AFL 2024: All the teams news and analysis ahead of Opening Round

Damien Hardwick could be set for an early win as he prepares to take on his old club Richmond with superstar Dustin Martin in doubt for opening round, while the Pies have taken a blow.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. February 27, 2024. AFL. Collingwood vs. Richmond at Ikon Park, Carlton. Richmonds Dustin Martin fends off Nick Daicos of the Magpies during the 2nd qtr. . Pic: Michael Klein

Richmond star Dustin Martin is in doubt against Gold Coast and captain Toby Nankervis has been ruled out as Damien Hardwick’s premiership stars downplayed a potential “grudge” match against their former leader.

Martin suffered a corked calf at training on Tuesday and while scans cleared him of muscle damage the Tigers seem less likely to risk him on Saturday.

The opening round fixture which forces the Tigers into a five-day break before their round 1 MCG clash against Carlton means the Tigers could be cautious with Martin.

On Tuesday night the Tigers ruled out Nankervis (foot) but fitness boss Luke Meehan said he was likely to be ready to take on the Blues.

Dustin Martin could miss the Tigers’ first game of the season. Pic: Michael Klein

“Toby’s been building his workloads over the last couple of weeks. Everything’s going really well, really happy with how he’s progressing. Toby will be unavailable this week and he’s looking likely to play against Carlton,” he said.

Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will have had nearly three full weeks on the track by that round 1 clash against Carlton and has earmarked that game for his return if he suffers no soft-tissue setbacks.

He is fully recovered from twin foot surgeries but after hamstring issues in the back-end of 2022 the club will want to give him enough training loads.

Meehan said the club was “hopeful” he would be ready by the Blues game if he got through a big session on Thursday.

So a Richmond side set to travel to the Gold Coast to play on a day with 28 degree temperatures will have its three most important players out of Adem Yze’s first side as senior coach.

Nankervis revealed to this masthead he was battling the plantar fascia foot condition last week and his absence paves the way for former Sydney ruckman Sam Naismith to make his club debut for Richmond in the ruck.

Toby Nankervis will miss the Gold Coast clash. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Richmond vice-captain Liam Baker, who could be acting captain if Nankervis’ absence, was still bullish about Martin’s availability on Tuesday.

“I think he copped a little knock and he went and had a scan and it’s come through all clear so that’s all I know. He’s pretty tough so he should be right.”

Triple premiership star Dion Prestia laughed off any element of trying to get the victory to avenge Hardwick’s departure, adamant it would not be frosty.

“I don’t think so, it’s not the ‘80s any more. It’s pretty exciting. We probably know exactly what they want to do and everything we have watched (in the pre-season) has been pretty similar to what we are used to. We are excited to get up there and play, so bring it on. I am sure there will be some tweaks and personnel but most of the story we are doing, you can see the similarities to what we did for so long. I feel like it might give us an edge.”

Baker was just as pragmatic about moving on from Hardwick.

“We are going up there for four points, it sounds cliched but there is no sourness from the club’s end or my end. We went separate ways and we are moving forward. He’s moving forward. Who cares, let’s go up there and play a game of footy.”

POWER BREATHE SIGH OF RELIEF

Port Adelaide is expecting vice captain Zak Butters to be available for round 1 after scans cleared the star midfielder of significant damage to his ankle.

Butters suffered a sprained ankle in the first quarter of the Community Series and did not play the rest of the game as a precautionary measure.

However an MRI has cleared Butters of any major structural injury and is listed as a test for round 1.

Butters historically had an injury-interrupted start to his career, but played every game last year in a breakout campaign.

Zak Butters has been cleared of any ankle damage. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FOR BOMBERS

Jordan Ridley will miss the start of Essendon’s season, however Bombers fans can breathe a sigh of relief after scans confirmed the defender suffered a low grade quad strain.

It was initially feared Ridley, who just signed a three-year extension on top of his current contract, had suffered a significant tear and would be out for an extended period.

However, Ridley is expected to miss just three to four weeks, meaning he is likely to return after round 2 or 3.

In positive news, Sam Draper has been ruled available for the start of the season after suffering an interrupted summer.

Jordan Ridley will miss the start of the season. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

GIANT DUO RULED OUT OF START TO SEASON

- Matthew Forrest

Adam Kingsley’s side has taken a massive blow on the eve of the opening round, with Finn Callaghan and Harry Perryman set to be sidelined for the start of the season.

The club was hopeful the pair would get over their respective shoulder and hamstring issues that caused them to both miss the club’s pre-season matches, however they have failed to come up in time for the clash against Collingwood.

Giants head of medical James Rahme said the club was hopeful of the pair’s return in round 1.

“We’ve opted for a cautious approach to not make Finn and Harry available,” he said.

“They’ve pushed really hard and are presenting well but given the longevity of the season and their past injuries, we’ve opted to give them an extra week on the track and expect them to return next week.”

HOWE RULED OUT OF OPENING ROUND

- Josh Barnes

A round of encouragement from teammates for Jeremy Howe ended in frustration as the Collingwood defender left the track and out of opening round after failing a fitness test.

The premiership backman left the track on Tuesday, midway through a running block under the eyes of fitness staff, as he tried to push past a corked quad.

Veteran Scott Pendlebury moved well at training on Tuesday but his knee will be tested before Saturday night’s season opener against GWS Giants.

After pulling up short, Howe shook his head and walked inside, likely to get treatment.

Collingwood officially ruled him out on Tuesday afternoon with fitness boss Jarrod Wade deeming Howe “underdone”.

“We expect him to be available for round 1, we just want to make sure he has got some load under his belt before he gets back to play,” Wade said.

The fan favourite had started training with the main group before stepping away after an hour to go through run throughs, first at 40 metres, then down to 20.

Jeremy Howe is in doubt for opening round on Saturday night. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

It was in this second running block that Howe had a brief word with a staff member and walked from the track disappointed.

Only moments earlier, the Magpies list yelled encouragement in unison for Howe during a water break.

Howe feared for his footballing future after a gruesome broken arm in round 1 last year but returned in round 15, playing through the season from there to be part of Collingwood’s grand final triumph.

Untried ex-Williamstown VFL defender Charlie Dean is now closing in on an opening round debut in defence, with Nathan Murphy also ruled out as he continues his return from concussion.

Should Pendlebury play, only Howe, Murphy and now Hawk Jack Ginnivan will be unavailable from the team that defeated Brisbane Lions in the grand final last year.

Running defender John Noble will also come into consideration after he was dropped on the eve of finals last year.

Billy Frampton has trained in defence all summer and could pair with Dean and skipper Darcy Moore against Giants forwards Jake Riccardi, Aaron Cadman and Jesse Hogan.

Midfielder Tom Mitchell (ankle) showed no concerns on Tuesday.

Nathan Kreuger jogged laps as he begins his return from a hamstring strain, which could rule him out until round 6.

Josh Daicos – who was loudly being called “Peter” by teammates on Tuesday – will play after an interrupted pre-season, as should Brody Mihocek after calf issues.

Collingwood has no clear timeline for Murphy to play games proper but he trained on Tuesday, as he has all summer.

Wade said Murphy has started adding more contact into his training as he attempts to build confidence.

Forward Dan McStay was on the track, taking shots at goal and kicking with Josh Eyre (hamstring) as he plots his return from a knee reconstruction.

Draftee Harry DeMattia sported a heavy black brace on his right arm and hand and ran laps after he had finger surgery last month.

Originally published as AFL 2024: All the teams news and analysis ahead of Opening Round