AFL Mid West round 5 preview: Local stars to feature in headlining matches for Adelaide’s Gather Round

Players representing the Mid West in the AFL will feature in some blockbuster games this weekend as the eyes of the football world turn to Adelaide for Gather Round. The prime time Friday night showdown between Fremantle and Collingwood will feature two Mid West stars — Geraldton’s Judd McVee and Dongara’s Jaeger O’Meara. McVee is coming off his career-best game last weekend in the two-point thriller against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval, collecting 23 disposals. The Dockers will start as favourites against the Magpies, who will welcome back star Nick Daicos as well as former skipper Scott Pendlebury for the bumper clash. Sydney Swan, Coorow-Latham’s Logan McDonald, will be hoping to score early when the Swans play Gold Coast on Saturday at Norwood Oval after he went goalless in Sydney’s 128-point demolition of West Coast on Sunday. The Eagles will be hoping to turn around last weekend’s poor form, but face another big challenge in last year’s grand finalist Geelong at Norwood Oval on Sunday. Northampton veteran Jamie Cripps was not on the plane headed east and looks set to miss the match, with the club confirming he was being managed. The premiership forward had only nine touches and did not score in the 128-point defeat to Sydney. Geraldton’s Jack Martin will be hoping to stand tall in Geelong’s forward line up against the Eagles’ young defence. West Coast will also be hoping a change of jumpers will help turn their fortunes around when they resurrect the “ochre” design for the first time in 24 years. A controversial look from 2000 to 2002, the once-common away strip has proven a hit amongst fans for its nostalgia. Coming off a bye in the last round, the Geraldton pair of Liam Ryan and Jack Carroll are set to suit up for St Kilda in the Gather Round finale against Port Adelaide on Sunday night. Northampton champion Patrick Cripps was set to lead his Navy Blues into battle against the Adelaide Crows in the Thursday night curtain-raising clash at Adelaide Oval. It was a must-win match for both teams, each sitting at 1-3 on the ladder, with the Blues facing growing criticism over their second-half fadeouts. All 18 clubs and tens of thousands of supporters have descended on Adelaide for Gather Round — the fourth instalment of the now must-attend annual fixture. Nine games will be played across four days at Adelaide Oval, Barossa Park and Norwood Oval. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas made a special request to the AFL for the Fremantle Dockers to have one of the marquee timeslots, after being impressed with their brand of footy and to attract a West Australian contingent to the weekend.