AFL practice match teams: Western Bulldogs star Caleb Daniel under selection pressure

Could Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge make another shock call at selection ahead of round 1? There was some surprise news out of Whitten Oval this week, reports Sam Landsberger.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 18: Clayton Oliver of the Demons in action during the AFL 2024 Match Simulation between Melbourne and Richmond at Casey Fields on February 18, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Western Bulldogs premiership star and All-Australian Caleb Daniel is under shock selection pressure on the verge of the season.

There was a belief at Whitten Oval this week that the much-loved utility would be axed from the round 1 dress rehearsal against Hawthorn in Tasmania on Saturday night.

But sources confirmed on Friday that Daniel would travel to Launceston and be named in the squad to take on the Hawks in the pre-season match.

At 5.30pm the Dogs unveiled their team, with Daniel named on the eight-man interchange bench.

Daniel has played some match simulations in the seconds this pre-season, but that is understood to be in part due to the Dogs’ strong core of midfielders.

Caleb Daniel is facing selection pressure. Picture: Michael Klein

Daniel, 27, has been a stalwart at Whitten Oval ever since he was drafted in 2014.

The link man with an incredible football IQ has played 85 out of the past 90 games and he has long been one of the club’s most consistent performers.

In 2020, Daniel won the Charles Sutton Medal as the club’s best-and-fairest in the same year he was named in the All-Australian team.

Last year Daniel placed fourth in the best-and-fairest.

Daniel – who is contracted for a further three seasons – has placed inside the top seven in each of the past eight seasons.

If Daniel started the season on the fringe of selection it would come as a major shock to both supporters as well as some of his teammates.

Recruit James Harmes will feature against the Hawks. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Daniel’s place in the line-up now looms as a watch entering the home-and-away season.

Coach Luke Beveridge has a history of giving new recruits extended opportunities to make an instant impression.

Melbourne recruit James Harmes, pre-season signing Lachie Bramble and St Kilda recruit Nick Coffield have all been included in the line-up to take on the Hawks on Saturday night.

Bramble and Coffield were named in the starting 18 ahead of Daniel while fellow halfback Bailey Dale did not travel due to hamstring tightness.

Last year Rory Lobb played 20 games despite his indifferent form while Jackson Trengove featured in 38 games across his first two seasons at Whitten Oval.

Trengove was secured as a high-priced free agent but was never able to transform the Dogs’ fortunes.

Jack Macrae has been left out of the pre-season squad, but that is purely to manage his minutes when playing for Footscray in a VFL scratch match as the three-time All-Australian recovers from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn’s newest recruit Ethan Phillips will be given the chance to secure a fairytale round 1 debut when he takes on the Western Bulldogs’ star tall forwards in Launceston on Saturday.

Ethan Phillips. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The 24-year-old defender will audition against Aaron Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Rory Lobb in the final practice match for both sides, after an assured second-half performance in the Hawks’ senior side when the two sides met a week ago at Whitten Oval.

Jai Serong has made way for Phillips, who will partner captain James Sicily and Sam Frost in the key defensive posts as Karl Amon also looms as an addition to the Hawks’ back six in his first pre-season match.

The Hawks said second-year star Josh Weddle had been managed from the fixture, along with Jack Gunston and Harry Morrison.

“Given this is a practice match, we have decided to take no risks with these players as we eagerly prepare for our clash with Essendon in Round 1,” Hawthorn football boss Rob McCartney said on Friday.

There is no guarantee though that Gunston and Morrison feature in the season opener, with Essendon recruit Massimo D’Ambrosio earning another chance to nail down a spot across halfback and on the wing while Finn Maginness presses to retain his spot as a lockdown half-forward.

Young duo Henry Hustwaite and Cam Mackenzie have been named in the Hawks’ starting midfield, with first-choice duo Jai Newcombe and Conor Nash on an extended bench.

Last year’s No. 46 pick Bodie Ryan could be in the frame for an early season debut after the versatile defender was given the nod in Hawthorn’s 26-player squad.

Bodie Ryan tries to slip through a Jack Ginnivan tackle at training. Picture: Michael Klein

Adelaide has received a big boost ahead of round 1 with key defender Jordon Butts fit to return from a broken foot in time to meet West Coast at Richmond Oval on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Worrell and James Borlase were both named in Adelaide’s backline and could be competing for one spot should Butts pull up well ahead of the Crows’ season opener.

Josh Rachele and Izak Rankine have both been named forward while tough on-baller Sam Berry, who fell out of favour last season, is in the starting 18 with Matt Crouch named on the bench.

West Coast veterans Jeremy McGovern (soreness) and Jack Darling (hamstring) have both overcome complaints to play their first pre-season matches, but the Eagles will be without Oscar Allen (knee) and Reuben Ginbey (concussion), who are expected to be fit for round 1.

With Matt Flynn out for months with a hamstring tendon injury, the Eagles named all the other ruckmen on their list in the side to audition for a place alongside Bailey Williams.

Callum Jamieson, Harry Barnett and Coen Livingstone are all set to receive minutes in the clash, while rookie draft No. 1 pick Loch Rawlinson and second-year academy product Tyrell Dewar can press their claims for a senior debut.

PRACTICE MATCH TEAMS

ADELAIDE V WEST COAST

HAWTHORN V WESTERN BULLDOGS

HAWKS

BULLDOGS

Dons, Cats leave young stars on outer

– Ed Bourke

Luckless Essendon duo Sam Draper and Dylan Shiel will likely need to prove their fitness through the VFL when the season begins after neither was picked for the Bombers’ final practice match against Geelong on Friday.

Bombers fans will also need to wait longer to see prized top-10 pick Nate Caddy in action after the club said it would continue to take a “cautious approach” with the forward still sore from an awkward landing on his back at training a fortnight ago.

Peter Wright and newly re-signed defender Jordan Ridley will return for Essendon after missing the heavy match sim loss to St Kilda last week, while former captain Dyson Heppell has dropped out of the squad after facing the Saints.

Sam Draper will have to press his case in a VFL pre-season match. Picture: Michael Klein

As will Dylan Shiel. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Geelong left forward Ollie Henry out of its side as a precaution after he suffered a rolled ankle at training this week, while in-form tall Toby Conway has been named as an emergency in a sign Rhys Stanley remains the preferred No. 1 ruck heading into 2024.

First-round draft pick Connor O’Sullivan was also left out of the Cats’ side after he impressed on a wing and in defence against Carlton last week.

Port Adelaide regained key forward Todd Marshall for its clash against Fremantle as Mitch Georgiades was named an emergency as he continues to build back from an ACL.

Both Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet were named in the Power’s 26-man squad as Jeremy Finlayson was left out of the side.

Fremantle will use Gold Coast recruit Jeremy Sharp on a wing after he missed last week’s West Coast clash through illness, but small forward Tom Emmett is unwell and will miss the clash.

AFL journeyman Oscar McDonald will play in defence in place of the injured Brennan Cox as defender Brandon Walker missed selection in the Dockers’ 26 as he attempts to return from the broken leg he sustained last year.

Fremantle left out Jye Amiss (corked quad) but expect the star forward to be available for round 1, with Matt Taberner and Josh Treacy left to vie to be his forward partner against the Power at Alberton Oval.

PRACTICE MATCH TEAMS

Geelong v Essendon

GMHBA Stadium, 5.10pm Friday

GEELONG

B M. O’Connor, S. De Koning, J. Kolodjashnij

HB J. Henry, T. Stewart, J. Bews

C M. Blicavs, M. Holmes, M. Duncan

HF T. Stengle, B. Close, J. Cameron

F T. Hawkins, G. Miers, S. Neale

FOL R. Stanley, P. Dangerfield, T. Atkins

I/C Z. Guthrie, T. Bruhn, J. Clark, O. Mullin, Z. Tuohy, O. Dempsey, S. Mannagh, J. Bowes

EMG T. Conway, M. Knevitt, C. O’Sullivan, B. Parfitt

ESSENDON

B J. Ridley, B. McKay, Z. Reid

HB M. Redman, J. Laverde, A. McGrath

C S. Durham, D. Parish, N. Martin

HF J. Caldwell, K. Langford, J. Gresham

F J. Stringer, P. Wright, A. Perkins

FOL T. Goldstein, W. Setterfield, Z. Merrett

I/C E. Tsatas, N. Cox, N. Hind, H. Jones, N. Bryan, X. Duursma, M. Guelfi, J. Menzie

EMG S. Weideman, L. Hayes, A. Davey Jnr, A. Roberts

Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Alberton Oval, Friday 7.30pm

Port Adelaide v Fremantle

Alberton Oval, 7.30pm (local time) Friday

PORT ADELAIDE

B R. Burton, B. Zerk-Thatcher, E. Ratugolea

HB L. Jones, A. Aliir, D. Houston

C M. Bergman, W. Drew, K. Farrell

HF J. McEntee, T. Marshall, C. Rozee

F Z. Butters, C. Dixon, W. Rioli

FOL I. Soldo, O. Wines, J. Horne-Francis

I/C J. Burgoyne, T. Boak, D. Williams, J. Sweet, O. Lord, F. Evans, D. Byrne-Jones, J. Mead

EMG J. Finlayson, T. McKenzie, T. Clurey, M. Georgiades

FREMANTLE

B O. McDonald, A. Pearce, J. Clark

HB J. Aish, L. Ryan, E. Hughes

C M. Johnson, A. Brayshaw, J. Sharp

HF M. Walters, S. Sturt, P. Voss

F S. Switkowski, M. Taberner, J. Treacy

FOL S. Darcy, N. Fyfe, C. Serong

I/C C. Simpson, H. Young, J. O’Meara, K. Worner, L. Reidy, B. Banfield, J. Draper, N. Erasmus

EMG W. Brodie, B. Walker, C. Wagner, J. Amiss

WARDLAW IN DOUBT, TIGER’S SEASON DELAYED BY INJURY

Boom North Melbourne youngster George Wardlaw is in doubt for this week’s Community Series match against St Kilda after suffering an ankle injury on Wednesday.

The 19 year old, who has set the footy world alight with an outstanding pre-season for North Melbourne, suffered a low-grade ankle sprain during a midweek training session.

Wardlaw is one of the frontrunners for the Rising Star award in his second season, having played eight games in his maiden AFL season.

He was limited to just a half of football in the unofficial match simulation against Collingwood last weekend, having battled a low-grade sprain to the other ankle in the lead up to the match.

George Wardlaw may miss North’s Community Series match. Picture: Michael Klein

Wardlaw said after the match simulation that he hoped to play a full game against the Saints ahead of the season starting, however the club is expected to monitor his training on Friday to determine his fitness.

“Got the half out there, felt really good, and hopefully I think I’ll be getting a full game against St Kilda,” he said on Wednesday.

“I came into the game with a bit of a rolled ankle, which was a bit frustrating, you know how they can be.

“I got through easy and it feels good now.”

The club is expecting Wardlaw to still be available for the round 1 clash against GWS Giants.

A despondent Jack Graham heads to the bench late in the game after being injured. Picture: Michael Klein

Meanwhile, Tigers midfielder Jack Graham is set to miss the start of the season, with scans on Wednesday confirming a moderate quad strain.

Graham suffered the injury in the dying minutes of the Community Series match against Collingwood on Tuesday night at Ikon Park.

Richmond is expecting Graham to miss the next three-to-five weeks, which means he will likely be sidelined for at least the opening two rounds of the season.

Cam Guthrie suffered a recent quad tendon injury and is expected to miss the first two months of the season, having missed a large chunk of 2023 as well.

Originally published as AFL practice match teams: Western Bulldogs star Caleb Daniel under selection pressure