AFL 2023: Selection dilemmas facing every club left in finals

Only 23 can take the field for every team left in September, but who will have to watch on from the sidelines as stars make their returns? Experts dissect the big decisions facing every finalist.

Brodie Grundy of the Demons.

Collingwood’s dwindling use of Tom Mitchell is set to place the 2018 Brownlow Medallist under selection pressure with Nick Daicos certain to return in the preliminary final.

While plenty of supporters believe Pat Lipinski could be in the gun it is understood coach Craig McRae is a big fan of the line-breaker and his smooth foot skills.

But McRae’s faith in Mitchell is certain to be tested after two months in which his minutes have significantly dropped.

Mitchell, 30, either started as the substitute or was substituted out in three of the final seven home-and-away matches.

On Thursday night the Magpies substituted out Darcy Cameron instead of Mitchell – but Cameron was ill pre-match and was almost a late withdrawal as John Noble was told to be on standby.

While Cameron was officially pulled out of the match, Mitchell was also left on the sidelines for most of the tense final term.

The clearance specialist played just 11 minutes in a fourth quarter that ran for 29 minutes and 25 seconds.

Mitchell racked 14 contested possessions for the night. But his overall tally of 21 disposals was his fifth-lowest return for the season.

He also recorded only four tackles (fourth-lowest for 2023) and three score involvements (fifth-lowest).

Could Tom Mitchell be left out of Collingwood’s preliminary final team? Picture: Michael Klein

Daicos re-joined Collingwood teammates in match drill training on Monday as he fights to be fit for next week’s preliminary final.

And despite what will be a six-week layoff between games, teammate Steele Sidebottom said he would not hesitate to throw the ballwinner straight back into the heat of midfield battle.

“I’m sure Nick’s happy that we got the result because it gives him an extra week to get ready,” Sidebottom said on Monday.

“He’s shown that he can play anywhere on the ground, as well. I would be happy for Nick to be on the park, wherever that is.

“He’s a special player and he’s someone that’s only going to help our team going forward.”

Daicos, 20, completed run-throughs alongside fellow midfield star Scott Pendlebury at Monday afternoon’s light session, before joining ball drills at Olympic Park Oval.

He then completed one-on-one tackling contests with assistant coach Neville Jetta and appeared to be moving freely in the drills that included changing direction at speed, before solo running at higher speed.

Would you pick Nick Daicos for a prelim after this training run today?
Story: https://t.co/xI0Z9S2zkT | @LaurenHeraldSunpic.twitter.com/F5Hpa7qcNd

— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) September 11, 2023

As his teammates got changed and headed for their cars at peak hour, Daicos remained on the track with strength and conditioning staff, completing solo shuttle runs for at least another 25 minutes on his own.

Sidebottom said selection in September was never an easy task.

“It’s tough, because we probably thought the time was going to come at some stage, because we’ve got a fit and healthy list,” he said.

“The tough conversations for the coaches are coming to light now, and it’s unfortunate for anyone to miss games of footy.

“But we’re not going to win this on just the 23 that go out there each week. We’ve always talked about having a group mentality.

“The way (Noble) carried himself throughout the week and the game was first-class.”

Nick Daicos hits top pace. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

Dropping Mitchell for next week’s preliminary final would be somewhat of a selection bombshell given these are the type of matches that the Magpies specifically recruited him for.

McRae declared last week the Magpies would pick the best team to beat Melbourne and that logic will apply again next week against either the Giants or Power.

Mitchell had 36 disposals against Greater Western Sydney in round 9, which was most his since 2021.

But against Port Adelaide in round 19 he had only 15 touches before he was substituted out for speedster Oleg Markov.

The Magpies still have many balls in the air, such as whether defender Brayden Maynard overturns his suspension, and whether they again back in the two-ruck model of Mason Cox and Cameron.

McRae’s post-match praise of Will Hoskin-Elliott – who was excellent against Melbourne – strongly hinted that he was safe for next Friday night’s blockbuster.

The Magpies rushed Lipinski straight in for King’s Birthday without a VFL match this year after he overcame a three-month shoulder injury.

“He is our highest GPS runner,” McRae said at the time.

“He is in our best 22.

“He is so important, the way he transitions and connects. I thought he the best kick inside 50 we had (last year).”

Originally published as AFL 2023: Selection dilemmas facing every club left in finals