Track Watch: All the latest news and scouting notes from Gold Coast’s pre-season

The Suns could be on the verge of a major Opening Round blow, with one of their brightest stars now officially in doubt to make their first clash of the season against the Bombers.

Sam Flanders’ Opening Round hopes are in serious doubt. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Sam Flanders is in serious doubt for Opening Round with the Gold Coast midfielder’s back injury again keeping him sidelined at Suns training on Thursday.

Flanders, 23, did not feature at all during Tuesday’s main session and was again absent on Thursday as he battles a back injury that has cruelled what was a flying start to pre-season.

The club is hopeful its star on-baller will be fit for the start of the season however head coach Damien Hardwick said Flanders would not be rushed back before he was ready.

“The way it’s tracking at the moment we probably need to get him up and going to get him right for round zero (Opening Round),” Hardwick told this masthead.

“Sam is a very important player – one of our best players – and we’re not going to push him, we’re going to make sure he’s fully conditioned.

“We need Sam Flanders playing at 100 per cent, not 60 per cent, so we won’t rush him back, we’ll make sure he’s right to go.”

Flanders may miss Opening Round. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Flanders was again consigned to conditioning work on the bike while his teammates completed an intense match simulation on Thursday.

“Backs can either be troubling and last a little bit of time (or) they can flick a switch and come (good) … so we’re a little unsure,” Hardwick said.

“He has a little bit of a journey ahead of him but like I said, sometimes backs can turn the corner pretty quickly.”

It’s better news for off-season recruit Daniel Rioli, who is nearing full fitness after injuring the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in November.

The former Tiger was considered on-track to play Opening Round however he is now also expected to feature in Gold Coast’s practice matches against Brisbane and Collingwood on February 20.

Rioli did not participate in match simulation but trained prior and is expected to take on a full training load in coming weeks.

Connor Budarick deputised for Rioli across halfback in the ‘A’ team – dressed in red – on Thursday, which hinted at the early pecking order ahead of Opening Round.

Key defender Charlie Ballard sent a scare through the Suns camp when his left knee was caught under a collapsing pack late in the second half of match simulation.

Ballard got up and limped off the field into the hands of trainers.

He completed slow run-throughs on the sideline and did not rejoin the session, but returned after that for a full-ground drill and appeared to be OK.

First round draftee Leo Lombard started inside 50 for the red team alongside Jake Rogers, with Jed Walter and Ethan Read rotating through the forward line.

Read also spelled Jarrod Witts in the ruck.

Second-year midfielder Will Graham also donned the red jersey and appears to have overcome his hamstring injury to stake a starting claim for Opening Round. He moved freely and kicked a set shot goal from outside 50m in promising signs his hamstring is ready to go.

Lachie Weller started on the wing opposite Sam Clohesy and looks to be Hardwick’s preferred pairing on the flanks.

Daniel Rioli is also recovering from injury. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Backup ruck Ned Moyle, who had been trialled as a forward earlier in the week, played predominantly as a ruck for the yellow team.

Hardwick said he was still unsure about playing both Moyle and Witts in the same side but remained open to the idea.

“It’s not something I’ve done before with the two rucks, so we’re trying to figure out whether one of them is a better forward than the next guy,” Hardwick said.

“There will be stages we will look at that in pre-season. Is it something we’re probably going to do? It’s probably less likely than more likely, but we have to look at it. He (Moyle) might kick six in the first pre-season game and change my mind.

“What we do know is we have two genuine AFL No. 1 rucks – I would love it if the AFL got rid of the sub and we could play five on the bench so that we could pay two rucks, I think the game is ready for something like that.

“If we’ve got five, let’s just play five.”

Originally published as Track Watch: All the latest news and scouting notes from Gold Coast’s pre-season