Has the eight-week absence of Sam Reid added to the chances of Kurt Tippett getting a recall from retirement for the Sydney Swans?
No.
Let’s move on with all the realistic AFL team selection news for round four.
It was going to be a big week for Collingwood as they launched themselves up the AFL ladder off the back of a win against Carlton and welcomed the return of some star players, but there’s been a bump on the road to the top.
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Daniel Wells and Jamie Elliott are crucial if the Magpies are going to start winning games, and both looked like coming back this week to face Adelaide on Friday night, but now neither of them will be there.
Some injury news we didn't want to hear - https://t.co/0yPxpQqgtB Jamie Elliott + Taylor Adams have both suffered low-grade hamstring strains pic.twitter.com/cAQowyFAWM
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) April 11, 2018
Wells will definitely need match time in the VFL if he’s available, and Elliott, ready to rock after kicking five goals in the twos, tweaked a hamstring at training on Wednesday, so it’s back on the sidelines for him.
But the Pies will get Jordan De Goey (and possibly his dog) on the ground.
The reigning AFL premiers have got a bit of thinking to do at the selection table too.
Josh Caddy will be in for Richmond, Nathan Broad won’t be, but the biggest question mark is over Dion Prestia. His name may be on the team sheet tonight, but his boots won't be on the 'G come Saturday.
The ’human meatball’ is fit but hasn’t got a lot of football under his belt this year, and the Tigers’ VFL team has a bye, so the conundrum is do they give him another week of training or play him in a limited role against the Lions?
I’m told it’ll be the first option. Richmond’s travelling okay and it’ll be hard to find someone to take out to make space for Prestia anyway. Add to that the chance of the important midfielder re-injuring himself in a game the Tigers should be able to win without him, and they’re definitely going to err on the side of caution.
The AFL’s best full forward, Josh Kennedy, is ready to return for West Coast and rates himself a “definitely over 60% chance to play” for the Eagles against the Gold Coast Suns, but won’t. Again, it’s just too big a risk with too valuable a player against a lowly opponent at home.
If Kennedy does pull on the boots then the selectors need to have a long, hard look at themselves.
And everybody’s favourite little Giant, Toby Greene, is a lock to return for Greater Western Sydney after missing a couple of weeks with hamstring soreness.
There was a whisper Toby was sitting out for disciplinary reasons after GWS deciphered a certain story from the Rover, but I can assure you it was a hammy and that the club had already dealt with the six million dollar man and his bionic holiday exploits.
In other selection news, Lions skipper Dayne Beams will be back to face the Tigers, struggling St Kilda will get back Billy Longer from injury and bring in tough nut Mav Weller for his first game of the year, Mitch Duncan’s return will be some sort of compensation for the Cats after losing Gary Ablett, and Carlton fans will have to keep waiting for ‘Great White Hope’ Harry McKay, with the 200cm forward to carry on his VFL career for another week.
