Barometer: Latest injury and selection news at your club after Round 14
Nathan Buckley has selection dilemmas in the forward line and down back after Jeremy Howe went down hurt against the Bulldogs. Fortunately, a forgotten defender is ready to return. LATEST INJURY NEWS
Fremantle
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Fremantle fears Harley Bennell has suffered a serious achilles injury that could end his AFL career.
The former Gold Coast midfielder limped off in his latest Peel Thunder contest after hoping his fourth straight WAFL contest might earn him an AFL return.
The Herald Sun understands the club’s fear is that the issue is related to his achilles rather than his calf.
He will have scans today, with any setback likely costing him his chance to push into the AFL team and try to win another contract.
A ruptured achilles tendon would cost him most of a year in rehabilitation, with Bennell on his last chance given a spate of calf and soft-tissues injuries.
SUPERCOACH: THE PHANTOM’S ROUND 14 WRAP
THE TACKLE: ARE VIC CLUBS IN CRISIS?
The Dockers fell to 7-6 after their loss to Melbourne and will sweat on foot scans to Jesse Hogan and have several banged up players in doubt against Carlton next week.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is confident Hogan has dodged a bullet amid fears he’s suffered another navicular injury.
On a day of injury carnage for the Dockers, Hogan was withdrawn early in the second quarter of the loss to Melbourne after his attempts to play on were met with pain.
He was followed by Stephen Hill, who succumbed to a right hamstring injury in the third quarter, while Sean Darcy (ribs) and Nathan Wilson (ankle) appeared to play in discomfort.
To further salt the wound, star matchwinner Michael Walters was reported for headbutting the Demons’ Jay Lockhart.
“It’s not his (Hogan’s) navicular, but we’re not certain exactly what it is. Hopefully that’s on the lower range,” coach Ross Lyon said.
“I’m concerned as well, but our doctors speak to us and they say it’s not in the navicular area, it’s something else. I think Jesse was really concerned as well.
“Stephen Hill is at the lower end, either hamstring tightness or a little nick, we’re not sure yet,” he said. “It was certainly challenging, but that would be a bit unfair to Melbourne.”
BIRCHALL MAKES SUCCESSFUL RETURN IN VFL
Grant Birchall made it through his first game of footy in almost two years for Box Hill.
Birchall, 31, last played in Round 15, 2017 when he injured his PCL against Collingwood.
The four-time premiership player underwent a reconstruction and complications relating to the injury kept him sidelined for 720 days.
Playing across half-back in Box Hill’s 37-point win against Sandringham, Birchall finished with 10 disposals, six marks and a tackle in a half of footy.
“Yeah a little bit (of nerves), I haven’t done this for nearly two years,” Birchall told the Herald Sun.
“It was really good fun and it was good to get through.
“I managed to get a touch pretty early on which was nice.”
Birchall said he had no doubt he’d be able to get back to playing footy despite the constant setbacks.
“I always thought I’d be able to get back,” he said.
“It was always the plan to play just the first half with a couple of rotations in the first and one in the second, so everything went to plan. I’ll probably build it up a bit next week and we will go from there.”
While Birchall said he hopes to make it back into the Hawks’ senior side this season, he said he wasn’t putting a date ona potential return due to his body.
“It’d be great to get back into the side but I’ll just take it one week at a time,” he said.
“I can’t afford to look too far ahead with my body so we’ll just keep building, progressing and see how we go.”
- James Mottershead
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COLLINGWOOD
Nathan Buckley can’t drop Ben Reid from the Pies’ three-pronged tall forward setup for the clash against the Kangaroos on Saturday night.
Reid snagged three goals against the Western Bulldogs to shore-up his own spot, but Buckley was filthy with the performance from the team as a whole.
The Pies conceded 15 more inside-50s to the Bulldogs, but escaped with the nine-point win. Levi Greenwood and Travis Varcoe are two who could be in the gun after quiet games.
Perhaps the Pies will sticks with the same three key forwards against North under the roof, but revert back to a two-pronged setup at the MCG against Hawthorn the following Friday night.
Jeremy Howe faces a few weeks on the sidelines to fix a calf injury and Matthew Scharenberg looms as a perfect replacement option after playing a starring 33-possession effort in the VFL.
Scharenberg has had a few weeks in the VFL and the Pies will assess this week whether he is ready to make his comeback to senior level. First-round draft pick Isaac Quaynor is another who would be in the mix.
- Jay Clark
INJURIES
Jeremy Howe (calf) TBC
Taylor Adams (groin) 1 week
Dayne Beams (hip) 10-14 weeks
Lynden Dunn (knee) season
Jamie Elliott (hamstring) 1 week
Brodie Grundy (neck) TBC
Will Kelly (leg) 4-7 weeks
Tom Langdon (knee) TBC
Nathan Murphy (ankle) indefinite
Sam Murray (provisional ASADA suspension) TBC
Daniel Wells (knee) 10 weeks
Rupert Wills (calf) TBC
ESSENDON
Star forward Jake Stringer is unlikely to return for Thursday night’s must-win clash against GWS at Marvel Stadium.
Stringer is expected to miss another week after injuring his leg against Hawthorn.
He was cleared of any fractures but coach John Worsfold said on Monday he’s still very sore.
“Unlikely for this week. It’s a bit of an unknown injury with how it’s going to progress,” he said. “If it’s not this week, hopefully it’s next week.”
“It’s more soreness. They know how severe it is, they know exactly what’s happened, it’s just the soreness and how quickly that soreness gets out and gets to where he can play a full game of footy.”
Matt Guelfi was the major concern from Thursday night’s loss to West Coast after he was pushed into the Perth Stadium fence by defender Jeremy McGovern. But he has been cleared of structural damage and was due to fly home with his teammates.
Small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti had his head bandaged after a first quarter incident but had no issue playing out the game.
— Tim Michell
INJURIES
Joe Daniher (groin) season
Sam Draper (knee season)
Devon Smith (knee) season
James Stewart (groin) test
Jake Stringer (leg) test
FREMANTLE
The Dockers had a dirty day on both sides of the country on Saturday.
It was carnage at the MCG, with Hogan and Hill unable to finish the game and Nathan Wilson and Sean Darcy playing sore with ankle and rib issues, respectively.
Then there was yet another setback for Harley Bennell in the WAFL in his third game into his latest comeback. The injury-cursed midfielder was confined to crutches after the first quarter incident.
Timelines on all are so far unclear, but coach Ross Lyon said the injuries to Hogan and Hill didn’t appear serious.
But of most concern to Lyon is the fact his big men keep hurting themselves.
— Sam Edmund
INJURIES
Harley Bennell (leg) TBC
Jesse Hogan (foot) TBC
Stephen Hill (hamstring) TBC
Harley Bennell (leg) TBC
Rory Lobb (foot) 3 weeks
Aaron Sandilands (calf) TBC
Matt Taberner (foot) season
Alex Pearce (ankle) season
GEELONG
Another bye, another loss for Chris Scott’s men. The result is one thing, the inability to correct their post-break form despite preparation tweaks is perhaps of greater concern for the Cats, who will face at least one in September.
It was a night to forget against Port, who looked hungrier than a Geelong team that never got going. The Cats experienced a horror minute at one stage when a trio of stars all appeared hurt but the coach said Gary Rohan’s head knock aside, the club had appeared to come through relatively unscathed. Tim Kelly also dusted himself off after a heavy clash in the final term.
So what changes from Geelong’s current 22? Sam Menegola is close to a return while Esava Ratugolea should be OK to face the Crows. At the lower level, Scott Selwood has now been back for some time and is playing good footy, as is Lachie Fogarty. Youngster Charlie Constable is making himself hard to ignore with a polished midfield display while ruckman Ryan Abbott also pushed his case. Jed Bews and Lachie Henderson, who suffered a shoulder injury, are others who will likely get their chance before the end of the year.
— Ben Broad
INJURIES
Nakia Cockatoo (knee) 4-6 weeks
Jordan Cunico (ankle) 4-6 weeks
Lachie Henderson (shoulder) TBC
Sam Menegola (knee) test
Quinton Narkle (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Esava Ratugolea (hamstring) test
Gary Rohan (concussion) test
HAWTHORN
The Hawks did not receive any fresh injury concerns out of the loss to the Swans but coach Alastair Clarkson’s team has now lost three in a row and change could be coming.
The good news out of the weekend is veteran defender Grant Birchall made a successful return in the VFL, playing his first game in nearly two years after knee injuries. He will need at least a few more games in the seconds before coming under consideration for senior selection.
Chad Wingard could return from a hamstring injury against West Coast, while young defender Jack Scrimshaw is also a chance.
James Sicily has been trialled up forward but Clarkson has flagged that that experiment is over and he should return to his defensive post next week.
The Hawks are a game and percentage outside the top eight and have a very tough month ahead with the Eagles (home), Magpies, Dockers (Tasmania) and Cats to come. We’ll find out a lot about this Hawthorn team over the next four weeks.
— Kate Salemme
INJURIES
Tom Mitchell (broken leg) indefinite
Jack Scrimshaw (knee) test
Chad Wingard (hamstring) test
Jacob Koschitzke (hip) test
Tim Mohr (dislocated knee/ACL) season
MELBOURNE
For one of the few times this year, the Demons got through a game of footy with a clean bill of health. That would have been just about as welcome as the four points.
The Demons’ VFL affiliate Casey play on Sunday but Simon Goodwin will be unlikely to make many changes to a winning line-up.
— Sam Edmund
INJURIES
Neville Jetta (knee) 5 weeks
Jake Melksham (foot) 3 weeks
Joel Smith (groin) 3
Tom Sparrow (knee) 6-8
Aaron vandenBerg (ankle) 3 weeks
PORT ADELAIDE
Ken Hinkley has many names on his selection whiteboard — and can still leave out 2017 club champion Patrick Ryder, 2018 club champion Justin Westhoff and former Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff, who is clear of a hamstring strain suffered against Hawthorn in Launceston in Round 10 a month ago.
As Hinkley savours the 11-point win against AFL league leader Geelong at Adelaide Oval — in his 150-game milestone as a coach — there is no reason to change the 22-man line-up for the home clash against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
This forces Rockliff, Ryder and Westhoff to work their way back in the SANFL, particularly after West Coast recruit Scott Lycett commanded in the No. 1 ruck role; Dougal Howard thrived in Westhoff’s swingman role and Dan Houston announced his arrival in the midfield role Rockliff might expect.
“‘Rock’ should get back into some good form (in the SANFL) — as we did with Ollie (Wines) and Brad (Ebert),” Hinkley said. “Our method now is to get you in better touch (in the SANFL) so it gives you a better chance to succeed (in the AFL). That is pretty simple.”
At 7-6 — and with the scalps of AFL premier West Coast and league leader Geelong this season — Port Adelaide has renewed credibility as a top-eight finals contender.
But the Power needs to show consistency — and end the win-loss sequence that has hurt the team since Round 9.
Houston told The Advertiser the Power is “in a good spot” with nine home-and-away games to play — six at Adelaide Oval.
“We’ve shown we can compete against the teams ranked above us (West Coast and Geelong),” Houston said. “Now we have to find consistency, particularly against the teams in the same spot as us. That would give us a really good chance.”
— Michelangelo Rucci
INJURIES
Jack Trengove — leg (available)
Tom Rockliff — hamstring (available)
Jack Watts — leg (TBC)
Jake Patmore — knee (season)
SYDNEY SWANS
Lance Franklin’s 300-game celebration is on hold after the superstar suffered another hamstring injury against Hawthorn on Friday night. Scans have confirmed Franklin has strained his hamstring, with the Swans expecting to be without the forward for at least a month.
Callum Sinclair suffered concussion late in the win over Hawthorn. He will be monitored and will need to pass concussion tests this week before being cleared to face the Suns.
Kieren Jack returned from injury in the NEAFL on Saturday and could come into the selection mix after 23 disposals and a goal.
The Swans are in great form and are still in the finals mix, having won their last two matches and with winnable games against the Suns, Bombers and Blues coming in the next three weeks.
— Kate Salemme
INJURIES
Lance Franklin (hamstring) 3-4 weeks
Callum Sinclair (concussion) test
Jarrad McVeigh (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Harry Cunningham (quad) 1-2 weeks
Matthew Ling (foot) 2-3 weeks
Sam Naismith (knee) indefinite
Durak Tucker (knee) indefinite
Nick Smith (hamstring) season
Jack Maibaum (knee) season
WEST COAST
Nic Naitanui is poised to return from his second knee reconstruction against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday after making a successful WAFL comeback.
The West Coast star will return to the AFL stage at the venue where he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament just over 11 months ago and where he had to watch his teammates with the premiership without him last September.
But defender Tom Barrass, a key figure given Jeremy McGovern’s potential suspension, is under a cloud after failing to finish the thumping victory over East Fremantle due to a calf issue.
Barrass, who was making his own return from a foot stress fracture, had an ice pack strapped to his right calf and was limping noticeably. The club said he had sustained a cork.
Eagles football operations manager Craig Vozzo said the 64-minute workout for the West Coast reserves was all Naitanui needed to prepare for his AFL comeback.
The ruckman’s recovery will be monitored over the next 48 hours but he appeared relaxed post-match and didn’t need ice anywhere on his body.
“He blew up early but hit back pretty well, got a bit of the footy. (He was) jumping well, moving well. All the athletic signsare pretty good so far,” Vozzo said.
“The last month he’s been having game-like sessions once a week leading into this game. So we’ve been doing a lot of physicalwork and game-like work at training and we’ve followed probably the last five or six weeks of what we did last time.
“So that gives us confidence leading into next week. It will be good for him to get through this challenge mentally but alsophysically as well.”
The Eagles could be without Jeremy McGovern for the clash against the Hawks after he was slapped with a one-match ban for rough conduct on Matt Guelfi. The club is expected to challenge the ban at the tribunal.
— Braden Quartermaine
INJURIES
Patrick Bines (hernia) TBC
Harry Edwards (foot) TBC
Daniel Venables (concussion) TBC
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Luke Beveridge says Toby McLean is a chance to return to face Port Adelaide on Saturday night after being dropped for the first time in two years.
McLean, who had averaged 17 disposals and kicked eight goals in 12 games this year, didn’t play any footy at the weekend as he was held over from Footscray’s VFL clash in case of a late out at Marvel Stadium.
“He’s been a good player for us for a period of time and it’s the first time he’s been out of the side for a long time,” Beveridge said.
“We’re searching for the players who can take us to the next level. We always talk about players influencing the result, and that’s what we’re after Toby to do week-in week-out.”
There were no fresh injuries against the Magpies but Roarke Smith, Hayden Crozier and Bailey Smith didn’t have their best days.
Lewis Young and mature-age forward Ben Cavarra (15 disposals, one goal) were among the Dogs’ best in their VFL loss to Collingwood.
- Al Paton
INJURIES
Billy Gowers (ankle) 3-5 weeks
Tom Liberatore (knee) 4-6 weeks
Dale Morris (knee) test
Fergus Greene (shoulder) 2-4 weeks
Mitch Wallis (ankle) 3-4 weeks
Lukas Webb (ankle) 4-6 weeks
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