AFL 2023: All the latest injury and selection news ahead of Round 17

Clayton Oliver’s return from a hamstring injury may have hit a hurdle going by the heated exchange he was captured having with a trainer at Demons training.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 23: Jordan De Goey of the Magpies takes the ball during a Collingwood Magpies AFL training session at Olympic Park Oval on June 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Clayton Oliver’s long-awaited return may be back on hold after he failed to make it through the final training session he needed to bank before Melbourne’s game against St Kilda.

Demons coach Simon Goodwin spoke to media before Wednesday morning session and said Oliver had “one session that he needs to get through” before returning for Saturday night’s game.

But just as he appeared finally set to shake off the hamstring problem, Oliver left the track during warm-ups on Wednesday and did not return.

Channel 7 cameras captured a heated discussion between Oliver and a Demons trainer before the midfielder left the track.

Oliver has not yet been completely ruled out of the Saints clash, with Melbourne likely to make a decision on Wednesday afternoon.

The midfield maestro has not played since round 10 as he battled hamstring issues and an infected blister.

Clayton Oliver argues with a trainer in the latest hurdle to return from injury. See the pictures with @cleary_mitch in 7NEWS at 6pm. https://t.co/5zYfOfGqUb@7AFL#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/v3kvuRZ88y

— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) July 5, 2023

Melbourne was hopeful Oliver’s return could somewhat offset an injury to Bayley Fritsch, after the sharpshooter was ruled out for up to eight weeks following foot surgery on Tuesday.

“If I can be as honest as I can be, he (Oliver) has got one session that he needs to get through in terms of ticking off a marker,” Goodwin said before training.

“We’re really hopeful that he gets through (training) and he’ll be available to put on the Melbourne jumper on Saturday night.”

Fritsch had surgery on Tuesday, with the Demons to decide on a more definitive timeline for his return once he recovers from the operation.

Clayton Oliver failed to make it through training on Wednesday. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Saints pair Seb Ross and Brad Hill have not been ruled out of the Marvel Stadium clash, despite both suffering knee injuries in a win over West Coast on Sunday.

St Kilda acting footy boss David Misson said both Ross and Hill had scans on Tuesday which showed no “structural or significant damage” and the duo would be tested before the weekend.

Melbourne’s club doctor Laura Lallenec said Fritsch’s surgery had “gone really well” but he could miss up to eight weeks.

“You would have seen he had a little bit of a roll of his ankle and that has resulted in a fracture in his foot,” Lallenec said.

“We’re expecting a return to play of approximately seven to eight weeks at this stage but we will see how he goes.”

Bayley Fritsch will be out for two months. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Melbourne’s premiership credentials have been thrown into question in recent weeks as the Demons battle to kick winning scores.

Goodwin’s headache will only get worse without Fritsch, who leads the Demons this year with 29 goals.

Defender Michael Hibberd will miss a second week with his kidney injury but is targeting a return against Brisbane in round 18.

Pies hit by forward blow

Collingwood goalkicker Brody Mihocek will sit out Friday night’s blockbuster against the Western Bulldogs with hamstring tightness.

Mihocek has booted 32 goals to lead the top-of-the-table Magpies this year but succumbed to the hamstring injury this week, with Collingwood to assess him again after Friday’s game.

Feisty defender Brayden Maynard will be given until late in the week to prove his fitness after hurting his shoulder against the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The All-Australian also hurt his knee against the Suns but had no lingering problem with that knock.

Recruit Dan McStay could fill Mihocek’s spot but the former Brisbane forward missed his VFL return on the weekend through illness and hasn’t played at AFL level since round 5.

McStay has missed training to start the week so appears unlikely to be thrust straight into the AFL side to face the Dogs.

And fellow tall forward Nathan Kreuger cannot fill the Mihocek void either after he was concussed in the VF0, ruling him out of this weekend’s action.

Cats to make late call on possible Cameron return

Geelong will make a call on Jeremy Cameron later in the week but the star spearhead is “tracking well” for a return against North Melbourne on Sunday.

Tuesday marked the 12th day since Cameron’s brutal concussion blow against Melbourne, meaning the key forward can exit the AFL’s mandatory concussion protocols.

Football boss Simon Lloyd said Cameron travelled to Sydney ahead of the Cats’ drawn clash with the Swans last week and ran “a lot”, with the key forward also completing a running block on Monday.

Geelong managed seven goals in his absence in round 16, recording just 22 shots at goal from 50 forward-50 entries.

The club is also set to welcome back Mark O’Connor after the Irishman missed last week with a minor adductor strain.

“Jezza is tracking well, I’ve gone on record as saying Jez travelled with us to Sydney last week and did a lot of running around the SCG and moved well, and he ran well (on Monday) as well,” Lloyd said.

“But in regard to concussion protocols, we’ll be guided by our medical team to when Jez will be available and we will know that later on in the week.”

Jeremy Cameron was concussed in a brutal collision with Gary Rohan. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Cats’ ruck stocks will be boosted in the coming weeks with Jon Ceglar (ankle) and Toby Conway (foot) closing in on returns, with Conway returning to full training this week.

Lloyd confirmed Conway, who has been sidelined since February with a stress fracture, will be available for selection in a fortnight.

He also said the Cats’ medical team is pleased with the progress of midfielder Cam Guthrie as he eyes a return later from a toe issue later in the season.

Tigers to unveil two first-gamers against Swans

Richmond is turning to youth with two debutants, including a VFL match winning hero, to play against Sydney on Thursday night.

With a finals appearance looking more and more unlikely interim coach Andrew McQualter is turning to the future with first-gamers Jacob Bauer and Sam Banks.

Bauer already has a cult following among Tigers fans for winning two games over the past month in the VFL with goals after the siren.

Last Friday night against Brisbane Bauer switched from defence to the forward line in the last quarter where he kicked three goals from the 18-minute mark including the match winner.

Calm as you like from Jacob Bauer pic.twitter.com/JvGoddPHM6

— Richmond VFL (@RichmondVFL) June 30, 2023

"Mum, I promise I'm not lying!"

Watch as Jacob Bauer calls his mum, thanks to @Moto 💛 pic.twitter.com/g8TyyxRZqN

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) July 3, 2023

The 192cm swingman was best-on-ground with 21 disposals and 11 marks.

He was a product of the Sydney Swans Academy with the Tigers snaring him in the 2022 mid-season rookie draft via SANFL club North Adelaide.

The 21-year-old kicked 16 goals in nine VFL matches last year.

Banks, 20, who plays wing and half-back, has been a consistent performer in the VFL over the past 12 months.

Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Sam Banks run at training. Picture: Michael Klein

He was drafted from Clarence in Tasmania at No.29 in the 2021 National Draft.

Banks’ running ability is his strength and he’s averaged 19 possessions in the VFL this season.

The Tigers are also hoping to get back superstar Dustin Martin from a bout of the flu for the must-win MCG clash against the Swans.

Defender Jayden Short has been ruled out in the “medium” term after injuring his hamstring against Brisbane last week. Midfielder Dion Prestia (calf) faces a fitness test ahead of Thursday night’s game.

De Goey raring to go on return

Collingwood superstar Jordan De Goey will return from suspension for Friday night’s clash against Western Bulldogs feeling fit and refreshed after completing an intense training block.

The brilliant midfielder is set for a showdown against the Bulldogs’ lethal on-ball brigade after Collingwood pounded Gold Coast by 78 points to consolidate top spot on the ladder on Saturday.

The Magpies are adamant De Goey has not wasted his time out but has instead completed a gruelling training program designed to top-up his fitness and prime him for the back end of the season.

Former Collingwood and Carlton superstar Dale Thomas on Sunday said De Goey’s maturity would have been on show training hard in recent weeks in preparation for an immediate impact.

“He is going to play a massive role for them going into finals and hopefully he is there in finals because he has been one of the better finals performers over the last four or five years,” Thomas said on Triple M.

“He could use this break as a real little freshen up in terms of mental, but also got some serious work into his legs that will set the back half of his season up absolutely beautifully.”

De Goey has been out of action since his suspension for a bump on Elijah Hewett. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

De Goey is one of several players set to bolster the Magpies’ premiership tilt in coming weeks with key forward Daniel McStay (finger) and Steele Sidebottom (knee) a chance to return in the next fortnight.

McStay sat out the VFL game on Sunday due to illness, meaning he may have to miss the Bulldogs’ game this weekend, while Sidebottom could return the following week against Fremantle.

But there are plenty of great options at Collingwood’s disposal with Reef McInness slotting six goals and midfielder Josh Carmichael bagging three majors in the Pies’ 95-point VFL win over Frankston on Sunday.

Hard nut defender Brayden Maynard is carrying a sore shoulder after copping a heavy hit in the narrow win over Adelaide last week but is on track for a date with star Dogs’ livewire Cody Weightman.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae said the Magpies had aimed to make the most of the July games which former Richmond coach Damien Hardwick in 2015 labelled “big boy month” for the premiership fancies.

Prized off-season recruit Dan McStay is also due to return soon. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

McRae said De Goey would come back into the midfield in great shape despite his time out.

“We will get Jordy back which is a great asset to have sitting there watching tonight, because he has done a power of work and we are looking forward to him being available,” McRae said.

“We are very conscious that July is cold in Melbourne.

“We are using this period in particular to really set ourselves up, and set our sights on a few weeks here where we want to step in.

“It is a difficult time of the year. Good teams stand up and some maybe don’t.

“We are really conscious of that. We’ve got our sights set on the next few weeks.”

Hardwick, who helped groom McRae as an assistant at Richmond, said July was a “make-or-break” month for the premiership contenders.

“The month of July is when the big boys step out,“ Hardwick said.

“It’s when the contenders step up and the pretenders step away.”

De Goey, who received a three-match ban for his high bump on West Coast youngster Elijah Hewett in Perth, was enjoying a career-best season in 2023, averaging 25 disposals and one goal a game.

But it is not an easy run for Collingwood who will meet the Bulldogs, Fremantle, second-placed Port Adelaide in Adelaide and then Carlton, as the Magpies attempt to lock-in a top-four spot over the next month.

Collingwood subbed out Jeremy Howe in his second game back from a serious arm injury, while Collingwood also tried to bring superstar captain Darcy Moore to the bench at times for a rest on Saturday.

McRae said the Magpies wouldn’t want to flirt with their form or unnecessarily look to rest their stars including Nick or Josh Daicos in the run home.

“In terms of managing our players, I’m not sure that’s the terminology we want to use,” he said.

“There’s opportunities to take Darcy Moore off the ground, and then Jeremy Howe, whatever it looks like.

“We will take those opportunities when they present themselves, but week-to-week we are presenting to keep improving and we might even choose to manage players throughout the week.

“There’s a lot to be said about chemistry, and time spent together on the field. We don’t want to lose sight of that.”

Top Dog set for shock early return

Brilliant Western Bulldogs defender Ed Richards could make a shock return against Collingwood on Friday night after a strong running session over the weekend.

Richards was ruled out for up to six weeks with a medium term hamstring injury at the start of June but has made strong progress in recent weeks.

He clocked up a 13km running session over the weekend and, while the shorter break leading into Friday night could count against him, he is a chance to take on the Pies.

The Dogs are confident the Marvel Stadium game will be sold out against the powerful and popular Magpies as they attempt to bolster their claims for a top-four spot.

Ed Richards is in line to make a shock return on Friday night. Picture: Michael Klein.

Richards was in All Australian form before the injury against Geelong, but former Pie Caleb Poulter slotted into the side against Fremantle and made a reasonable case to stay in the team against his former club.

Jason Johannisen is three weeks away from his own return from a serious hamstring injury for the Dogs side which has continually reconfigured its backline this year.

Star defender Liam Jones’ first chance to return from a badly broken forearm is likely to be the first week of finals, but first-year tall James O’Donnell played well when he was recalled against the Dockers.

Dogs captain Marcus Bontempelli will front the media on Monday for what is expected to be a sponsor’s extension at Whitten Oval.

Originally published as AFL 2023: All the latest injury and selection news ahead of Round 17