Melbourne has confirmed its star ruck duo will return for a top-of-the-table blockbuster clash.
Plus Fremantle is hopeful a key forward will face St Kilda despite being subbed out last week.
Get all the latest selection news and updates for Round 17 in AFL Team Whispers!
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SYDNEY are confident Isaac Heeney will back up on Friday night after copping a knock to his quad in the loss to Essendon.
Coach John Longmire said the forward “pulled up fine” and “should be fine” to play against the Western Bulldogs.
“He essentially just got a bad knee to the top of his quad, and so that can hurt during the course of the game and particularly if you come out of half time and it’s cooled down a little bit, but he’s looked after it and pulled up well,” Longmire praised.
Veteran Josh Kennedy could be a shock call up, after missing the past seven weeks with a serious hamstring injury.
Longmire said the midfielder had been training the past two weeks but still had a few fitness tests to pass before he came into contention.
“It’s an important week for training, we may get later into the week and feel he needs to do more but we haven’t got that information in front of us at the moment,” he said.
Angus Sheldrick has also put his hand up for a recall after completing a full game in the VFL last weekend.
WESTERN BULLDOGS coach Luke Beveridge admits there will be changes to the side beaten by Brisbane last weekend.
The Dogs will welcome back ruckman Tim English and defender Ed Richards from injury, while Adam Treloar has proven himself fit after exiting the game early with a hamstring concern.
“(Treloar) should be ok, he’s pulled up alright,” Beveridge said.
“There will definitely be no wholesale changes, but we’ll make the necessary ones to make sure we have the right ingredients to challenge Sydney.
English and Richards just have to get through final training to be available for selection, Beveridge said.
COLLINGWOOD could still have Darcy Moore for this weekend’s clash with North Melbourne, after scans cleared the defender of any structural damage to his knee.
Moore was taken from the field on the stretcher late against the Gold Coast after landing awkwardly in a marking contest.
But luckily for Moore and the club, his initial scans ruled out ligament damage.
“Yeah he’s a sneaky chance to play this week,” coach Craig McRae said on SEN.
The club said Moore would be assessed at the training session on Thursday.
“While he completed pool work and gym on Monday, he will not train on Tuesday but will hopefully be on the track come Thursday,” the club said in a statement.
Jeremy Howe should be back after overcoming a stomach bug.
Young Charlie Dean, who was pushing his case for an AFL call up, could miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury in the VFL.
The club said Dean was mounting a case for “worst luck on our list” with scans also revealing a crack in his little toe.
“He will be managed conservatively and a surgeon will review his return date but it looks to be a six to eight week injury,” the club said.
Brodie Grundy is making progress in his return from a knee injury, but won’t be considered this weekend.
NORTH MELBOURNE will not welcome back prized draft pick Jason Horne-Francis from suspensionat AFL level.
Horne-Francis missed two weeks for his bump on Giant Josh Kelly, but hasn’t played for three weeks given the Roos’ bye fell during that period.
Coach David Noble flagged a possible return for Horne-Francis through the VFL and that appears most likely, with Seven reporting the No.1 draft pick won’t play at AFL level this week.
Horne-Francis was told on Wednesday afternoon and “took it well”, given he needs to regain his fitness and want to play him through the midfield.
Injured duo Kayne Turner and Aaron Hall will need replacing in the team to face Collingwood.
Jack Ziebell, Bailey Scott and Jackson Archer all need to pass final fitness tests to be considered.
Defender Josh Goater continues to put his hand up for his AFL debut after a run of good form in the VFL, as does Callum Coleman-Jones.
Tarryn Thomas is in line for a return after missing the clash with Geelong for personal reasons.
GOLD COAST will need to make a defensive reshuffle for the side to face Richmond on Saturday.
Connor Budarick has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury while Oleg Markov has entered the AFL’s health and safety protocols.
The Suns backline is already without Lachie Weller and Wil Powell to season-ending injuries.
But in some good news, Jy Farrar and Jack Lukosius could return.
Lukosius hasn’t featured since Round 8 due to a knee injury, while Farrar missed the clash with Collingwood under the health and safety protocols.
Lukosius got through his VFL return last weekend to put his hand up for a recall.
“He played in the VFL and in his own words was a little bit rusty,” coach Stuart Dew said.
“He’s not far away. It could be this week. If he trains the house down he’ll be well in the mix.”
RICHMOND has been forced into at least two changes for the team to take on the Suns, with star Dustin Martin ruled out with a hamstring injury while Nick Vlastuin is suspended.
Matt Parker looms as a possible inclusion after an impressive display in the VFL, with 29 disposals and 10 inside 50s.
Dion Prestia is in line to return from the brutal concussion that saw Cat Tom Stewart slapped with a four-game ban while Jake Aarts could also be considered as a replacement for Martin.
The Tigers have ruled out the return of former skipper Trent Cotchin who is sidelined with a clavicle injury.
FREMANTLE is hopeful gun goalkicker Matt Taberner will be fit to face St Kilda on Saturday night, while young gun defender Heath Chapman is in line to play his first match since Round 11.
Taberner, the Dockers’ leading goalkicker in the past two seasons, was subbed out of Sunday night’s tight win over Port Adelaide with a hamstring issue.
But scans this week cleared Taberner of any muscle damage, with the forward expected to train on Wednesday in a bid to prove his fitness.
Dockers coach Justin Longmuir on Tuesday night said the club would “take no risks” with Taberner, but declared if he’s “right to play, we’ll put him in”.
“He’s got a few boxes to tick because he had some feeling in that hammy but we’ll put him out to train (on Wednesday) to do a little bit and weigh it up later in the week,” Longmuir told 7 News Perth.
“He’s a chance (to play). We’d need to see him get through some work. It’s a positive outcome.”
Longmuir also hinted Chapman, who’s been sidelined since Round 11 with a hamstring issue, was a strong chance to return.
“He did a mountain of work on the weekend and has to tick off training but if he does that, he’ll be right to go,” Longmuir said.
Liam Henry (hamstring) and Darcy Tucker (finger) will also face fitness tests.
ST KILDA will have to find replacements for Dougal Howard and Hunter Clark ahead of Saturday night’s crucial match-up with Fremantle.
Howard could miss up to four weeks after undergoing knee surgery to trim a medial meniscal tear, while Clark is expected to be sidelined for two games following facial surgery on Saturday.
Daniel McKenzie is a chance to return from a calf injury, but faces a fitness test later this week. Mitch Owens will also be tested after missing several weeks due to concussion.
Key defender Tom Highmore, who was the medical sub that replaced Howard during Friday night’s win over Carlton, could be moved into the starting 22.
PORT ADELAIDE will need to replace injured Lachie Jones for the clash with GWS.
Jones suffered a hamstring strain in the thrilling loss to Fremantle.
But in good news for the Power, there’s a host of players putting their hands up for a return.
Zak Butters just needs to pass a final fitness test on his injured knee to be considered for Round 17.
Xavier Duursma, who was a late withdrawal last weekend due to quad tightness, is also pushing for selection.
Tom Clurey missed with trip to Perth while Riley Bonner could also press his claims after missing just one-game with facial fractures.
The club confirmed Bonner would need clearance from his surgeon first before he comes into contention.
Scott Lycett is set to return, but it could be through the SANFL, given he hasn’t played since having a shoulder reconstruction back in April.
“Lycett was close to resuming at the weekend after 10 weeks on the sidelines following shoulder surgery. The 29-year-old will take part in full training on Thursday with an expectation he will be available for selection,” the club said.
Dan Houston suffered a hyperextension to his knee in the loss to Fremantle, but is expected to prove himself fit.
Sam Skinner and Sam Hayes are out of the AFL’s health and safety protocols, but Orazio Fantasia and Trent Dumont won’t be considered as they build their fitness from injury.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY will still be without Matt de Boer as he battles concussion symptoms.
de Boer hasn’t featured since the Round 13 win over North Melbourne, despite initially passing his post-match concussion test after copping a heavy knock.
“We’ll consult with specialists as Matt continues to follow AFL concussion protocols. His health and wellbeing are the priority for us,” Giants head of medical James Rahme said.
James Peatling is pushing for an AFL recall, but needs to prove himself fit at the club’s final training session.
Peatling suffered a low-grade hamstring strain back in Round 14.
Jarrod Brander is another putting his hand up for senior selection, after another impressive performance in the VFL.
Ruckman Braydon Preuss could also come into consideration in a bid to combat Port’s tall timber, after returning from suspension through the VFL.
BRISBANE will be forced into at least two changes for the side to face Essendon, with veterans Daniel Rich and Dayne Zorko ruled out through injury.
The double blow is likely to pave the wave for Mitch Robinson’s return to the senior fold.
Nakia Cockatoo impressed in the VFL with 23 disposals, four clearances and two goals.
Darcy Fort looms as another possible inclusion to battle Bomber Sam Draper, with a dominant 20-disposal effort in the VFL which included 36 hitouts, 10 clearances and 1.1.
ESSENDON could be without Darcy Parish for the trip north to Brisbane.
Parish left training early on Wednesday and could be seen chatting to club staff about his troublesome calf.
Youngster Archie Perkins will be unavailable after being a late withdrawal against Sydney last weekend.
Perkins suffered a calf injury in the lead up to the victory.
“Unfortunately, there was a little bit of tightness out of main training, and it’s shown up as a low-end calf strain,” Bombers head of high performance Sean Murphy said.
“He’ll miss this week and we’ll see how he shapes up over the next week or two.”
But in good news, Andy McGrath is likely to play his first game in three weeks.
“Andy’s going really well. He ticked off a really important session on the weekend and he’s at the end stage of his rehab now,” Murphy said.
“He’ll train fully across this week and we expect him to be available this weekend.”
James Stewart would have made a return through the VFL this weekend if not for the Bombers’ bye.
He’ll now play VFL next weekend before pushing for an AFL recall after overcoming a foot injury.
HAWTHORN will be without James Worpel, after he suffered a nasty shoulder injury in the loss to GWS.
Denver Grainger-Barras could come into contention after impressing on Giant Jake Riccardi in the VFL last weekend, while Josh Morris also shone down back.
Dan Howe played as a spare man in defence for part of the VFL clash and finished with 21 disposals, five marks and a goal.
Finn Maginess and Josh Ward racked up 55 disposals between them in the same match and have put their hands up for selection.
ADELAIDE young gun Josh Rachele won’t play against the Hawks on Sunday.
The forward has been sidelined by a hip joint injury aggravated in the loss to Melbourne.
“At this stage we expect Josh to miss the next 1-2 games but he will be assessed ongoing,” Crows high performance manager Darren Burgess said.
But it could be a straight swap for the Crows will fellow forwards Shane McAdam and Ned McHenry both in line to return from injury.
“(Ned) completed all the training we needed him to last week and he’ll be involved in full training this week,” Burgess said.
“Shane has done some running on that ankle and assuming he gets through training this week he’ll be available.”
Darcy Fogarty is expected to be named, despite his sickening finger injury suffered in the first term against the Dees.
“He’s recovered really well and presented well so we don’t imagine it will be an issue,” the club said.
Defender Will Hamill will likely be available for selection after he was sidelined under the AFL’s concussion protocols.
WEST COAST will lose Elliot Yeo for the clash with Carlton, after the mid-turned-defender went down with another soft tissue injury in the loss to Richmond.
The club expects Yeo to be sidelined for between three to four weeks.
“In the next day or two we’ll hopefully start him jogging and build through the hamstring program from there,” Eagles head of health Mark Finucane said.
Josh Kennedy is expected to return after missing the trip to Melbourne.
The club opted to rest the veteran forward after his stunning five-goal effort in the win over Essendon the week prior.
“JK has been managing a grumbly knee so the week off allowed that to settle and we’ll see him back out there this weekend,” the club said.
Jeremy McGovern remains sidelined after surgery on his broken ribs. Zac Langdon and Hugh Dixon are expected to return from injury through the WAFL either this weekend or next depending on how they train.
CARLTON are set to regain star defender Jacob Weitering for the trip west to face the Eagles.
The number one draft pick hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder back in May.
The Blues backline could also be bolstered by the return of mid-season recruit Sam Durdin, while Matt Owies, Ed Curnow and Lachie Fogarty are set to return from injury.
Jack Martin (calf) needs to pass a fitness test to be considered, while ruckman Marc Pittonet is still at least another week away.
