AFL early mail: Who’s hurt, who’s in the mix to play in Round 9 and latest KFC SuperCoach intel
Steele Sidebottom’s return from a suspension for breaching COVID rules couldn’t come at a better time. Coach Nathan Buckley says he can’t solve all the Pies’ problems but he has an important role to play. FULL INJURY LIST
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Steele Sidebottom’s AFL return won’t be the “panacea” for Collingwood’s flogging at the hands of a rampant West Coast last week, according to coach Nathan Buckley.
But the Magpies coach said it would at least provide extra leadership and midfield support in the absence of skipper Scott Pendlebury.
Sidebottom will play his first game since incurring a four-game suspension for breaking AFL COVID-19 protocols after a drunken night following the club’s Round 4 loss to Greater Western Sydney.
His return couldn’t come at a better time given Pendlebury’s loss for up to a month with a quad injury and the Pies’ 66-point flogging at the hands of the Eagles.
Buckley confirmed on Thursday that 29-year-old Sidebottom would take on Fremantle in Perth on Sunday.
“He is not going to be the panacea ... but he will play his role and be a contributor for us as he has always been,” Buckley said.
“We have slowly had guys who are either in our top echelon of talent or in leadership positions depart the side for different circumstances over the last month or six weeks, so getting Steele back will be important for us, both in an experience capacity and a leadership capacity.
“He has served his penance. He has worked pretty hard on the track and we will welcome him back on the field.”
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Buckley said the club hadn’t settled on who would toss the coin on Sunday, but stressed the Magpies would share the leadership duties in Pendlebury’s absence.
“Tay(lor) Adams was responsible for going and tossing the coin as captain (last week),” he said. “But we have a fairly flat structure with our leadership and Steele will thicken the soup with that. We will work out who will say ‘heads or tails’ for us between now and Sunday.”
Buckley said it was too early to know what sort of response his players would have following the club’s heaviest loss in four seasons.
“We have taken some lessons out of the performance,” he said.
“We were actually OK inside, we won contested ball, clearances were relatively even.
“The biggest issue for us was our work rate and defence. We were well short of our expectations in that regard.”
Buckley said the Magpies would take a squad mentality into team selection in the compressed section of the fixture, saying a number of players including midfielder Brayden Sier would be under strong consideration in the coming weeks.
Defender Tom Langdon will play a scratch match on Saturday against Fremantle, but Buckley said the club would be cautious in his return from a degenerative knee injury that has sidelined him for 12 months.
Levi Greenwood will also play in the scratch match against the Dockers.
“He was going to play last week but we delayed that a week,” Buckley said of Langdon. “He’s worked really diligently with his rehab. To play his first competitive contest in 12 months is great.”
Earlier, Buckley said he had not yet ruled out Pendlebury for the entirety of the next fixture block, but won’t be taking any risks with the champion midfielder.
“I don’t know (if Pendlebury will miss all four games). The scan obviously showed a disruption to his quad,” Buckley said on SEN.
“The early prognosis would be a three-week injury, which would count him out of the next four games.
“Pendles has done some pretty remarkable things in his time. We won’t be taking any risks with him, if he’s right to go, he’ll play. And if he’s not, he’s not.
“This is just another opportunity for someone else to step up and share the load.”
FORGOTTEN PIE SET TO MAKE RETURN
- Jay Clark
Collingwood defender Tom Langdon will make his return from more than a year out of the game in a scratch match against Fremantle this weekend.
Gun midfielder Steele Sidebottom will come into the senior side for injured captain Scott Pendlebury, while Callum Brown is also in doubt with a rolled ankle.
Rupert Wills could also slot into a key onball role in favour of back-up clearance-winner Brayden Sier.
Langdon hasn’t played AFL since he seriously injured his knee in Round 9 last year. He tried to avoid surgery initially, but eventually went under the knife on a degenerative problem in July.
There were fears the injury was career-threatening but the backman, who turned down Sydney’s advances two years ago, has trained solidly over the past month.
Football manager Geoff Walsh confirmed Langdon was “ready to resume” after a long and challenging layoff.
“He’s been performing strongly with some full training sessions and will have some match simulation or some competitive practice against Fremantle this weekend,” Walsh said.
“Pleasingly, we will see Tom coming out and performing in that.”
Walsh said Pendlebury was expected to be out for 15-20 days to help fix a quad issue.
It means the brilliant ballwinner will miss games against Fremantle and Sydney, and potentially Adelaide as well as part of the compressed AFL fixture.
Pendlebury aggravated his back at training during the week and then tweaked his quad in the minutes before the opening bounce against West Coast.
“It was a strange one, because I actually hurt my back during the week at training in the warm-up,” Pendlebury said on the Jock and Journo podcast.
“Just where we were training a little bit of grass shifted underneath me and I tweaked my back a little bit so I didn’t really train much all week.
“But on the last kick of the centre bounce work (on Sunday) I just felt like a tiny (pain), like someone pinched you on the forearm.
“I just felt something wasn’t right and almost felt like if I had to really rip into a footy here I might really hurt something.
“Especially with the compressed fixture and shortened season you run the risk of missing 6-8 or 10-12 weeks with an injury, so I was out with two minutes to go.
“I had to sit in the change rooms in front of a little TV and watch the game.”
Sier has managed only six games since he played a starring role in the 2018 Grand Final loss. He was signed to a contract extension late last year.
MCGOVERN RULED OUT BUT BLUES SET TO REGAIN MCKAY
Carlton forward Mitch McGovern will miss up to a fortnight with the hamstring injury that troubled him in the team’s win over North Melbourne still lingering.
And key Bomber Jayden Laverde has been forced into surgery for a syndesmosis injury that will sideline him for up to two months.
McGovern was suffering hamstring tightness at halftime of Carlton’s narrow win on Saturday, with scans revealing a low-grade hamstring injury which will see him out for at least one to two weeks.
But key forward Harry McKay is expected to return in a boost for the Blues’ Friday night meeting with Hawthorn.
McKay had hyperextended his knee while training on his own last week as he awaited the results of a COVID-19 test.
“Harry probably missed out playing by one or two days,” Carlton fitness boss Andrew Russell said.
“He trained (on Monday), he moved well. He’ll train again on Wednesday and we expect him to be available to play this week.”
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Laverde, 24, hurt his ankle in the Bombers’ win against Adelaide on Sunday after his foot was caught in a tackle.
He consulted with a surgeon on Monday and immediately went under the knife on Monday afternoon and will be sidelined for at least 6-8 weeks, Essendon’s medical chief David Rundle said, while teammate Orazio Fantasia will also miss up to a month with a calf strain.
“Orazio strained his calf in the final main training session before the game last week,” Rundle said.
“An MRI scan confirmed the injury and he’ll look to run in the next seven to eight days, and will probably miss the next three to four weeks.”
On Wednesday Bombers coach John Worsfold said James Stewart could return from the wilderness. Stewart hasn’t played at senior level since Round 11, 2018.
Worsfold also flagged a potential debut for big man Sam Draper against the ladder-leading Lions.
“We like to minimise any risk when we name players and we generally won’t unless we think they are ready to go,” Worsfold said.
“Ned Cahill (who made his debut in Round 7) hadn’t played any footy this year and hadn’t played AFL before. A lot of players are making debuts in different circumstances, a lot of players are coming off long-term injuries.
“We make sure they are physically fit and ready to cope with AFL footy. Form is different question. If you wanted a guarantee how every player you bring in was going to perform, you’d never bring them in.
“James (Stewart), definitely we now feel as though he is ready to go.”
CROUCH OUT, DOEDEE RACES CLOCK
— Liz Walsh
Adelaide could be without reigning club champion Brad Crouch for at least the next four matches after he strained his hamstring in Sunday’s heartbreaking three-point loss to Essendon.
Crows medical officer Steve Saunders said it would take 2-3 weeks for the 26-year-old to return to play.
With Adelaide playing four games in 15 days from Saturday, a three-week break would mean the midfielder would miss them all.
“Brad was pushed in the back by an opponent when he was in a kicking stride and had an immediate onset of pain in the hamstring,” Saunders said.
“Scans have confirmed a strain at the junction between the muscle and the tendon, in the upper thigh.”
But big-kicking key forward Darcy Fogarty is expected to be available for selection to take on
North Melbourne on Saturday at Metricon Stadium after recovering from a high-grade shoulder injury.
Fogarty hasn’t played since Round 4, after he injured his shoulder bumping into teammate Brodie Smith at training.
“Darcy is assessing well this week,” Saunders said.
“He’s had three really good weeks of training, we’ve just been waiting for low-level strength deficits to return to normal and expect to be able to put Darcy out to play on the weekend.”
Stand-in skipper Tom Doedee could also be selected to face the Kangaroos, despite finishing Sunday’s game against the Bombers on the bench and with ice on his left hamstring.
But Saunders said a final decision on whether Doedee would play this weekend wouldn’t be made until the end of this week.
“Tom, like all players, has four games to play in 16 days,” Saunders said.
“At the end of the week when we sit down to make a decision, we’ll be considering that with the entire list.”
Scroll down to see who’s injured, who’s in the mix and the latest KFC SuperCoach intel for every team on the eve of Round 9.
Note: All fixture times local
ADELAIDE
Next game: v North Melbourne, Saturday 2.35pm (Metricon Stadium)
After scans confirmed a hamstring strain, reigning club champion Brad Crouch could miss Adelaide’s next four matches given the condensed fixture. But the news is better for stand-in skipper Tom Doedee, who is still a chance for Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne after suffering a high-grade contusion to the gluteals. Although, with just a four-day turnaround to the Round 10 game against Collingwood, the Crows may take the conservative approach with their young star. Could untried defender Jordon Butts be his replacement? Young forward Darcy Fogarty, however, is likely to make his return from a shoulder injury, while Ned McHenry is ready after a week off. Rookie midfielder Harry Schoenberg impressed in a head-to-head battle with Tom Rockliff in last week’s practice match and could push for a senior debut over the next fortnight, while Bryce Gibbs and Riley Knight are also likely to be called upon.
D.Fogarty (shoulder) test
T.Doedee (hamstring) test
N.McHenry (ribs) test
A.Taylor (hamstring) test
B.Crouch (hamstring) 2-3
R.Sloane (hand) 2-3
W.Milera (foot) 3 weeks
J.Gallucci (achilles) season
BRISBANE LIONS
Next game: v Essendon, Friday 8.10pm (Metricon Stadium)
Fresh injuries isn’t what any team wants heading into the 20-game fixture cram but that’s exactly what the Lions received from their four-point win over the Demons. Daniel Rich and Ryan Lester will miss at least one match each with minor hamstring injuries while ruckman Archie Smith, who replaced an injured Stefan Martin last round, will be in a moon boot for the next fortnight with an ankle syndesmosis injury. They will join Dan McStay on the outer this round, with the forward offered a two-game suspension for his bump on Neville Jetta. But Chris Fagan’s side was a relatively healthy one prior to Round 8 so there are plenty of replacements ready to go. Off-season recruit Cam Ellis-Yolmen got through the weekend’s practice match unscathed after returning from a calf injury while out-of-favour defender Alex Witherden surely gets his chance. And, with McStay’s ban, forgotten tall Sam Skinner is in line to play his first game since 2017.
R.Lester (hamstring) 1-2
S.Martin (back) 6-8
D.Rich (hamstring) 1-2
A.Smith (ankle) 6 weeks
M.Adams (foot) 4 weeks
C.McFadyen (knee) season
CARLTON
Next game: v Hawthorn, Friday 3.40pm (Optus Stadium)
Expect to see Tom De Koning in coming weeks after he was Carlton’s standout in a scratch match at the weekend. The ruck-forward kicked two late goals and the Blues praised his work around the ground. Marc Pittonet has shouldered the ruck load since Round 2 with Matthew Kreuzer injured, but De Koning could play forward and pinch-hit with Mitch McGovern set to miss with a hamstring strain. The Blues have their best midfield depth in years, with Paddy Dow, Lochie O’Brien and Zach Fisher forced to bide their time in the reserves due to Matthew Kennedy and Will Setterfield’s emergence. Dow won’t be in the mix to play this round after copping a knock to the knee in the weekend's scratch match. Jack Silvagni is at least another week away and defender Caleb Marchbank is expected to play his first game since pre-season next week.
J.Silvagni (knee) 2 weeks
C.Marchbank (knee) Test
P.Dow (knee) 1 week
M.McGovern (hamstring) 1-2
H.McKay (knee) test
M.Kreuzer (foot) 2-4
C.Curnow (knee) season
B.Kemp (knee) season
N.Newman (knee) season
COLLINGWOOD
Next game: v Fremantle, Sunday 4.10pm (Optus Stadium)
Skipper Scott Pendlebury will miss at least the next two games due to the warm-up injury he suffered before the Magpies’ loss to West Coast. The Magpies have a gruelling run of four games in three states in the next 14 days and face being without their skipper for most of that period. Their midfield will be bolstered by the return of Steele Sidebottom from a COVID-19 breach suspension and he could lead the club against Fremantle in Pendlebury’s absence. Darcy Cameron’s strong performance against the Eagles is likely to keep Mason Cox on the outer, while Brayden Sier, Tyler Brown and Ben Reid will be in the mix after featuring in a scratch match against West Coast. Atu Bosenavulagi and John Noble could be in strife if Nathan Buckley swings the axe.
J.De Goey (finger) 8-10
T.Varcoe (ribs) TBC
S.Pendlebury (quad) 2-3
L.Greenwood (knee) 1 week
T.Langdon (knee) indefinite
J.Howe (knee) 8-10
D.Beams (mental health) indefinite
W.Kelly (elbow) season
ESSENDON
Next game: v Brisbane Lions, Friday 8.10pm (Metricon Stadium)
Dylan Shiel’s return from suspension will give Essendon’s midfield a timely boost as the club prepares for a testing run of fixtures. The Brisbane Lions, GWS Giants, Gold Coast and St Kilda await the Bombers in the next four rounds in a true test of their finals credentials. Defender Cale Hooker is expected to miss at least another week with a calf issue and Jayden Laverde joined the club’s lengthy injury list when he went down with an ankle problem in Sunday’s tense win over Adelaide. Kyle Langford was offered a one-match ban for making forceful front-on contact with Shane McAdam and could be another forced change. Forward James Stewart looms as a likely replacement for Laverde, while ruckman Sam Draper is in the mix to debut after making a positive return following an ACL lay-off. Tagger Dylan Clarke is another who could be considered in an attempt to quell Lachie Neale.
H.Jones (foot) 1-2
C.Hooker (calf) 3 weeks
O.Fantasia (calf) 3-4
J.Stringer (syndesmosis) 3-4
J.Laverde (syndesmosis) 6-8
P.Ambrose (foot) indefinite
L.Johnson (knee) indefinite
J.Daniher (groin/calf) indefinite
D.Heppell (ankle) indefinite
T.Hird (foot) indefinite
FREMANTLE
Next game: v Collingwood, Sunday 4.10pm (Optus Stadium)
The Dockers hope it was just cramp which forced star Michael Walters off the field late in Monday’s loss to the Cats. But the outlook isn’t as positive for young midfielder Darcy Tucker’s hamstring, with a strain likely to sideline him in the short-term. However, the troops are on their way. Skipper Nat Fyfe is a chance for Sunday’s clash with Collingwood while forwards Jesse Hogan and Sam Sturt will also push their case during the week.
N.Fyfe (hamstring) test
M.Walters (hamstring) TBC
B.Cox (hip) test
S.Darcy (hamstring) TBC
S.Giro (ankle) 1-2
J.Hamling (ankle) TBC
S.Hill (adductor) TBC
J.Hogan (calf) test
G.Logue (toe) 7-9
S.Sturt (ankle) test
S.Switkowski (back) TBC
D.Tucker (hamstring) TBC
A.Pearce (ankle) season
H.Young (ankle) 7-11
GEELONG
Next game: v West Coast, Saturday 6.10pm (Optus Stadium)
A huge week ahead for the Cats who face the red-hot Eagles in Perth on a five-day turnaround after an impressive but very tiring win against Fremantle on Monday night — and their next game is just four days after that. Tom Hawkins has been offered a one-match ban for striking Luke Ryan but Joel Selwood says he’s a chance to return from a hamstring strain, although he might be held over for the North Melbourne clash: “I’m not sure if I will make it back for the West Coast one but I will be pretty close to it,” he said on K-Rock. “I ran fast (on Monday).” That could spell trouble for KFC SuperCoach favourite Sam Simpson. Jack Steven was managed against the Dockers and Quinton Narkle and Tom Atkins will be back soon. And remember Nakia Cockatoo? He’s a chance over the next few weeks. But Mark Blicavs and Esava Ratugolea will have to face off against Nic Naitanui with Darcy Foot sidelined with a foot injury and Rhys Stanley still unavailable.
J.Clark (shoulder) 4-8
J.Selwood (hamstring) test
R.Stanley (knee) 1-2
Q.Narkle (hamstring) test
L.Dahlhaus (foot) 4-5
D.Fort (foot) 2-3
T.Atkins (ribs) test
J.Jenkins (back) test
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GOLD COAST
Next game: v GWS, Sunday 3.35pm (Metricon Stadium)
The Suns have used only 28 players at AFL level this year but that number is likely to increase significantly over the next month, like it will for most clubs. And highlighting the improved depth at Gold Coast, Braydon Fiorini, Will Brodie and Sean Lemmens cannot get a game in the senior side – something which is likely to change soon. Defender Rory Thompson is nearing a return in another boost for the 10th-placed Suns while a debut may not be far away for the No. 11 pick from last year’s draft, Sam Flanders.
M.Rowell (shoulder) Indefinite
G.Horlin-Smith (foot) 1 week
R.Thompson (knee) 1 week
M.Riordan (knee) season
L.Towey (eye) test
GWS GIANTS
Next game: v Gold Coast, Sunday 3.35pm (Metricon Stadium)
No fresh injuries and most players did their job against the Tigers so selection will come down to managing the list over a tough stretch, although the Giants have it easier than most teams with an eight-day break into the Suns clash before facing Essendon off a five-day break followed by a bye. Zac Williams must be close to a return from a hamstring issue and Jackson Hately, Tom Green, Ian Hill and Matt Buntine were among the standouts in a big scratch win against Hawthorn.
C.Ward (knee) test
S.Reid (calf) 1 week
I.Cumming (hamstring) 7-9
S.Taylor (back) TBC
HAWTHORN
Next game: v Carlton, Friday 7.40pm (Optus Stadium)
Jarman Impey is closing in on his first game since suffering a knee injury in Round 19 last year. Midfielder Harry Jones was the pick of the Hawks in a recent scratch match against Sydney, collecting 27 disposals and laying seven tackles. Dylan Moore is another who will be in the mix after a three-goal, 21-disposal outing. Shaun Burgoyne has avoided suspension for his tackle on James Rowbottom. Jon Ceglar looms as an automatic inclusion at the expense of club debutant Keegan Brooksby if he passes a fitness test following a fractured toe.
J.Patton (hamstring) 2 weeks
L.Breust (jaw) test
J.Ceglar (toe) test
R.Henderson (knee) 3-5
T.O’Brien (ankle) test
M.Walker (ankle) test
W.Golds (ACL) season
MELBOURNE
Next game: v Port Adelaide, Thursday 7.50pm (Gabba)
How mad is Simon Goodwin with Bayley Fritsch? His brain fade against the Lions — giving away a 50m penalty in the dying minutes by not giving the ball back — was maddening, but he did kick two goals from just six disposals. Mitch Hannan failed to hit the scoreboard from his four touches and could be the man to make way if the coaches pick Tom McDonald, who was available for selection last week after missing a game with an eye injury. Adam Tomlinson (carry-over emergency the past two weeks), Joel Smith (one of the best in a scratch match involving players from four teams last Friday) and Alex Neal-Bullen are also in the mix. Aaron vandenBerg is another week away.
A.vandenBerg (cheekbone) 1 week
H.Petty (groin) indefinite
K.Kolodjashnij (concussion) indefinite
M.Hore (quad/toe) indefinite
A.Nietschke (knee) season
NORTH MELBOURNE
Next game: v Adelaide, Saturday 2.35pm (Metricon Stadium)
A clean bill of health was the only positive from North Melbourne’s sixth-straight loss against Carlton. Jy Simpkin overcame an ankle injury to feature in Round 8 but was blanketed by Ed Curnow, while Kyron Hayden impressed on Eddie Betts after passing a concussion test before the Blues game. Hayden suffered a knock to his knee but battled on, finishing with 12 disposals. Midfield bull Ben Cunnington remains a week-to-week consideration due to a back problem. Coach Rhyce Shaw conceded last week the club’s long injury list meant its “hands are tied a bit” at selection. Sam Durdin, Tristan Xerri, Thomas Murphy and mid-season draftee Lachlan Hosie were emergencies and could come into calculations for the club’s must-win game against Adelaide.
P.Ahern (hamstring) test
B.Cunnington (back) TBC
A.Bonar (soreness) test
K.Turner (toe) TBC
W.Walker (quad) test
J.Ziebell (hamstring) 3 weeks
D.Tyson (calf) 1-2
E.Vickers-Willis (turf toe) test
T.Garner (hamstring) 1-2
T.Thomas (ankle) season
C.Comben (back/knee) TBC
B.Jacobs (head/neck) TBC
F.Perez (knee) TBC
PORT ADELAIDE
Next game: v Melbourne, Thursday 7.50pm (Gabba)
Trent McKenzie was a late withdrawal against the Saints, after suffering back spasms in the build-up but the 28-year-old is likely to come straight back in for Thursday’s clash with the Demons. With Max Gawn waiting, the Power will give ruckman Scott Lycett every chance to prove he’s overcome a knee issue but, given the short turnaround, he faces an uphill battle to be fit. Todd Marshall had surgery on Sunday to repair a broken thumb and will miss at least five weeks, opening the door for former Cat Wylie Buzza to make his Port Adelaide debut. But if Ken Hinkley decides to go small, Boyd Woodcock and Tobin Cox will be first in line. Expect to also see Tom Rockliff, who had the ball on-a-string in the practice match against the Crows, back in the senior side over the next few rounds.
R.Burton (quad) TBC
S.Motlop (ankle) 3-4
R.Bonner (hip) test
S.Lycett (knee) test
T.Marshall (thumb) 6-7
C.Sutcliffe (hamstring) test
T.McKenzie (back) test
RICHMOND
Next game: v Western Bulldogs, Wednesday 7.10pm (Metricon Stadium)
We’ll see the Tigers’ team tonight but they have already flagged Trent Cotchin and Sydney Stack will return to face the Dogs. Premiership defender David Astbury won’t play until at least the clash against Brisbane next Tuesday (it’s a weird year). Stack showed his trademark dash in a scratch match featuring players from four teams last Friday, while Callum Coleman-Jones kicked two goals and Oleg Markov put up his hand for his first senior appearance since Round 3 last year. Several players will be nervous after very quiet games against GWS including Mabior Chol (four disposals), Jake Aarts (five) and Jack Graham (six). The Dogs have won five of their past six against the Tigers but all but one of those losses were at Marvel Stadium, including last year’s 46-point demolition, so a neutral venue will be a welcome change for a game the Tigers have to win after dropping out of the top eight.
D.Astbury (knee) 1-3
J.Caddy (hamstring) 2-4
T. Cotchin (hamstring) test
R.Garthwaite (groin) 2-4
N. Cumberland (ACL) season
W. Martyn (foot) 2-4
T.Nankervis (ankle) 3-5
D.Prestia (ankle) 3-5
B.Nyuon (shoulder) season
ST KILDA
Next game: v Sydney, Saturday 5.10pm (Gabba)
Who doubted the dual ruck set-up? Paddy Ryder and Rowan Marshall demolished young Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams and will be hoping to do the same to Callum Sinclair. The Saints have some selection options as they gear up for four matches in 16 days. Ryan Byrnes, Shane Savage, Jack Bytel and defender Oscar Clavarino — who has had a wretched run of injuries since being selected with pick 35 in the 2017 draft — shone in a rain-soaked scratch match against Brisbane. Matt Parker could struggle to hold his spot and a move into the top four was soured by news of injury setbacks to Dan Hannebery — who has returned to Melbourne for hamstring surgery — and Jimmy Webster, who hurt his hamstring in the Lions scratch match.
J.Battle (concussion/cheekbone) test
D.Hannebery (hamstring) 8-12
J.Webster (hamstring) 4-5
D.Hannebery (hamstring) test
L.Dunstan (pectoral) 6-8
J.Mayo (knee) season
SYDNEY
Next game: v St Kilda, Saturday 5.10pm (Gabba)
Will the Swans’ first win in five weeks slow down the revolving door at selection? Dane Rampe had surgery on Monday after fracturing his hand but remains a chance to play the Saints. Will Hayward and George Hewett missed the win against the Hawks with minor injuries and are in the frame for a return, with youngsters James Bell, Matt Ling and Elijah Taylor a chance for a rest. The Swans have given nearly every player on their list a shot and could add to their debutants after promoting Category B rookies Barry O’Connor and Sam Wicks to the senior list as replacements for Isaac Heeney and Sam Naismith.
W.Hayward (knee) test
D.Rampe (hand) test
M.Knoll (knee) 1-2
K.Brand (groin) 1 week
L.Franklin (hamstring) 3-4
G.Hewett (back) test
J.Kennedy (knee) 4-5
C.O’Riordan (hip) test
B.Ronke (back) 5-6
R.Stoddart (back) TBC
I.Heeney (ankle) season
S.Naismith (knee) season
WEST COAST
Next game: v Geelong, Saturday 6.10pm (Optus Stadium)
It’s all about Jeremy McGovern’s thumb over in Perth this week, with the star defender a chance to return after missing the win over the Magpies. But he’ll be put through his paces at training ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster against the Cats. The Eagles will also be hoping Elliot Yeo is available with the club to challenge the gun midfielder’s one-match ban for striking at the tribunal on Tuesday night. But if the suspension stands, Mark Hutchings could force his way back in after a long-stint on the sidelines with injury. Tall wingman Jarrod Brander, who was overlooked last week despite being available, is also a chance for a recall in the upcoming run of games.
J.Petrucelle (hamstring) 3-4
B.Ah Chee (back) test
J.Jones (hamstring) 1-2
J.McGovern (thumb) test
D.Venables (concussion) season
M. O’Neill (back) indefinite
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Next game: v Richmond, Wednesday 7.10pm (Metricon Stadium)
Round 8 debutant Cal Porter has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, with the Bulldogs saying they had decided to take a “no risk” approach with the midfielder. Forward Bailey Dale has been ruled out of Wednesday’s Round 9 opener against Richmond, with Josh Schache and Tory Dickson also set to be sidelined.
T.Duryea (quad) 3-6
J.Dunkley (ankle) 1-3
A.Naughton (ankle) 2-4
L.Jong (ankle) 3-5
R.Garcia (knee) indefinite
B.Dale (ankle) 1-2
T.Dickson (quad) 1-2
L.Hunter (personal) indefinite
C.Porter (shoulder) 1-2
J.Schache (concussion) 1 week
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