AFL Round 20: Team news and expert tips; plus all the ins and outs

The final Round 20 teams are locked in — see who made the cut and how Richmond plans to redeploy a star in its bid to snatch a top-eight spot. Plus expert tips.

Triple premiership midfielder Dion Prestia is a confirmed starter for Richmond as the Tigers try to extend their run of four straight finals appearances.

Prestia is one of a number of high-profile players set to return in Round 20, including Giant Toby Greene (isolation), ex-Cat Nakia Cockatoo – for his Brisbane debut – and Port Adelaide’s Orazio Fantasia (knee).

The Tigers sit in 10th place but only half a game outside of the top eight, so Prestia’s presence is a major boost for Sunday’s must-win clash against Fremantle at Optus Stadium.

The oft-injured onballer missed the past month at AFL level because of his latest hamstring setback, but snuck in some match practice last week.

SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL ROUND 20 TEAMS PLUS EXPERT TIPS

Marlion Pickett (managed) makes way for Prestia in Richmond’s final squad.

The Dockers were smashed with injuries last week – losing dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, Michael Walters and Alex Pearce – but also remain in the finals hunt.

They’ve turned to youth, with Josh Treacy, Joel Western and Tobe Watson the star trio’s replacements.

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The first game of Alastair Clarkson’s final month in charge at Hawthorn sees Irishman Conor Nash recalled at the expense of Jacob Koschitzke (rested) and James Cousins (hamstring).

The Hawks take on Chris Fagan’s Lions, who dropped young midfielder Deven Robertson.

Joining Greene as an inclusion at GWS is debutant and mid-season draftee James Peatling.

Adam Kennedy (hamstring) and Tanner Bruhn (omitted) are the Giants’ outs, while the addition of Fantasia resulted in Boyd Woodcock and Sam Mayes being omitted.

Richmond’s Dion Prestia makes a welcome comeback against Fremantle. Picture: Michael Klein

Richmond rising star Shai Bolton is set to be redeployed in attack as the Tigers search for added “scoring power” to keep their season alive against Fremantle on Sunday.

The return of Prestia from a hamstring injury is set to free up Bolton to spend more time forward over the final rounds of the season, as he did to great effect in the first half of the year.

Before Richmond’s Round 14 bye, Bolton enjoyed a 60-40 split of his time between the midfield and forward line and averaged 97 KFC SuperCoach ranking points and 1.4 goals a game.

However, injuries for the Tigers have meant that over the past five weeks Bolton has spent 84 per cent of his time in the midfield with lesser effect.

Since Round 15, the 22-year-old has averaged only 67 ranking points and 0.6 goals a game.

“Our challenge with Shai is we like him in a number of areas of the ground, whether it’s forward or whether it’s midfield,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.

“We’ve probably asked him to do a little bit more work at various stages in the middle part of the ground, which has taken away a little bit of our scoring power at the same time.

“Dion back certainly allows for that to happen (Bolton to spend more time forward). But also we do love his agility and his ability to win the ball and get it going forward around the clearances also. So it will be a combination of both going forward.”

Prestia is a welcome return for the Tigers, with the 2019 best-and-fairest winner preparing for what will be just his seventh game of the season after a horror run with injury.

Defender Nathan Broad had been considered another potential inclusion to return from an ankle injury this week but is instead “probable” to face North Melbourne in Round 21.

Fellow backman Nick Vlastuin is also hopeful of returning from injury for that match.

Hardwick said his side’s confidence had not been dented by a 38-point loss to Geelong last weekend and a week of quarantine in Perth had helped renew bonds.

“For our group it is an opportunity to get better,” Hardwick said.

“Our leaders have really taken the floor in that equation and demanding that guys get a little bit better in certain areas.

“We’re hoping it transfers in our play come Sunday.”

Two huge ins for Blues’ last roll of 2021 dice

Carlton key forwards Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow will join forces in the same forward line for the first time in more than two years as the Blues look to bounce back against St Kilda on Friday night.

The pairing will be a major boost for under-fire coach David Teague, after his team suffered a 39-point loss to bottom-of-the-table North Melbourne last Saturday in what Teague admitted was his side’s worst performance of the season.

McKay, who leads the Coleman Medal race with 52 goals, missed last week’s clash against the Kangaroos with a toe injury but passed a fitness test on Wednesday and trained fully to win his spot back in the team.

Curnow has not played since Round 15, 2019 due to persistent knee issues.

Together, McKay and Curnow have not featured in the same Carlton team since Round 13, 2019.

“Charlie has put in an incredible amount of work, over a long period of time,” Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd said.

“Charlie has ticked every box with our medical and high performance staff, his commitment and professionalism to be patient, trust the process and now get himself back fully fit and ready to go at the elite level is a testament to the character he is.”

LATE MAIL: SUPERCOACH NEWS, ANALYSIS AND ADVICE

Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay will join forces again in Carlton’s forward line. Picture: Michael Klein

The pair were among four inclusions for the Blues, with midfielder Lachie O’Brien recalled for his first senior match since Round 1 and forward Josh Honey selected to play just his third AFL game.

Sam Petrevski-Seton and Matthew Cottrell have been dropped, with Zac Williams (hamstring) and Eddie Betts (ankle) out of the side injured.

Veteran Marc Murphy is part of the emergencies list and could again serve as medical substitute as he chases three more games to reach his milestone 300th match.

The Saints regain ruckman Rowan Marshall after he missed last week’s loss to West Coast while in Covid quarantine, while forward Jack Higgins returns from three weeks on the sidelines with a back injury.

Veteran Western Bulldogs defender Easton Wood has been selected for his first AFL game since Round 9 against Adelaide on Saturday, having overcome an ankle injury.

Josh Dunkley also returns for the Bulldogs, having been forced into home quarantine last week.

Josh Dunkley will return for the Bulldogs. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Midfielder Shaun Higgins has been recalled for Geelong’s clash with North Melbourne, with Lachie Henderson and Gryan Miers out injured.

Jake Bowey has been confirmed to make his debut for Melbourne, while Jeremy Howe will play his first game for Collingwood since Round 5.

Kyle Langford returns from a hamstring injury for Essendon, which has dropped veteran forward Cale Hooker for the first time this season.

Toby Green returns to bolster Greater Western Sydney in its clash against Port Adelaide on Sunday, while Richmond midfielder Dion Prestia returns from a hamstring injury for a must-win clash agains Fremantle.

FULL ROUND 20 TEAMS

ST KILDA v CARLTON

Friday July 30, 7:50pm at Marvel Stadium

SAINTS

B: Howard, Wilkie, Highmore

HB: Webster, Long, Hill

C: Byrnes, Jones, Billings

HF: Butler, Crouch, Kent

F: Marhsall, Membrey, King

FOLL: Ryder, Steele, Ross

I/C: Connolly, Dunstan, Clark, Higgins

EMG: Sharman, Hunter, Bytel, Coffield

IN: Highmore, Marshall, Clark, Higgins

OUT: Hunter, Clavarino, Coffield, Sharman (all omitted), Sinclair (Injured)

BLUES

B: Saad, Weitering, Jones

HB: Newman, Plowman, Williamson

C: Walsh, Cripps, Newnes

HF: E.Curnow, C.Curnow, Fisher

F: Silvagni, McKay, Martin

FOLL: De Koning, Kennedy, Dow

I/C: Stocker, O’Brien, Honey, Owies

EMG: Petrevski-Seton, Cottrell, Murphy, Kemp

IN: C.Curnow, McKay, O’Brien, Honey

OUT: Petrevski-Seton, Cottrell (both omitted), Williams, Betts (both injured), Murphy (Medi-Sub)

WESTERN BULLDOGS v ADELAIDE

Saturday July 31, 12:20pm at Mars Stadium

DOGS

B: Wood, Cordy, Williams

HB: Daniel, Schache, Dale

C: Hannan, B.Smith, La.Hunter

HF: Dunkley, Naughton, Weightman

F: Ugle-Hagan, Bruce, Liberatore

FOLL: English, Macrae, Bontempelli

I/C: Scott, Johannisen, Garcia, R.Smith

EMG: McNeil, Lipinski, Le.Young, Crozier

IN: Wood, Dunkley

OUT: Richards (Injured), Keath (Injured), Duryea (Managed)

CROWS

B: Murray, Butts, Kelly

HB: McPherson, Doedee, Jones

C: Smith, Keays, Seedsman

HF: McHenry, Fogarty, Murphy

F: Lynch, Himmelberg, Walker

FOLL: O’Brien, Laird, Sloane

I/C: Berry, Schoenberg, Rowe, Hamill

EMG: Mackay, Thilthorpe, Pedlar, Frampton

IN: Murray, Rowe

OUT: Mackay (Medi-Sub), Sholl, Frampton (both omitted)

NORTH MELBOURNE v GEELONG

Saturday July 31, 1:15pm at Blundstone Arena, Hobart

KANGAROOS

B: Tarrant, McKay, Turner

HB: Ziebell, Walker, Hall

C: Dumont, Simpkin, McDonald

HF: Stephenson, Larkey, Taylor

F: Ford, Xerri, Mahony

FOLL: Goldstein, Davies-Uniacke, Phillips

I/C: Anderson, Scott, Polec, Bosenavulagi

EMG: Atley, Lazzaro, Spicer, Campbell

IN: Tarrant, Ford, Mahony

OUT: Atley (Omitted), Thomas (Injured), Zurhaar (Injured), Cunnington (Managed)

CATS

B: Atkins, Blicavs, O’Connor

HB: Stewart, Henry, Kolodjashnij

C: Smith, C.Guthrie, Tuohy

HF: Parfitt, Ratugolea, Higgins

F: Close, Hawkins, Rohan

FOLL: Stanley, Selwood, Dangerfield

I/C: Bews, Narkle, Menegola, Dahlhaus

EMG: Holmes, Kreuger, Clark, Z.Guthrie

IN: Higgins

OUT: Henderson, Miers (both injured)

GOLD COAST v MELBOURNE

Saturday July 31, 3:10pm at Metricon Stadium

SUNS

B: Powell, Collins, Lemmens

HB: Farrar, Burgess, Ballard

C: Lukosius, Miller, Sharp

HF: Corbett, Jeffrey, Sexton

F: MacPherson, King, Ainsworth

FOLL: Smith, Anderson, Swallow

I/C: Bowes, Fiorini, Flanders, Rowell

EMG: Atkins, Brodie, Davies, Graham

IN: Farrar, Jeffrey, MacPherson, Smith

OUT: Rankine, Graham, Atkins (all omitted), Markov (Injured), Brodie (Medi-Sub)

DEMONS

B: Rivers, May, Petty

HB: Hunt, Lever, Salem

C: Brayshaw, Petracca, Langdon

HF: Spargo, McDonald, Viney

F: Neal-Bullen, Brown, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Harmes

I/C: Jackson, Bowey, Sparrow, Pickett

EMG: Hibberd, Melksham, Jordon, Weideman

IN: Bowey

OUT: Hibberd, Jordon (both omitted)

COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST

Saturday July 31, 4:15pm at the MCG

MAGPIES

B: Quaynor, Roughead, Maynard

HB: Crisp, Madgen, Howe

C: Hoskin-Elliott, De Goey, Mayne

HF: Thomas, Cameron, Ginnivan

F: Henry, Mihocek, Elliott

FOLL: Grundy, Sidebottom, Adams

I/C: Bianco, Noble, Macrae, Ruscoe

EMG: Lynch, Murphy, Rantall, Tohill

IN: Howe, Hoskin-Elliott, Mayne, Thomas

OUT: Murphy, Tohill, Poulter (all omitted), Pendlebury (Injured), Cox (Medi-Sub)

EAGLES

B: Hurn, H.Edwards, Sheppard

HB: Cole, McGovern, Duggan

C: Gaff, Yeo, Sheed

HF: Waterman, Darling, Langdon

F: Allen, Kennedy, Cripps

FOLL: Naitanui, Kelly, Redden

I/C: Petruccelle, O’Neill, Rotham, West

EMG: Vardy, Foley, Witherden, Hutchings

IN: Redden, Petruccelle

OUT: Ryan (Injured), Hutchings (Omitted), Brander (Medi-Sub)

ESSENDON v SYDNEY SWANS

Saturday July 31, 7:40pm at Gabba

BOMBERS

B: Laverde, Francis, Redman

HB: Heppell, Ridley, Hind

C: Durham, Merrett, Cox

HF: Smith, Stewart, Perkins

F: Snelling, Wright, Stringer

FOLL: Draper, Langford, Parish

I/C: Cutler, Shiel, Clarke, McDonald-Tipungwuti

EMER: Guelfi, Waterman, Bryan, Ham

IN: Francis, Langford, Clarke

OUT: Hooker, Ham, Zaharakis (all omitted), Guelfi (Medi-Sub)

SWANS

B: Cunningham, Rampe, Fox

HB: Dawson, McCartin, Blakey

C: McInerney, Mills, Hewett

HF: Wicks, Heeney, Hayward

F: Papley, Franklin, Reid

FOLL: Hickey, Parker, Gulden

I/C: Lloyd, Florent, Kennedy, Bell

EMER: O’Riordan, Stephens, Gray, Sinclair

IN: Cunningham, Mills

OUT: Rowbottom, Ronke (both omitted), McLean (Medi-Sub)

HAWTHORN v BRISBANE LIONS

Sunday August 1, 2:10pm at University of Tasmania Stadium

HAWKS

B: Grainger-Barras, Hartigan, Frost

HB: Scrimshaw, Hardwick, Bramble

C: Howe, O’Meara, Shiels

HF: Phillips, Wingard, Breust

F: Moore, Lewis, McEvoy

FOLL: Reeves, Mitchell, Worpel

I/C: Nash, Brockman, Burgoyne, O’Brien

Emg: Koschitzke, Newcombe, Greaves, Maginnes

IN: Nash

OUT: Cousins (Injured), Koschitzke (rested)

LIONS

B: Madden, Andrews, Starcevich

HB: Birchall, Lester, Rich

C: McCluggage, Bailey, J.Berry

HF: McCarthy, McStay, Zorko

F: Ah Chee, Daniher, Cameron

FOLL: McInerney, Lyons, Neale

I/C: Robinson, Cockatoo, Fuylarton, Payne

Emg: Robertson, Coleman, Prior, Ballenden,

IN: Cockatoo

OUT: Robertson (omitted)

GWS GIANTS v PORT ADELAIDE

Sunday August 1, 3:10pm at Metricon Stadium

GIANTS

B: Taylor, Davis, Cumming

HB: Perryman, Haynes, Whitfield

C: Kelly, Green, Ash

HF: Daniels, Himmelberg, Greene

F: Lloyd, Hogan, Taranto

FOLL: Mumford, Ward, Hopper

I/C: Reid, O’Halloran, Peatling, Idun

Emg: Finlayson, Sproule, Riccardi, Bruhn

IN: Greene, Peatling

OUT: Kennedy (Injured), Bruhn (omitted), Riccardi (Medi-sub)

POWER

B: Burton, McKenzie, Aliir

HB: Bergman, Jonas, Byrne-Jones

C: Duursma, Wines, Houston

HF: Amon, Georgiades, Butters

F: Powell-Pepper, Dixon, Rozee

FOLL: Lycett, Boak, Drew

I/C: Marshall, Fantasia, Bonner, Ladhams

Emg: Mayes, Woodcock, Lienert, McEntee

IN: Fantasia

OUT: Woodcock, Mayes (both omitted)

FREMANTLE v RICHMOND

Sunday August 1. 5:10pm at Optus Stadium

DOCKERS

B: Wilson, Logue, Walker

HB: Young, Ryan, Aish

C: Colyer, Mundy, Cerra

HF: Banfield, Taberner, Henry

F: Schultz, Treacy, Crowden

FOLL: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw

I/C: Meek, Western, Tucker, Watson

Emg: Blakely, Bewley, O’Driscoll, Hughes

IN: Treacy, Western, Hughes, Watson

OUT: Walters, Fyfe, Pearce (all injured)

TIGERS

B: Garthwaite, Grimes, Astbury

HB: Mansell, Short, Rioli

C: Edwards, Cotchin, Baker

HF: Graham, Lambert, Bolton

F: Lynch, Chol, Riewoldt

FOLL: Nankervis, Prestia, Parker

I/C: Stack, Ross, Aarts, Castagna,

Emg: Caddy, Coleman-Jones, Dow, Miller

IN: Prestia

OUT: Pickett (Managed)