagna.
The Tigers are unsure whether Saints utilities Josh Battle and Jon Marsh will come in to support ruckman Rowan Marshall, or whether the Saints will replace Paddy Ryder with a genuine ruckman.
Hardwick anointed former Tiger Dan Butler as a “barometer” for the Saints, saying he was unlucky to miss All-Australian selection.
The Tigers are formulating a plan to reduce the Saints’ uncontested marks, wary they like to control the ball by foot as they bounce out of the backline.
Hardwick said uncontested marks was the speedy Saints’ “one wood” after watching them score a season-best 32 points from defensive chain against the Dogs.
“Obviously if they’re marking the ball you can’t influence with pressure,” Hardwick said.
“So we’ve got to take away their uncontested marks. It’s their offensive system versus our defensive system.
“Whoever comes out on top in that part of the game in that part of the ground will come out the winner.”
The Tigers have given away 25 50m penalties this year, while the Saints have conceded just eight.
“We’ve addressed it, we’ve talked about it, the fact of the matter is we’ve just got to make sure our on-field discipline is better,” Hardwick said.
“The territory game is so important in how we play. It’s been a constant throughout the year, and the reality is it falls on me to make sure it’s stamped out.
“They’re a reflection of me, I’ve just got to get harder on the disciplines required in that part of the game. “We’ve got to make sure that this week we adhere to the rules.”
Hardwick said the problem had been “brewing for a little while” before they gifted the Lions two goals from four 50m penalties in the first half on Friday.
Earlier in the year Hardwick joked that the next 50m penalty offender would have to change Trent Cotchin’s baby’s nappy.
But on Wednesday, Hardwick said: “I think it’s become a bit more serious than that”.
The Tigers have been outscored from stoppages heavily in their losses this year – -21 points against the Lions, -18 points against Hawthorn, -17 against St Kilda and -16 against GWS.
Richmond is ranked 16th for points from stoppages while the Saints are ranked fourth.
But Hardwick wasn’t fazed, attributing last week’s stoppage goals to “soft drops” after defenders tried to mark the ball instead of spoil.
“There’s way you can lose stoppage goals. We had a couple of poor contests behind the ball that cost us last week,” Hardwick said.
“(But) 80 per cent of the time it’s a strength of ours to deny those opposition scores from stoppage.”
Tough Saint Callum Wilkie has kept Dustin Martin goals from 62 minutes across the past two games, but Hardwick backed his megastar to respond.
“We‘ll back Dusty in,” Hardwick said.
“(Wilkie) did a good job on him last time, but we’re pretty confident that our guy will get the job done this week.”
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RYDER ‘WILL BE BACK’ AFTER HAMSTRING SURGERY
- Glenn McFarlane
St Kilda ruckman Paddy Ryder will absolutely” play on next season, according to the club’s chief operating officer Simon Lethlean, as the injured ruckman prepares to undergo hamstring tendon surgery on Thursday.
Ryder, 32, was the heartache story of St Kilda’s first finals win in a decade after suffering the injury in the dying minutes of the club’s nailbiting elimination final against the Western Bulldogs.
“ (Ryder) is headed back (to Melbourne) … he is having an operation on Thursday to repair a tear in his tendon,” Lethlean said on SEN.
“It’s a bit like (the) Dan Hannebery (injury) … same surgeon and probably the same sort of recovery period. He will be laid up for a bit.”
Asked if Ryder would definitely return in 2021 for the final year of his current deal with the Saints, Lethlean said: “Absolutely.”
“What did Hanners do, an eight week turnaround … so he (Ryder) will have a chance now to rehab it before he starts the pre-season program.”
“His intention is to play again and he has shown he is as good as all (the other ruckmen), maybe other than (Nic) Naitanui. He was as influential as ever, Paddy.”
Lethlean said the club had great faith in Rowan Marshall, who rucked solo for the Saints when the club knocked off their semi-final opponents Richmond in Round 4.
“We would have loved Paddy to be there, but Marshall has rucked by himself (against Richmond) earlier in the year, that will be OK,” Lethlean said.
He said Ryder was devastated by the injury, but would come back with even more motivation in 2021.
“He walked to the bench with a minute and 20 (seconds) to go and he slammed his fist into the bench, (so) you knew what that meant for him and for the club, too,” he said. “He went (almost) 260 games without winning a final, and he was sensational on the night.”
Captain Jarryn Geary said on Sunday morning the injury was shattering for Ryder and hailed the impact he has had in his first season at St Kilda after crossing from Port Adelaide.
“Just to see how much it means to him, it’s something that you don’t want to see,” Geary said on Channel 9.
“But he has been terrific for the footy club, he is a great guy and he has been really important for us.”
St Kilda football boss Simon Lethlean said on Saturday night the club would have a captain’s run on Thursday morning in Noosa before the Friday clash with Richmond at Metricon Stadium.
Then the players will bus down from Noosa to stay in a Gold Coast hotel on Thursday night to give them the perfect preparation for the clash.
Ratten was unfussed at having to play at Metricon rather than the Gabba, with Richmond having won all six of its games at the Gold Coast venue this year.
A hobbling Paddy Ryder finished the game in tears.
— AFL (@AFL) October 3, 2020
We hope for good news Paddy ðŸ™#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/VoCNzSZf7F
STEVEN’S FIRST SEASON AS A CAT OVER
— Jay Clark
Geelong is set to be without Jack Steven for the rest of the finals series after the explosive ballwinner hurt his hamstring in a scratch match on Saturday.
The Cats are bracing for bad news that he will be unavailable for at least three weeks which would rule him out of the remainder of their premiership tilt.
Steven will have scans in the next 24 hours which are expected to confirm he has injured his hamstring.
Medicos will also assess whether Steven has injured his hamstring tendon which would require a longer rehabilitation than a standard 21-day recovery for a hamstring strain.
Steven was not picked in the Cats’ qualifying final loss to Port Adelaide but would have been on standby this week as a potential replacement for inspirational captain Joel Selwood for the cutthroat semi-final against Collingwood.
Selwood had surgery on a ruptured middle finger tendon on Friday and is expected to play despite the pain and restriction of the injury on Saturday night.
Steven, 30, has had an up-and-down first year at Geelong since crossing from St Kilda. He has averaged 16 disposals across nine games this season.
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