Aaron Naughton sports helmet at training as Bulldogs ramp up finals preparations
Forward Aaron Naughton was spotted training in a helmet on Monday as he prepares to face St Kilda in an elimination final — and there’s been good news for two other key Bulldogs. See the latest injury intel.
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A helmet, a hospital and a homecoming have helped Western Bulldogs stars Aaron Naughton, Josh Bruce and Easton Wood stay on track for Saturday’s elimination final.
While most eyes were glued to Richmond star Tom Lynch’s skills session on Monday, Naughton slipped on to the neighbouring oval outside Metricon Stadium at the same time to test out his cheekbone wearing a thick black helmet.
Naughton, who had surgery last week, trained with the Dogs’ depth players and rehabilitation group and got through some bodywork with forwards coach Ash Hansen.
The powerful full-forward will play against St Kilda at the Gabba, most likely with the headgear on.
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Bruce, meanwhile, left the AFL hub on the weekend for the birth of his second child in a Queensland hospital.
The former Saint was absent from training on Saturday and Monday, but is expected to train with the group on Wednesday after testing negative for COVID-19.
Bruce trained by himself on Sunday.
Bruce’s wife Pip has taken the newborn and their two-year-old daughter Poppy out of the hub and into a private residence, with Bruce’s mother-in-law flying north and quarantining this month so she could help out.
“That (help) is crucial, because Pip needs that support one-on-one, which Josh can’t do with training,” Wood said on Monday.
It is understood that Bruce is allowed to visit his baby at that address for about two hours every day before he must return to the Dogs’ Royal Pines base to comply with AFL protocols.
Wood’s wife Tiffany and one-year-old daughter Matilda jetted back to Melbourne on Monday to prepare for the birth of their baby boy, who is due in early November.
“We ummed and ahhed for weeks as to what we were going to do,” Wood said.
“My brother (McLeod) lives in Brisbane, so we had an option to have Tiff move to Brisbane and we were exploring having our boy up here.
“The logistics and the cost of that became too difficult and just the pull for home became too great.
“We ended up deciding that Tiff would go home and I’ll stay until the finals are done and get back.”
The Woods have been granted an exemption for Tiffany’s sister to be on call for support in Melbourne.
They have loved watching Matilda grow up alongside all the other Bulldog babies in the hub.
“We’re going through all the same challenges,” Wood said.
“It’s been huge for Tilly to have the social interaction she’s had here with all the other kids and all the faces within the hub.
“She’s started waving at people in lifts and doing all that kind of thing.
“She’s really thrived her. She’s gone from not being able to sit up or crawl to now she’s almost walking.”
KENNEDY RACING CLOCK TO FACE MAGPIES
– Craig O’Donoghue
West Coast will wait several more days before testing Josh Kennedy’s injured ankle with the club determined to give him as much time as possible to prepare for Saturday’s elimination final against Collingwood.
Kennedy injured his ankle against North Melbourne in the last round of the season and while coach Adam Simpson has been confident that it wouldn’t keep him sidelined from the elimination final, the Coleman medallist still hasn’t trained.
Simpson said the coaches didn’t want to take any risks with the extended time between games.
“We haven’t seen him train this week,” Simpson told ABC Radio.
“This morning he might have run a few laps and had a couple of shots at goal. It’s not his kicking foot.
“It’s his left ankle so he is able to have set shots.
“We just don’t want to test it too early just in case it flares up a little bit. he did a couple of little things.
“I reckon as all players do, they test it on their own when no-one is looking.
“He’s in a good mood, which is always a good sign.”
West Coast is set to have an influx of talent for the elimination final with a host of stars having recovered from injury.
That group includes tagger Mark Hutchings and the Eagles are weighing up whether to lock down on Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury.
WHERE IS YOUR TEAM’S HEALTH AT?
The 2020 COVID-affected AFL season has been a war of attrition, with extensive travel, long hub stays and tiring bus rides becoming the norm for players.
Clubs have done their best to manage their lists, rotating players in an effort to keep them fit and healthy and have as many as possible available for the business end of the season.
Now that the first week of finals is just around the corner, News Corp has assessed which teams have the healthiest lists – as it could be a key factor in deciding this year’s premiers.
PORT ADELAIDE
The Power are heading into their first finals series since 2017 with the smallest injury list of all the teams, and the bye before their qualifying final against Geelong at Adelaide Oval gives them every chance to have a clean sheet on the injury front. Medical staff won’t be taking any chances with the high-leaping Georgiades considering his age (18), but expect defender Tom Clurey and Ryan Burton to be right to play.
INJURY LIST:
Tom Clurey (hamstring) 1 week
Ryan Burton (quad) 1 week
Mitch Georgiades (hamstring) test
BRISBANE
The Lions will be buoyed that star defender Harris Andrews is not far away from returning after tearing his hamstring in Round 15 and could well be available ahead of schedule (originally thought to be six weeks). Jarrod Berry is a likely starter for Brisbane’s qualifying final against Richmond after overcoming his shoulder strain.
INJURY LIST:
Marcus Adams (foot) season
Harris Andrews (hamstring) test
Jarrod Berry (shoulder) test
Connor McFadyen (ACL) season
WEST COAST
Compared with other clubs, the Eagles have an eye-watering injury list heading into finals. Jamie Cripps will play the elimination final against Collingwood after the birth of his son Reif, while Luke Shuey, Lewis Jetta and Mark Hutchings will all be pushing for selection. But Elliot Yeo will be out, while Josh Kennedy could miss after injuring his ankle against North Melbourne.
INJURY LIST:
Jamie Cripps (personal) available
Mark Hutchings (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Lewis Jetta (calf) 1-2 weeks
Ben Johnson (groin) season
Jamaine Jones (hamstring) season
Josh Kennedy (ankle) test
Jeremy McGovern (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Mitch O’Neil (back) 4-6 weeks
Jack Redden (thumb) 2-3 weeks
Willie Rioli (ASADA ban) season
Luke Shuey (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Nathan Vardy (thigh) 1-2 weeks
Daniel Venables (concussion) season
Francis Watson (knee) season
Elliot Yeo (groin) season
RICHMOND
The selection heat is on at the Tigers, with several key inclusions looming for the qualifying final against Brisbane. Richmond will give Tom Lynch every chance to be declared fit from his Round 17 hamstring injury. Dion Prestia is pushing to return from a Round 5 syndesmosis injury, with coach Damien Hardwick declaring: “He makes us better by being out there. If he’s putting his hand up to play, I’m picking him”. The Tigers are not concerned about minor injuries suffered to Josh Caddy (knee) and Jake Aarts (shoulder) in the win over Adelaide.
INJURY LIST:
Tom Lynch (hamstring) test
Dion Prestia (ankle) test
Shai Bolton (calf) test
Callum Coleman-Jones (suspension) season
Sydney Stack (suspension) season
Noah Cumberland (knee) season
Bigoa Nyuon (shoulder) season
Ivan Soldo (knee) season
GEELONG
Geelong is as close to full strength as possible, with ruckman Rhys Stanley “almost certain” to be available for the first final against Port Adelaide. He has not played since August 28 with a groin injury, but the Cats are keen to find room for him as their ruck set-up prepares for another shuffle. Pressure forward Tom Atkins had played every match since Round 10 before missing the win over the Swans with soreness, so he too would also be pushing for a recall. Geelong otherwise appears settled. Fringe midfielder Charlie Constable’s season is at risk after suffering his second concussion this season in a scratch match during the week.
INJURY LIST:
Rhys Stanley (groin) test
Tom Atkins (soreness) test
Charlie Constable (concussion) test
Sam Simpson (hamstring) test
Nakia Cockatoo (wrist) season
Nathan Kreuger (knee) season
ST KILDA
All eyes will be on the fitness of Zak Jones, who suffered a hamstring injury on September 10 but is pushing to play. Jack Lonie will be on light duties this week after a knock to the knee against GWS, but benefits from the bye week off. The Saints have a relatively healthy list after Dan Hannebery got through his return on Friday night following hamstring tendon surgery. The Saints are also on baby watch: Jake Carlisle is on standby to return to Victoria where his partner Mel is 38 weeks’ pregnant, while Jarryn Geary’s heavily pregnant partner Emma is in the hub and due any day.
INJURY LIST:
Zak Jones (hamstring) test
Jack Lonie (knee) test
Jade Gresham (back) season
Jack Mayo (knee) season
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Western Bulldogs have declared forward Aaron Naughton will feature against St Kilda.
Naughton underwent surgery on a fractured cheekbone on Tuesday and the Bulldogs said on Saturday confident he would lead their attack against the Saints.
The Bulldogs also said Mitch Wallis has shown “significant” improvement in his recovery from a jarred shoulder.
Laitham Vandermeer and veteran Matt Suckling could also be in the frame to take on the Saints as they recover from hamstring injuries.
Wallis (24 goals) and Naughton (14 goals) are the Bulldogs’ leading goalkickers this season and crucial to the team’s hopes of pushing deeper into the finals.
Bulldogs’ medical services manager Chris Bell said the club was optimistic both Naughton and Wallis, who were both injured in the final-round against Fremantle in Cairns, would be available for the first final.
“In the second quarter, Aaron sustained a depressed cheekbone fracture. This did require surgery, which was completed yesterday,” Bell said.
“All went as well as we could have hoped and we remain optimistic that Aaron is going to take the field in the first final.
“Mitch was involved in a contest where he jarred his shoulder. He was sore following the game but has made significant improvements in the last few days.
“We’re working through a process with Mitch but remain confident he’ll play in the first final.”
Vandermeer injured his hamstring in the Round 14 clash against Geelong, while Suckling was ruled out of the final-round match against the Dockers.
“Matt and Laitham are progressing ahead of schedule following their hamstring injuries,” Bell said.
“Both have completed substantial rehab running and football session and in-line to reintegrate back into training this week.
“They will look to tick some final boxes next week, trying to prove their fitness for the first final.”
Forward Josh Schache remains one to three weeks away with his achilles tendon soreness, while youngster Cody Weightman has been ruled out for the rest of the season after injuring his ankle in a scratch match on Monday.
INJURY LIST:
Lin Jong (ankle) season
Toby McLean (ACL) season
Aaron Naughton (cheekbone) available
Callum Porter (groin) season
Laitham Vandermeer (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Rhylee West (groin) season
Mitch Wallis (shoulder) TBC
COLLINGWOOD
The Pies have put a line through Jeremy Howe for the season, despite his every effort to make a miraculous comeback from a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament. Chris Mayne took part in non-contract training last week and is a chance to return against West Coast from his facial fracture. Steele Sidebottom will not rejoin the squad after staying in Victoria following the birth of his first child. Will Kelly is stepping up his training and is close to a return.
INJURY LIST:
Brayden Sier (quad) test
Chris Mayne (cheekbone) test
Trey Ruscoe (hip) test
Will Kelly (elbow) 1 week
Flynn Appleby (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Tom Phillips (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Tom Langdon (knee) indefinite
Jeremy Howe (knee) season
Steele Sidebottom (personal) season
MORE AFL NEWS:
Western Bulldogs book finals spot with win against Fremantle in Round 18
Sydney v Geelong: Patrick Dangerfield’s heroics help Cats avoid double chance disaster against Swans
Mick Malthouse rates the clubs that exceeded and fell short of expectation in 2020
Originally published as Aaron Naughton sports helmet at training as Bulldogs ramp up finals preparations
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