Panic Room: SuperCoach, selection and betting late mail for Round 16
THE Bulldogs said Marcus Adams missed last week after falling ill, but that wasn’t entirely accurate. Plus late mail from Geelong, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and more.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Bulldogs said Marcus Adams missed last week after falling ill, but that wasn’t entirely accurate.
The mature-age revelation pulled out of last week’s clash against Port Adelaide at the last minute without explanation.
Dogs assistant coach told the Herald Sun the next day Adams had fallen ill just before the game.
But the truth was revealed on the club website during the week.
Football manager Graham Lowe let the cat out of the bag during his weekly injury report, admitting “despite reports (about an illness) Marcus rolled his ankle ... during the captain’s run the day before the game.”
FANS SURVEY: HAVE YOUR SAY ON FOOTY’S BIG ISSUES FOR A CHANCE TO WIN 2 AFL GRAND FINAL TICKETS
The good news is scans early in the week cleared Adams of any serious problems and he has trained all week in readiness for a return against Geelong on Saturday night.
Since Lowe is giving an honest account of his players’ fitness issues, it’s worth noting his take on Luke Dahlhaus — he’ll wear a brace for three weeks then “we’ll reassess him when the brace is removed with a view to progressing his training and we’ll update you with a return to play from there” — and his revelation that five hurt Dogs will be available for selection after the club’s bye next week including Eason Wood, Koby Stevens and dashing defender Jason Johannisen.
TRACK WATCH
GEELONG will make a call tomorrow on the fitness of forward Daniel Menzel.
Menzel believed he had torn ligaments in his ankle when he tried to pull up before running into the Etihad Stadium fence last weekend, an incident that sparked debate over the fake turf around the boundary line.
But scans revealed the injury wasn’t as serious as initially feared and Menzel was spotted putting his ankle to the test at Simonds Stadium on Friday.
Coach Chris Scott says the club is “optimistic” Menzel will play and Menzel is keen, but given his injury history it wouldn’t surprise if he doesn’t make the final team.
Darcy Lang, who was dropped last night to make way for Tom Hawkins, is on standby.
NORTH Melbourne has not taken any risks with injured stars, leaving out Ben Cunnington, Jarrad Waite and Andrew Swallow against Hawthorn. Nick Dal Santo (groin), Shaun Atley (ankle) and Todd Goldstein (knee) were also under a cloud but are set to take their places in the team.
Dal Santo and Atley completed run-throughs before training on Wednesday without any apparent problems while Goldstein worked on tapwork and competed in marking drills.
Port Adelaide is confident captain Travis Boak will play against Fremantle despite him being quarantined from teammates at training this week.
Boak turned up with flu-like symptoms but the Power says the self-imposed isolation was only precautionary and he is expected to fly to Perth with his teammates.
Jay Schulz, who has had back surgery twice in the past seven months, will play his comeback game in the SANFL this weekend.
Can't wait to get out there on the wkend again. Looking forward to pulling on the prison bars with the maggies for the first time as well.
— Jay Schulz (@Jschulz28) June 16, 2016
SYDNEY has made the first late change of the round with Jeremy Laidler (knee) out of the team to face Melbourne. He has been replaced in the squad by Harry Cunningham.
Wet weather in Sydney favours Toby Nankervis to get the nod ahead of fellow big man Sam Naismith as the replacement for injured ruckman Kurt Tippett, reports Neil Cordy. Nankervis will be back-up to Callum Sinclair as the Swans take on the red-hot Max Gawn at the SCG on Sunday.
SPEAKING of ruck issues, former Australian under-17 basketballer Tom Downie will fill have big shoes to fill taking over from Shane Mumford at GWS. It will be his first game of 2016 and just the ninth of his career. Riverina product Matt Kennedy will be named in the final squad later today and make his debut against the Bombers at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
GOLD Coast has the bye this weekend but there is finally some good news on the injury front for the Suns. The Courier-Mail’s Andrew Hamilton reports gun midfielder Jaeger O’Meara will step into full training with the aim of making a NEAFL return in two weeks. In another major breakthrough, David Swallow will join the team this week for warm-up and selected drills.
MONEY MATTERS
BEST BET
Port Adelaide (win) $1.65
The Power was stiff not to win a high-intensity contest against the Bulldogs last weekend, and not getting carried away with the Dockers who have beaten the two bottom teams.
VALUE BET
Western Bulldogs (win) $2.40
The Bulldogs keep winning despite the injuries and they’re nearly unbeatable at Etihad Stadium.
MULTI BET
Port Adelaide (win) + Melbourne (+24.5) + GWS (-62.5) = $5.45
Wet weather in Sydney this weekend brings the Demons into calculations and the Giants should thrash the Bombers.
SUPERCOACH ALERT
Jack Trengove has been a great pick in SuperCoach before — in his debut season he averaged 75 points including three 100-plus scores. That was six years ago. Since then he has battled a series of injuries, but now history is repeating. After a long road back the former co-captain has played two solid games for the Demons and is on the verge of a major price rise. At just $156,500, he is the perfect trade target to provide cover during this week’s bye and generate cash for a major recruiting spree next week.
ON NOTICE
What has happened to Luke Parker? The Swans midfielder dominated over the first six rounds, averaging 30 disposals, a goal and 130 SuperCoach points a game. Since then his numbers have dropped to 23 disposals — including a season-low 13 against GWS last weekend — and 86 SuperCoach points a week. A wet day at the SCG against the Demons is the perfect change to get things back on track.
Originally published as Panic Room: SuperCoach, selection and betting late mail for Round 16
Benji reveals Luai chat for Tigers game
After being rushed into Origin camp and then avoiding a ban for an eye gouge, Jarome Luai has made a bold Friday night NRL call.
Blues make Curnow call, Cox’s latest Swans selection statement
Charlie Curnow has been named to face the Kangaroos, but the addition of another big man will have Blues fans on edge as Dean Cox swings the axe on a Swans veteran with the season on the line.