AFL teams: Latest Round 15 selection news
Hawthorn has made a contentious selection call to help Shaun Burgoyne reach a milestone. And an AFL legend says Carlton should do the same with Marc Murphy.
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Carlton should “the use the system” to ensure veteran Marc Murphy reaches 300 games - even as a medical sub for multiple weeks - according to four-time premiership coach and AFL Legend Leigh Matthews.
Murphy, 33, returns for the Blues’ senior side for Sunday’s clash with Adelaide at Marvel Stadium after being dropped back to the VFL following the Round 12 clash with West Coast.
It will be Murphy’s 296th game, with Blues coach David Teague insisting recently that he won’t be ‘gifting’ games to any player.
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Matthews said clubs had every right to use the 23rd man medi-sub in whatever way they wished, noting that Hawthorn had used Shaun Burgoyne in the role on two occasions as he approached 400 games.
“I don’t think you can ever play a player who hasn’t earned a place in your best team, particularly in the current Carlton situation when everything is under review,” Matthews said on 3AW.
“(But) I think you can use the system (with the 23rd man).
“I think they can make him (Murphy) medi-sub … to help him get to 300 games.
“I see that Shaun Burgoyne has been that a couple of times at Hawthorn and he is about to play his 400th game.”
Hawthorn made the contentious decision to get Shaun Burgoyne to the milestone by making him the medi-sub for this week’s clash against Greater Western Sydney.
The Hawks have used the bizarre loophole introduced by the league with the medi-sub to minimise the risk of injury to their 398-game champion.
While Burgoyne was listed as an out in the club’s Friday final teams, the club confirmed he would be the medi-sub.
It means he could easily play his 400th game having received no game time in his 399th game.
The Hawks take on Port Adelaide in what will now be his 400th game in a fortnight in what is the perfect occasion given it is against his old side at Marvel Stadium.
But Burgoyne has effectively been escorted to 400 games given he was also the unused medical sub in Round 4 when the Hawks travelled to Perth to take on Fremantle.
Hawks football boss Rob McCartney said the decision had been made in consultation with Burgoyne to ensure he was fit for his 400th game.
“Knowing we have a six-day break between this game and our Round 16 match-up with Port Adelaide has meant we’ve decided to make Shaun our medical sub against the Giants on Sunday,” he said.
“This is obviously part of his management plan in order to have him ready for what will be his 400th game next weekend. It’s been a joint decision between Shaun, our medical staff and match committee.”
Burgoyne will join 400-gamers Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Dustin Fletcher and Kevin Bartlett in the elite group.
The AFL made the ruling when it introduced its poorly received medi-sub, instead of ensuring a player had to take the field to be given an AFL game.
The AFL has already said it expects the medi-sub will remain in its current format next year given the fairness factors.
It believes clubs have not abused the medi-sub by taking off players who were not injured.
But in a game of such resilience and physicality the decision to potentially gift Burgoyne two games on his way to 400 will elicit mixed responses.
Coach Alastair Clarkson has already shown his ruthless side with the medi-sub when debutante Connor Downie didn’t play any game time in his first AFL game as the sub.
Hardwick’s plan for out-of-favour Tiger
Richmond is trying to find a new role for triple premiership player Daniel Rioli after dropping the out-of-sorts forward for a second time this season.
Rioli, who was also dropped twice last year, will play in the VFL for a second consecutive week against Sandringham on Saturday as the Tigers work to morph the 24-year-old into a rebounding defender.
Rioli spent time through the midfield against Williamstown last Sunday, gathering 17 disposals.
However, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said he hoped a move to half-back would help reinvigorate the talented player, who has averaged just 9.1 disposals and kicked only nine goals from 12 AFL games this season.
Rioli has been played as a medical substitute in three of those matches.
“Daniel is a really important player to us but we also want him to be the player that we think he can be,” Hardwick said.
“He’s playing a really diligent role across that half-forward line but we want to broaden his horizons so he’ll play some half-back (in the VFL) on the weekend just to give us some run and carry from that back half.
“He’s an incredible talent. We’ve just got to make sure, me especially, that we get the very best out of Daniel.”
Hardwick said Rioli needed to “evolve” and the move could help his team do the same.
“The game consistently challenges us to change so Daniel’s got to change with it,” Hardwick said.
“We’re excited about the prospect of what he can become, particularly behind the ball. He can run, he can kick it, he can dispose of it really, really well. So it’s going to be one step back to go two steps forward.”
LATE MAIL: SUPERCOACH ANALYSIS, WHISPERS, ADVICE
Rioli is not the only Tigers who has been challenged to learn a new role, with midfielder and defender Marlion Pickett having been tried at half-forward in the VFL last weekend.
Inside onballer Jack Ross has also been swung to halfback as the Tigers move the magnets to give themselves more flexibility.
Hardwick said his side was not looking too far ahead but believed its best football was ahead of it.
Richmond sits in eighth spot with a 7-6 record entering Friday night’s clash against St Kilda at the MCG.
“The whips are starting to crack, so to speak,” Hardwick said. “So we’ve got to get our very best footy up and about.
“We know our best footy is certainly in front of us … we’ve got to start playing to the level we think we are capable of.”
Cox wins Pies recall, big Blues blow
Carlton and St Kilda have responded to their poor form by making wholesale changes as a host of high-quality players return for Round 15.
Collingwood has been bolstered by key pillars Brodie Grundy and Taylor Adams, who will both return from injury, and has promoted Mason Cox for his first senior game since Round 4.
Superstar Nat Fyfe is also back for the Magpies-Dockers contest on Saturday afternoon, while the Eagles regain top-line players Tim Kelly, Luke Shuey and Jeremy McGovern.
David Teague has named as many as six changes for his side’s clash with Adelaide on Sunday afternoon. Tom De Koning will lead Carlton’s ruck division after tall Marc Pittonet suffered an ankle injury.
Highly-touted intercept defender Denver Grainger-Barras, a top-ten selection at last year’s draft, will make his debut for Hawthorn, while Dylan Williams will play his first senior game for Port Adelaide.
Meanwhile, St Kilda has five outs, but will be boosted by the return of ruckman Rowan Marshall.
Richmond ruckman Samson Ryan will make his AFL debut on Friday night as the Tigers prepare to tackle talented St Kilda talls Marshall and Paddy Ryder.
Just two months after Richmond coach Damien Hardwick raised Ryan’s name as a player who could be shifted to the Gold Coast Suns if the AFL was to adopt a loan system, the Tigers will unveil the 207cm former Queenslander as part of a three-pronged ruck attack.
Neither Ryder or Marshall played for the Saints last time they met the Tigers in Round 5 and Richmond was found out in the ruck department late against West Coast in its last match a fortnight ago as Mabior Chol and Callum Coleman-Jones both tired.
Regular first-picked ruckman Toby Nankervis remains sidelined with a knee injury and premiership big man Ivan Soldo is out for the season for an ACL injury he suffered late last year.
“He’s really come on a lot quicker than we thought,” Hardwick said of Ryan.
“We thought he was a project player, but his ability to learn and drive to learn has been really important. His game at VFL on the weekend was very, very good. He’s tough in the contest for a guy of his size, he uses the ball at ground level really well. So we’re really excited about what he’s going to bring on Friday night.”
Hardwick confirmed midfielder Dion Prestia will return from a hamstring injury against the Saints, but key defender David Astbury has been ruled out as he continues to battle an Achilles injury.
Marlion Pickett will play despite featuring in a new role across half-forward in the VFL on Sunday during Richmond’s bye, however Daniel Rioli will spend at least another week in the seconds as the Tigers look to teach him a new role in defence.
“Daniel is a really important player to us but we also want him to be the player that we think he can be,” Hardwick said.
“He’s playing a really diligent role across that half-forward line, but we want to broaden his horizons, so he’ll play some half-back (in the VFL) on the weekend just to give us some run and carry from that back half. He’s an incredible talent. We’ve just got to make sure, me especially, that we get the very best out of Daniel.”
NAUGHTON SET TO RECOVER FOR TRIP WEST
Aaron Naughton will be fit to take on West Coast’s star-studded line-up despite playing with the pain of a rib injury.
Naughton was cleared of structural damage by Dogs doctors after the last-gasp loss to Geelong after a crunching collision against Cats defender Jed Bews.
The force of the hit meant the Bulldogs were also keen to rule out any internal damage, but he was on the plane on Sunday to Perth and will play against West Coast.
He has had a spectacular year so far, kicking 29 goals and taking 35 contested marks and will fly past his previous best tally of 32 goals in 2019.
He will need to help combat the aerial skills of the Eagles, with Jeremy McGovern among four significant inclusions for Adam Simpson’s West Coast.
McGovern, Luke Shuey, Tim Kelly and Brad Sheppard are all set to take on the Dogs at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
Shuey is back from hamstring tendon surgery after a successful WAFL hitout, while McGovern has battled with a knee injury.
The Dogs have been in Perth lockdown all week but able to train away from their Joondalup Resort base.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson said on Thursday the Eagles were ready after losing by two points to the Dogs last year and then falling seven points short earlier this year in Melbourne.
“They’re the real deal,” Simpson said.
“They’ve obviously got a lot of confidence in their system, they’ve got plenty of talent and they work their backsides off. Where they play and when they play, I’m sure they’re not worried at all.
“You only have to look at the final last year with Collingwood doing the exact same thing. I’m sure they’ve got no fears on handling what they’re going through.”
SCOTT DEFENDS SKIPPER OVER UGLY ‘MISTAKES’
Geelong captain Joel Selwood deserves more respect as an “icon” of the game, according to Cats coach Chris Scott, who has launched a strong defence of his under-fire captain.
Selwood was the target of criticism this week in the wake of two on-field actions in the last-gasp win against the Western Bulldogs that resulted in fines worth a combined $3000.
He was cited by the match review panel for making contact with Bailey Dale’s face and stomping Taylor Duryea’s leg.
Critics lashed Selwood for the incidents, with Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw labelling them “two of the worst things you can do on a football field”.
But Scott, who had spoken to Selwood, said his captain had acknowledged his actions as “mistakes” and they should not tarnish his reputation over more than 300 stellar games in any way.
“Joel is an icon of the game and his reputation is important to him and important to us,” Scott said on Tuesday.
“The point I’ll repeat is that humans in general, but footy players, even good ones, captains, legends of the game, make mistakes, and they should put their hands up for that which is what Joel did in particular with one of those incidents.
Joel Selwood is set to come under scrutiny for making forceful contact with Bulldog Bailey Dale's head.
— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) June 19, 2021
Watch the footage: https://t.co/HojXtUVfc4
“The second one, where he accidentally stood on someone, was a genuine mistake, and I think it’s incumbent in people in the footy industry to treat Joel Selwood with a level of respect whereby when he says something, they believe him.”
Scott said Selwood had handled the overwhelming amount of criticism “like the ultimate pro”.
“It won’t have any bearing on him at all,” he said.
“But I think the broader issues, over the long term, if people are saying with a straight face that it tarnishes his reputation, I think that reflects more on them than it does on him.”
Emotions were high following the victory over the Bulldogs, sealed by an after-the-siren goal from Gary Rohan.
Scott was extremely expressive in the coach’s box, and he said he would never shy away from those sort of responses that were the result of a big moment for his team and for Rohan too.
“Our game is difficult for the people involved, there are lots of periods which test your resilience,” Scott said.
“I have always held the view that the really good times, if you can achieve them, make up for all those challenges. I am not going to hold back when you experience a situation like that because it’s rare.
“I enjoyed the moment as a one-eyed fan, but I enjoyed it for Gary Rohan too. There’s a whole range of ways you can show mental resilience, toughness in a game of footy. That’s clearly one of them.
“When you have the fortunes of your team on your shoulders, to have the mental fortitude to go back and execute like that. We were pretty pumped for him.”
ROUND 15 TEAMS
BRISBANE LIONS V GEELONG
Thursday June 24, 7:30pm at The Gabba
CATS
B: T. Atkins, L. Henderson, J. Henry
HB: Z. Tuohy, T. Stewart, J. Kolodjashnij
C: I. Smith, C. Guthrie, S. Menegola
HF: L. Dahlhaus, J. Cameron, B. Parfitt
F: P. Dangerfield, T. Hawkins, G. Rohan
FOLL: M. Blicavs, C. Guthrie, J. Selwood – C
I/C: J. Bews, E. Ratugolea, S. Higgins, B. Close
EMG: G. Miers, Q. Narkle, Z. Guthrie, R. Stanley
In: L.Henderson
Out: M.Duncan (Injured), Q.Narkle (Omitted)
LIONS
B: C. Ah Chee, H. Andrews, B. Starcevich
HB: D. Rich, M. Adams, G. Birchall
C: Z. Bailey, L. Neale, H. McCluggage
HF: D. Zorko J. Daniher, L. McCarthy
F: D. McStay, E. Hipwood, C. Cameron
FOLL: O. McInerney, J. Lyons, M. Robinson
I/C: D. Robertson, K. Coleman, J. Prior, J. Madden
EMG: T. Berry, R. Mathieson, C. Ballenden, J. Payne
In: D. Zorko
Out: R. Mathieson (Omitted), T. Berry (Medi-Sub)
RICHMOND v ST KILDA
Friday June 25, 7.50pm at the MCG
TIGERS
B: Vlastuin, Balta, Grimes
HB: Baker, Short, Broad
C: McIntosh, Cotchin, Pickett
HF: Castagna, Aarts, Graham
F: Coleman-Jones, Martin, Riewoldt
FOLL: Chol, Edwards, Lambert
I/C: Houli, Bolton, Ryan, Prestia
EMG: Collier-Dawkins, Caddy, Mansell, Parker
IN: Ryan, Prestia
OUT: Rioli, Caddy (both omitted), Ralphsmith (sub)
SAINTS
B: Howard, Wilkie, Sinclair
HB: Highmore, Webster, Long
C: Hill, Crouch, Ross
HF: Billings, Battle, Higgins
F: King, Membrey, Butler
FOLL: Ryder, Steele, Dunstan
I/C: Byrnes, McKenzie, Wood, Marshall
EMG: Coffield, Connolly, Lonie, Hunter
IN: Ross, Membrey, McKenzie, Marshall
OUT: Coffield, Hunter, Lonie (all omitted), Clark, Bytel (both injured)
COLLINGWOOD v FREMANTLE
Saturday June 26, 1.45pm at Marvel Stadium
MAGPIES
B: Noble, Roughead, Maynard
HB: Quaynor, Madgen, Mayne
C: Hoskin-Elliott, Crisp, Poulter
HF: Bianco, Cameron, Thomas
F: Sidebottom, Mihocek, Elliott
FOLL: Grundy, Pendlebury, Adams
I/C: Cox, Daicos, McCreery, Murphy
EMG: Brown, Lynch, Macrae, Wilson
IN: Grundy, Adams, Cox
OUT: Lynch (omitted), De Goey (suspended), Moore (injured), Rantall (sub)
DOCKERS
B: Wilson, Pearce, Ryan
HB: Aish, Logue, Tucker
C: Acres, Fyfe, Brayshaw
HF: Colyer, Lobb, Walters
F: Schultz, Taberner, Henry
FOLL: Darcy, Mundy, Cerra
I/C: Switkowski, Serong, Walker, Treacy
EMG: Bewley, Crowden, Conca, Duman
IN: Wilson, Logue, Fyfe, Taberner, Switkowski
OUT: Conca, Duman, Bewley, Crowden, Western (all omitted), Blakely (sub)
NORTH MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST
Saturday June 26, 1.45pm at Blundstone Arena
KANGAROOS
B: Turner, McKay, Tarrant
HB: Ziebell, Walker, Hall
C: Dumont, Cunnington, McDonald
HF: Simpkin, Larkey, Davies-Uniacke
F: Mahony, Zurhaar, Stephenson
FOLL: Goldstein, Phillips, Thomas
I/C: Xerri, Atley, Young, Taylor
EMG: Ford, Scott, Bosenavulagi, Campbell
IN: Phillips
OUT: Scott (omitted), Powell (managed)
SUNS
B: Powell, Graham, Lemmens
HB: Lukosius, Ballard, Bowes
C: Ellis, Sharp, Greenwood
HF: Corbett, Day, Holman
F: Rankine, King, Flanders
FOLL: Smith, Ainsworth, Miller
I/C: Anderson, Markov, Rowell, Sexton
EMG: Atkins, Brodie, Burgess, Fiorini
IN: Sharp, Corbett, Ainsworth
OUT: Burgess (omitted), Swallow, Weller (both injured), Fiorini (sub)
PORT ADELAIDE v SYDNEY
Saturday June 26, 4:35pm at Adelaide Oval
POWER
B: Burton, McKenzie, Aliir
HB: Houston, Jonas, Byrne-Jones
C: Bergman, Wines, Amon
HF: Rozee, Marshall, Motlop
F: Georgiades, Dixon, Powell-Pepper
FOLL: Lycett, Boak, Drew
I/C: Lienert, Farrell, Hartlett, Williams
EMG: Frederick, Ladhams, Woodcock, Mayes
IN: Marshall, Williams
OUT: Gray, Jones (both injured), Ladhams (omitted)
SWANS
B: Fox, McCartin, Brand
HB: Hewett, Rampe, Lloyd
C: McInerney, Parker, Florent
HF: Gulden, Amartey, Bell
F: Heeney, Franklin, Papley
FOLL: Hickey, Kennedy, Mills
I/C: Dawson, Rowbottom, Cunningham, Hayward
EMG: O’Riordan, Blakey, Sinclair, Ronke
IN: Brand, Gulden
OUT: Wicks (suspended), McDonald (omitted), Taylor (sub)
ESSENDON v MELBOURNE
Saturday June 26, 7:25pm at the MCG
BOMBERS
B: Laverde, Stewart, Ridley
HB: Hind, Redman, Heppell
C: Langford, Merrett, Guelfi
HF: Perkins, Jones, Smith
F: Stringer, Hooker, McDonald-Tipungwuti
FOLL: Draper, Parish, Ham
I/C: Zerk-Thatcher, Cox, Waterman, Wright
EMG: Phillips, Cutler, Zaharakis, Durham
IN: Waterman
OUT: Cutler (sub), Cahill (omitted)
DEMONS
B: Hunt, May, Lever
HB: Hibberd, Petty, Salem
C: Jordon, Viney, Langdon
HF: Pickett, Fritsch, Sparrow
F: Neal-Bullen, McDonald, Spargo
FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Petracca
I/C: Harmes, Jackson, Brayshaw, Rivers
EMG: Jones, Chandler, Jetta, Brown
IN: Viney
OUT: Weideman (omitted), Chandler (sub)
GWS GIANTS v HAWTHORN
Sunday June 27, 1.10pm at the MCG
GIANTS
B: Buckley, Davis, Reid
HB: Perryman, Haynes, Cumming
C: Kelly, Ward, Whitfield
HF: de Boer, Himmelberg, Hill
F: Greene, Finlayson, Lloyd
FOLL: Flynn, Taranto, Hopper
I/C: Kennedy, Idun, Briggs, Daniels
EMG: Green, Ash, Mumford, Bruhn
IN: Daniels
OUT: Ash (medi-sub), Green (omitted)
HAWKS
B: Hardwick, Hartigan, Grainger-Barras
HB: Day, Frost, Jiath
C: Bramble, Newcombe, Phillips
HF: O’Meara, Breust, Koschitzke
F: Moore, McEvoy, Howe
FOLL: Ceglar, Mitchell, Worpel
I/C: Scrimshaw, Wingard, O’Brien, Shiels
EMG: Nash, Cousins, Burgoyne, Greaves
IN: Grainger-Barras, Worpel, Hartigan
OUT: Impey (injured), Burgoyne (managed), Cousins, Nash (both omitted)
WEST COAST v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Sunday June 27, 3.20pm at Optus Stadium
EAGLES
B: Hurn, Barrass, Sheppard
HB: Cole, McGovern, Duggan
C: Gaff, Kelly, Cripps
HF: Redden, Darling, Sheed
F: Allen, Kennedy, Ryan
FOLL: Naitanui, Yeo, Shuey
I/C: Waterman, Rotham, L.Edwards, Petruccelle
EMG: Langdon, Vardy, Nelson, Jones
IN: Sheppard, McGovern, Kelly, Shuey, Petruccelle
OUT: Foley, Nelson H.Edwards, Jones, Langdon (all omitted), O’Neill (medi-sub)
BULLDOGS
B: Gardner, Keath, Williams
HB: Duryea, Cordy, Dale
C: Daniel, Liberatore, Hunter
HF: Johannisen, Naughton, Weightman
F: Scott, Bruce, Bontempelli
FOLL: English, Macrae, Smith
I/C: Garcia, Hannan, McLean, Richards
EMG: Crozier, R.Smith, Wallis, Schache
IN: Richards, Garcia
OUT: R.Smith, Crozier (both omitted), Wallis (medi-sub)
CARLTON v ADELAIDE
Sunday June 27, 4.10pm at Marvel Stadium
BLUES
B: Saad, Weitering, Stocker
HB: Plowman, Jones, Williams
C: Martin, Cripps, Docherty
HF: E.Curnow, Silvagni, Betts
F: McKay, Kennedy, Owies
FOLL: De Koning, Dow, Walsh
I/C (from): Murphy, Petrevski-Seton, Newnes, Fogarty
EMG: Honey, O’Brien, Cottrell, Newman
IN: Plowman, Murphy, Petrevski-Seton
OUT: Parks, Newman (both omitted), Fisher, Pittonet (both injured)
CROWS
B: Doedee, Butts, Jones
HB: Smith, Kelly, Brown
C: Sholl, Keays, Seedsman
HF: McHenry, Walker, Berry
F: McAdam, Thilthorpe, Rowe
FOLL: O’Brien, Laird, Sloane
I/C (from): Fogarty, Mackay, Schoenberg, Hamill
EMG: McPherson, Hately, Murray, Himmelberg
IN: Brown
OUT: McPherson, Worrell (both omitted)
EMG: Hately, Murray, Himmelberg, McPherson
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