By Andrew Wu, Roy Ward and Hannah Hammoud
In today’s AFL briefing:
- Pies coach Craig McRae dips toe into Petracca furore.
- Tim English tied to the kennel for five more years.
- Tigers believe they have a good offer on the table for Jack Graham.
Beleaguered Blues bring in eight, including five possible debutants
Roy Ward and Peter Ryan
An injury-ravaged Carlton could field as many as five debutants for their must-win clash with West Coast in Perth on Sunday.
The Blues named eight inclusions in their extended squad, with Cooper Lord to make his debut, while at least one of Ashton Moir, Billy Wilson, Domanic Akuei and Harry Lemmey are set to play at the level for the first time .
Corey Durdin, Jaxon Binns, Lewis Young and Jack Carroll also come into the side. Binns has played just one AFL game.
Carlton’s match committee had just 26 players to seriously consider for selection for the Eagles clash after injury cut through the side in its loss to Hawthorn.
They have 17 players on their injury list after six players – including star forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay – were injured in the 74-point loss that imperilled their finals spot.
Blues coach Michael Voss walks off after the loss to Hawthorn.Credit: Getty Images
With Curnow out injured, only four players who have played every game so far in 2024 will be in the Blues’ team against the Eagles, and just 12 members of last year’s preliminary final line-up are available for selection.
Lord, a rookie recruited from North Melbourne’s VFL team in the mid-season draft, will play his first match after impressive VFL performances with the Blues where he has averaged 26 disposals.
Blues fitness boss Andrew Russell announced last week he was retiring from the game after 26 seasons involved in AFL clubs.
Another unknown for Sunday’s match, meanwhile, is the playing conditions, with rain forecast to hit Perth on Saturday and the Wallabies taking on South Africa in a rugby union Test at Optus Stadium that evening, less than 24 hours before the Blues and Eagles run out.
As of Thursday night, the weather bureau forecast 10 to 40 millimetres of rain for Perth on Saturday, and then two to 15mm on Sunday.
Michael Voss’ men were in second spot for much of June and July but their form has slumped since and, topped off with an overflowing injury list, they are now facing the prospect of missing the finals.
Twin towers Curnow and McKay, Adam Saad, Jack Martin, Lachie Fogarty and Jordan Boyd were all injured in last Sunday’s thrashing by Hawthorn and they will all miss Sunday’s trip to Perth .
The Blues are also missing ruckman Tom De Koning and Lachie Fogarty for the rest of home-and-away season and 2024 respectively.
High-profile midfielder Adam Cerra is recovering from another hamstring injury and doesn’t have a return date list on the club’s injury list.
Curnow, McKay, Saad and Martin could be available to face St Kilda in the final round for a last-ditch attempt for a top-eight berth.
Essendon did not name retiring former skipper Dyson Heppell for their must-win game against the ladder-leading Sydney at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
Archie Perkins and Sam Weideman come in, while Nik Cox and Alwyn Davey jnr miss out. Peter Wright, Elijah Tsatas and Will Setterfield are the emergencies for the struggling Dons.
The Swans named Lewis Melican and Corey Warner, with Chad Warner (calf) and Robbie Fox (kidney) out injured.
The Swans are unsure if Chad Warner will be fit for the final round but coach John Longmire said his star would “hopefully” be available.
Collingwood made one change for their battle with Brisbane Lions at the MCG, with Wil Parker coming in for Joe Richards.
The Lions are still without defender Jack Payne who is unlikely to return until the finals, but they did pick Harry Sharp and Eric Hipwood with Jaxon Prior and Henry Smith out.
Fremantle will hand a debut to Melbourne-raised ruckman Liam Reidy for the clash with GWS on Saturday, and the 24-year-old will have big job on his hands with ruckman Sean Darcy and key forward Josh Treacy out.
The Giants regained ruckman Kieren Briggs and midfielder Stephen Coniglio, along with Toby McMullin, with Harvey Thomas, Xavier O’Halloran and Max Gruzewski left out.
Geelong named Gary Rohan and Mitch Knevitt to replace Zach Tuohy (managed) and Tanner Bruhn (concussion) for the clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, while the Saints have Hugo Garcia replacing Angus McLennan.
With Andrew Wu and Jon Pierik
‘We’d love to have him’: Pies dream of Petracca in black and white
Hannah Hammoud
As tensions at the Melbourne Football Club continue to simmer, Collingwood coach Craig McRae has lightheartedly nominated his club as a potential home for Christian Petracca, the star midfielder who barracked for the Pies as a child and is now reportedly disillusioned with the Demons’ direction.
“I’d bet he’d look good in black and white. I’ve got a car park here he can have too if he wants it,” McRae said in response to photoshopped images circulating of Petracca in the Collingwood guernsey.
McRae prefaced the comments at his weekly press conference by adding it was purely a “dream of what could be” at this stage.
“He’s a contracted player. I joke about how good he’d look in black and white – and he would – we’d love to have him, but there’s so many obstacles in the way right now it’s difficult to comment on whether he wants to come here or wants to go somewhere else, or wants to leave. I don’t know that other than to potentially dream of what could be,” he said.
Melbourne star Christian Petracca.Credit: AFL Photos
McRae added it was the same scenario for Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith.
“So many things have to go through different channels … I’ll let others make those big decisions,” he said.
Petracca’s affection for the Magpies and affinity with their 400-gamer Scott Pendlebury – who has agreed to play on in 2025 – was used to fuel speculation in early 2021 that he might consider a switch to the club. But he dismissed the murmurings, signed a bumper contract that tied him to Melbourne until the end of 2029, then won the Norm Smith Medal in the Demons’ breakthrough premiership later that season.
While that lucrative deal remains in place, reports surfaced this week that Petracca – sidelined with injury since June – had grown disillusioned with his club.
The Demons have not denied that aspect of the reports, but have assured their fans the star midfielder is committed to the club and will see out his contract.
Coincidentally, it was against the Magpies on the King’s Birthday public holiday that Petracca suffered a traumatic, season-ending spleen injury.
Speaking on Collingwood’s current list, McRae all but confirmed that club veteran Steele Sidebottom will continue to play next year for what would be his 17th season.
“There’s certain processes we need to go through to make these [decisions] official. But it’s going to be hard to argue against Steele’s form, and the way that he adds to our DNA and adds to our culture,” McRae said.
“He looks like he’s got a lot of life left in those old legs of his.”
Collingwood will take on the Brisbane Lions this Saturday at the MCG for the second grand-final rematch of the season.
English knocks back rival offers
Andrew Wu
Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English has turned his back on free agency to sign a five-year contract extension keeping him at Whitten Oval until the end of 2029.
Tim English will make his mark for five more years with the Bulldogs.Credit: Getty Images
English knocked back a significant offer to return home and be a central figure in West Coast’s rebuild to stay at the Kennel as the star-studded Dogs push for a second flag in Luke Beveridge’s tenure.
English’s commitment to the Dogs leaves Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield as the last of this year’s nine restricted free agents yet to recommit to his club.
All eight who have stayed, including Brisbane Lions stars Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, and Essendon’s Andrew McGrath, put pen to paper on long-term deals.
The likelihood of English, 27, heading west reduced once his partner, netballer Rudi Ellis, transferred from West Coast Fever to play with the Melbourne Vixens in Super Netball.
“It’s exciting for Rudi and me – I love life in Melbourne,” English said in a club statement on Thursday.
“I am really enjoying it at the club and I’ve got some great mates here – it’s my eighth season now and I’ve developed strong friendships over that time.
“There are so many different factors that go into a decision, but I really want to win a premiership, that’s the ultimate goal for me at a football club.
“I feel like we have the opportunity to do that here and that would the best way to give back to the club.
“As a group we’re capable and everyone is putting in the work to get better and achieve that.”
An athletic big man blessed with considerable speed for a player his size, English was awarded his first All-Australian blazer last year, ending Max Gawn’s domination in the ruck.
English has been ruled out for a clash with North Melbourne’s in-form Tristan Xerri this week and is also in doubt for the final round of the home-and-away season when the Dogs, chasing a return to the September action, take on Greater Western Sydney, who have brutish big man Kieren Briggs in the ruck.
“As the reigning All-Australian ruckman, Tim has been critical in our club’s strong performances throughout the year, regularly impacting games with his athleticism,” Bulldogs list boss Sam Power said.
“His ability to get involved around the ground and use the ball as a ruckman has been a valuable asset to our side, underlining him as one of the most damaging big men in the competition.
“We still firmly believe Tim’s best football is ahead of him at 27, with a five-year extension highlighting his faith in our program, staff and players moving.”
Tigers’ hope on premiership stars’ contracts
AAP
Richmond coach Adem Yze is convinced the Tigers have tabled a “really good” contract offer to free agent Jack Graham ahead of what looms as a busy off-season for the club.
Graham has reportedly received a four-year contract offer from West Coast, with Richmond making a counter-offer which is believed to be not as long.
The 26-year-old is one of a host of Tigers who have been linked to other clubs – including Liam Baker, Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli – as the club seeks to regenerate its playing list.
“I’m confident that we’ve offered him a really good contract and one that he really deserves,” Yze said of two-time premiership midfielder.
“As I’ve said with those two players [Graham and Baker], they’re out of contract, and they’re at a point in their careers where they get to make that decision.
“All we can do is provide an environment that they want to be here, but they’re great stalwarts of our footy club and if they decide to go elsewhere, then that’s just the environment that we’re living in.
“We’re happy with what we’ve offered [Graham] and hopefully, it falls our way.”
West Australian product Baker has been strongly linked with a move to West Coast or Fremantle, and will be sidelined for a second match under concussion protocols when Richmond clash with Hawthorn on Saturday.
Richmond coach Adem Yze believes the club has a strong offer on the table for Jack Graham.Credit: Getty Images
But Yze is confident the midfielder will return against Gold Coast in the Tigers’ last match of the home-and-away season.
“He hasn’t mentioned anything about what his decision is – that will happen post-game after the Gold Coast game,” Yze said.
“We’ll let you know what that decision is but he hasn’t mentioned anything yet.
“He’s bubbly, he’s shattered that he hurt himself at training and he’s obviously going to miss those two games, but he’ll be fired up for that last game for sure.”
If Liam Baker decides to return to Western Australia, the Tigers could land a pick in the teens, giving them a strong hand in a strong draft.Credit: Getty Images
Yze said a decision on three-time premiership defender Dylan Grimes’ future will be a “collaborative” call at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old has managed just five games in 2024 because of a back injury and had surgery in June. Grimes has since had complications with the injury and spent time away from the club.
Richmond have been buoyed this week by promising defender Josh Gibcus signing a new deal, which ties him down until the end of 2026.
But they have put Tom Lynch on ice for the rest of the campaign, opting to save the hamstrung key forward for a full pre-season heading into 2025.
Meanwhile, Yze said recently retired superstar Dustin Martin might train with the Tigers next week in the build-up to the season-ending Suns clash.
Martin won’t play but will be on hand at the MCG to farewell fans.
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