AFL Round 6 early mail: Injury concerns and players set to return at your club

John Worsfold expects Aaron Francis to clear his final hurdle at training to be available. And he might just be the answer to the Jake Stringer dilemma. Plus, will Conor McKenna make his long awaited return? Several big names are slated to return in the northern hubs this weekend as other clubs have been hit with a spate of injuries — most notably Richmond. SEE YOUR CLUB’S INJURY LIST BELOW Who is set to return for your club in Round 6, who’s out and who faces a fitness test? Scroll down to see the injury concerns and possible inclusions at your club. WHO REPLACES STRINGER? — Rebecca Williams Essendon coach John Worsfold is confident the Bombers can produce enough firepower without their leading goalscorer, but has not ruled out moving the chess pieces to cover the loss of Jake Stringer. Star forward Stringer is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on the syndesmosis injury he suffered against Collingwood last week. The injury leaves the Bombers without their leading goalkicker of the past two seasons in a forward line still without key forward Joe Daniher. Stringer had kicked 10 goals this season to be sitting equal second in the league goal kicking before his injury. Worsfold was backing the Bombers, who will face North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night, to be able to cover Stringer’s absence. The Bombers coach confirmed forward James Stewart was not available for selection as he continued to build up his fitness after his time in quarantine. But Worsfold flagged the potential to swing defenders Cale Hooker or Aaron Francis, who is expected to return after missing last week’s match with back spasms, into attack. “We will consider those things,” Worsfold said. “We have had some preliminary discussions around that. We’ve talked through all the different options that we’ve got and Francis is not an option until he gets through full training (today) and once we know that we are better armed with making those decisions. “But suffice we have explored all possibilities in the preliminary stages of thinking about the team and we’ll finalise that this evening. “Absolutely we believe that we are going to field a team that is good enough to win games.” Worsfold said Daniher continued to progress well with his training, but could not provide a clear picture on when he was likely to return. “He is enjoying his training program at the moment and coming along well,” Worsfold said. “He’s following a program, which means each time he stretches himself further whether that’s in total volume or change of direction with a number of sprints and things like that. “It’s mapped out in a lot of detail and we just keep following that and if we get to a point where he doesn’t pull up well, we just take half a step back and keep progressing that way. “But at the moment we are really pleased with the way everything is tracking.” The Bombers are based in a hub on the Gold Coast after joining the Victorian teams’ escape from the state before the border closure and Melbourne lockdown. Worsfold said the squad had settled in well, but he had not broached the prospect of the team having to spend the rest of the season on the road if needed. “I personally find it a waste of time to start thinking about things that may or may not happen,” he said. “We know what we are doing this Saturday night, we know what we are doing the following Friday night and that’s what we are prepping for and then we deal with anything after that as it comes.” IMPEY TO PLAY FIRST GAME SINCE KNEE INJURY Defender Jarman Impey will make his return for Hawthorn this weekend in a scratch match against GWS Giants. Impey suffered an ACL injury in Round 18 last season, but has so far only missed 10 games due to footy’s COVID-19 shutdown. While he will be eased back, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson confirmed Impey would feature against the Giants. “He’ll play some minutes of footy there in his first return to competitive footy,” Clarkson said. “This is a pretty important step for him in his return so we’re pretty excited for him. “It’s his birthday today too, so there’s plenty of excitement in the Impey household.” WILL MCKENNA GET THE ALL CLEAR TO RETURN? Rebecca Williams Essendon coach John Worsfold expects defender Aaron Francis to clear his final hurdle at training to be available for Saturday night’s clash against North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium. And Worsfold confirmed Conor McKenna was also in the selection mix after building his fitness back up following his suspension and quarantine for breaching AFL COVID protocols. Francis missed last week’s win over Collingwood after suffering a back spasm at training, but Worsfold expected him to prove himself ready to play at training on Thursday in the team’s Gold Coast hub. “(He’s) shaping up well,” Worsfold said. “Aaron had a back spasm last week that hadn’t settled well enough leading into the game. So we fully expect him to get through main training today without any issues and be available for selection.” The Bombers need to make at least one change for the injured Jake Stringer, who suffered a syndesmosis injury last week. Worsfold said McKenna was also available to play, but the Bombers had to weigh up the change to the team’s backline. “He (McKenna) had a really good hit-out on the weekend, which he definitely needed and he is now available for selection,” Worsfold said. “He is obviously a talented part of our squad and has performed really well for us … we were really pleased with the way (the backline) performed last week and the way they are tracking generally over the course of the year. “Conor gives us something really strong to think about whether he comes in or whether we stick with the same group.” But Worsfold said James Stewart was not yet ready to make a return after his quarantine period and would instead take part in a match simulation on Saturday. “It would be a massive risk to bring someone in on the preparation that he’s had,” Worsfold said. “He’s fit, but in terms of playing AFL footy he would be a huge risk of not getting through the game whether it’s through soft tissue injuries or whether it’s not being really well prepped enough for the brutal nature of our game.” MAGPIES TO UNVEIL FATHER-SON PICK — Glenn McFarlane Will Kelly will become the latest Collingwood father-son AFL debutant against Hawthorn at Giants Stadium on Friday night, but coach Nathan Buckley isn’t prepared to guarantee under-pressure forward Mason Cox his spot in the team. Kelly, the of Magpie 1990 premiership defender Craig, kicked three goals in the club’s scratch match against Essendon last week. It’s a much-needed feel good story for Collingwood, particularly given the controversy surrounding stars Jordan De Goey and Steele Sidebottom, who flew to Perth on Tuesday, with 19-year-old Kelly set to join a number of fellow father-sons in the Magpies’ AFL side this week. “Will has done really well,” Buckley said on Wednesday. “(He is) 18 months in (since being drafted) and has had his injury issues over the last two or three years, late as a junior and then with us last year. But his pre-season was super. Moving him forward late last year, we think has been a good move. “His form has been that consistent that he has warranted his opportunity … although he has good size, he moves around really well and is very agile and his work rate is through the roof. He is a young fellow who has earned his opportunity. The players are pumped to see him get his chance.” When asked if Kelly would take Cox’s position after the big man’s two-disposal game against Essendon last week, Buckley said: “Our side will go in on Thursday night and we will declare our final 22 at that point.” Buckley said he had told Cox this week he had “to do better … and there’s a few boys in that boat.” “We estimated we had over a dozen players who didn’t execute their role, minimum … that does affect your team’s performance. “There’s a few individuals who feel like they need to get back to our DNA and want to get back to their brand and being able to contribute a bit better.” He added: “Our form is not tragic but we do have some work to do and we have been able to focus on that. The Magpies have lost 12 of their past 13 matches against the Hawks – a damning stat heading into a must-win Friday night clash. WOUNDED TIGER STILL A CHANCE — Russell Gould Richmond forward Tom Lynch hasn’t ruled himself out of Sunday’s clash with Sydney despite having surgery to repair his broken hand on Monday. The premiership star had to make a mad dash to get to Queensland on Monday before borders closed, just hours after getting out of surgery. Lynch had a whirlwind start to the week, with early morning scans after kicking three goals against Melbourne, then a three-hour operation at 1.30pm. He only had time to go home and pack a bag before getting on a special chartered flight, with club CEO Brendon Gale, to join the Tigers’ quarantine hub on the Gold Coast. If he didn’t get there by Monday night, he would not have been allowed to join his teammates. “I had scans early Monday morning, then spoke to the doc and he wanted to do surgery then and there. He wanted to do it in Melbourne,” Lynch said on Wednesday. “I went in at 1.30, got out of hospital at about 4.30, went straight home, got a bag and went straight to the airport.” Lynch, who played out the game last Sunday with a glove on his hand, was only able to run on Wednesday but hopes to step up his training and push his case to play the Swans. But he also conceded he was only a 50-50 chance. “I did a bit of running today which went well. I can run with a broken hand,” he said. “Hopefully, I can train Friday and press to play Sunday. “The doc was 50-50 at the moment, but hopefully, I get up for it.” BENNELL, PICKETT PRIMED FOR ROUND 6 RETURN — Tim Michell Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett looms as a certain inclusion for Richmond’s Round 6 clash with Sydney after impressing in a scratch match against Melbourne. Pickett is likely to replace injured midfielder Dion Prestia in the Tigers’ side after spending time in attack and defence against the Demons. “He laid eight tackles, his pressure around the ball was his biggest highlight. He had some really unbelievable passages of play, finding a teammate by foot either coming out of the back half or coming through the midfield,” Tigers development coach Xavier Clarke said. Jack Ross will be also be in contention for a recall despite copping a knock to the ribs. The Demons said Bennell had “close to 35 possessions” and showed he had worked on the defensive side of his game — an area which caused him to be dropped after his Melbourne debut. “He’s really calm and composed, and always makes the right choice. It was a really classy performance from him,” Demons assistant coach Matthew Egan said. Sam Weideman and Neville Jetta were others who shone for Melbourne at Punt Road Oval on Sunday. ROWELL TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE Gold Coast young gun Matt Rowell will have surgery on his injured shoulder and will be sidelined for at least the next three months. Rowell dislocated his shoulder against the Cats on Saturday and met with a Sydney surgeon on Tuesday with the call to go under the knife made. A conservative view is that Rowell could miss 12 weeks, meaning the Suns would have to make finals for him to be a real chance to play again this season. “Matt met with a surgeon again today in Sydney and the outcome from that is he’ll undertake some surgery early next week,” Suns football boss Jon Haines said. “This is the first real injury that Matt’s had in his whole career so it was a new experience for him. “We wanted to make sure that Matt’s parents and Matt himself had really good input and a good understanding of the options available to them. “Ultimately it was a decision that Matt had to make so we had to make sure that we laid all the evidence and all the research and all the information out for him and his family to consider and for them to make an informed opinion which they have.” He will have the surgery in Sydney and stay with his teammates in Wollongong before returning to the Gold Coast after Round 7. “It will be quite a significant amount of time out of the game,” Haines said. “Typically these can be a three month and beyond recuperation period so we’d expect that will be typical of his case but we’ll see how it progresses.” WALKER TO MISS NEXT FORTNIGHT -Simeon Thomas-Wilson Former Crows captain Taylor Walker is set to miss Adelaide’s next two games to get over a knee problem the club says has been affecting him for more than a month. And the Crows replacement for the star forward continues to recover slowly from a shoulder injury in another blow for the struggling cellar-dwellers. While he did put in an improved performance against Brisbane two weeks ago, Walker’s form has been largely criticised for the Crows this season. Against Fremantle on Sunday in a battle of the two winless sides in 2020 the former captain finished with six disposals and just one tackle. Crows head of science and medicine Steve Saunders said Walker had been managing an issue on the outside of his right knee and needed to rest to fix it. “With increased training intensity and stringing together a handful of games, he’s become a little bit sore,” Saunders said. “This is affecting Taylor’s agility and ability to jump at the ball. “It’s most likely we’ll need to rest Taylor for one to two weeks to make sure that issue is resolved and he’s right to play.” After some games in the unfamiliar role of a pinch-hitting ruck for Reilly O’Brien, in addition to his work forward, there was speculation that Walker would be dropped for the Lions game but it was Matt Crouch who instead got the axe. The man earmarked to replace Walker as the leader of the Crows forward line, Darcy Fogarty, won’t get the chance to see how he would go on his own at AFL level as he recovers slowly from a shoulder injury. That resulted in Fogarty being a late withdrawal from the Lions game and Saunders said the recovery was taking time. “It’s a high-grade contusion to the shoulder blade,” he said. “He’s making steady progress that suggests he’s likely to be available in two weeks time.” In a positive for the Crows, midfielder Rory Atkins could face St Kilda next week as he recovers from a shoulder injury of his own. Wayne Milera, a foot injury that is listed as five to seven weeks recovery, and Jordan Gallucci’s season-ending Achilles tear are the only other Crows’ injuries. The Crows have also announced that renowned winemaker Warren Randall will become a board member of the club. Randall, the executive chairman and proprietor of Randall Wine Group which owns Barossa-based Seppeltsfield, will replace Jim McDowell who steps down because of his role as chief executive of SA’s Department of Premier and Cabinet. TARANTO RETURNS AS INFECTION SIDELINES DEFENDER -Ben Horne GWS defender Sam Taylor is hospital bound and still at least a month away from returning to the AFL after being floored by a freak infection in his joints. Taylor was ruled out of last Sunday’s clash against Hawthorn with soreness in his back, but GWS medicos were unable to diagnose what the mystery illness actually was. On the opposite end of the injury spectrum, GWS will welcome back star midfielder Tim Taranto this week from a shoulder dislocation which would have originally ruled him out for the majority of the season if it wasn’t for the coronavirus shutdown putting a hold on the competition. Taranto will be considered for an immediate AFL return against Port Adelaide, but if not will face Hawthorn reserves in a scratch match in Sydney this weekend. But the Giants will be without one of their most underestimated pieces in Taylor, who came up with the clutch play against Collingwood in last year’s preliminary final to progress the Giants into the big one. The 21-year-old has been in hospital since the end of last week and is being supported by GWS staff with his Perth-based family unable to come and visit him in the current COVID-19 environment. His condition was quite serious until the Giants club doctor and specialists worked out what was wrong. “It’s spiralled out of control into an infection in his joints, which has been really tough for him,” said GWS coach, Leon Cameron. “He was really sore and later in the week they found that clearly there was something else more sinister going on. I think the docs have done a fantastic job in finding out what‘s going on. “He‘s been in hospital for the last three or four days. We don’t really have a timeline for him. He’s been knocked around a fair bit but we’re probably expecting him to be out for at least a month. “What started out as something pretty simple has ended up as something that‘s not great for Sammy. “His health and wellbeing is at the forefront of our minds to make sure he‘s OK. “Hopefully by Friday he‘s out of hospital and we’re on top of that infection and he can start that rehab process back and building up to play again. “It’s disappointing because clearly he‘s an integral part of our backline.” It’s understood Taylor has lost weight and strength as a result of being bedridden with the illness and is being supported by Giants welfare staff. “They’re in WA and it’s tough because clearly they‘d like to come over and see him. That may be the case down the track.” ADELAIDE T.Walker (knee) 1-2 D.Fogarty (shoulder) 1-2 R.Atkins (shoulder) 1-2 W.Milera (foot) 5-7 J.Gallucci (achilles) season A minor knee injury which he has been managing this season has caught up with Taylor Walker, with the former skipper to sit out for up to a fortnight to resolve the minor issue. It’s a similar time frame for forward Darcy Fogarty, whose shoulder injury is worse than first feared. The 20-year-old suffered a high-grade contusion to the shoulder blade in a training incident ahead of the Round 4 match with the Lions. But Rory Atkins’ recovery from an AC joint injury is progressing well with the midfielder a chance to be available for the club’s return to Adelaide Oval in Round 7. BRISBANE LIONS C.Ellis-Yolmen (calf) 2 weeks M.Adams (foot) 8 weeks C.McFadyen (knee) season Off-season recruit Cam Ellis-Yolmen will miss a fortnight after hurting his calf against the Power but in a huge boost for the second-placed Lions, Dayne Zorko has declared himself ready to go. The Brisbane skipper lasted less than half against the Crows in Round 4, hurting his calf in his return match from Achilles soreness but he’ll be available for Thursday night’s clash with the Cats. The news isn’t so good for key-defender Marcus Adams, who will miss a further two months after scans revealed a stress reaction in his troublesome foot, while second-year midfielder Connor McFayden ruptured his ACL in last week’s practice match CARLTON P.Dow (knee) test Z.Fisher (illness) test J.Silvagni (ribs) test C.Marchbank (knee) 1-2 M.Kreuzer (foot) 5-7 C.Curnow (knee) season B.Kemp (knee) season N.Newman (knee) season Wingman Zac Fisher was due to make his return from an ankle injury in Round 5 but was a late withdrawal due to gastro. He seems likely to replace two-gamer Sam Philp for the Blues’ clash with Western Bulldogs. Jack Silvagni missed Saturday’s loss to St Kilda with a rib injury after being listed as a test. The utility could be another inclusion for Sunday’s fixture at Metricon Stadium. Caleb Marchbank is getting closer to his return from a knee injury in a welcome sign for Carlton fans, although the defender is likely to be eased back through scratch matches in the Queensland hub. COLLINGWOOD L.Greenwood (knee) 1-2 T.Langdon (knee) indefinite J.Howe (knee) indefinite D.Beams (mental health) indefinite After a tough week on and off the field the Pies have to cover another major out in the form of Jordan De Goey, who has been ruled out of Friday night’s clash against Hawthorn after taking extra COVID-19 tests following a visit to the police station. The Pies have made the call to fly him straight to Perth for their Round 7 clash against Geelong. Josh Thomas is the likely De Goey replacement while John Noble sat out a scratch match last against Essendon week and is available if needed. Father-son pick Will Kelly kicked three goals in that game and is pushing for an AFL debut, and Ben Reid booted two in his first game back from injury. ESSENDON A.Francis (back) test S.Draper (knee) 1 week T.Cutler (calf) 2-3 K.Mutch (wrist) 2-3 J.Stringer (ankle) TBC P.Ambrose (foot) TBC D.Heppell (ankle) 12-14 L.Johnson (knee) 8-10 J.Daniher (groin) indefinite T.Hird (foot) season The Bombers produced their best performance in years against Collingwood, but it came with a sharp sting in the tail in the form of a syndesmosis injury that will sideline Jake Stringer for two months. Unfortunately, many of Essendon’s injuries are medium or long-term but there are options for John Worsfold. Araon Francis should return after missing the Pies game with a back issue, Zach Merrett has served his one-game suspension and Conor McKenna was back to his best in a scratch match against Collingwood. The other player to catch the eye in that 12 v 12 hitout was livewire Irving Mosquito. Tom Bellchambers is likely to be available but Andrew Phillips did enough against Brodie Grundy to keep his spot against the Kangaroos. FREMANTLE N.Fyfe (hamstring) test T.Colyer (migraine) test B.Cox (hip) test L.Henry (knee) test J.Hogan (calf) 2-3 S.Giro (ankle) 3-4 R.Conca (hamstring) TBC Joel Hamling (ankle) TBC G.Logue (toe) TBC A.Pearce (ankle) TBC S.Switkowski (back) TBC Last week it was Sam Sturt, this week it’s Nat Fyfe. The Fremantle skipper, who has “progressed really quickly over the past few days”, is set to make an earlier-than-expected return from a hamstring injury. It’s a similar story for tall Brennan Cox, who could also put his hand up for selection after batting a hip complaint, while forward Travis Colyer will be right to go after withdrawing from the Round 5 clash with a migraine. The news isn’t so good for Jesse Hogan (calf), Griffin Logue (toe) and Reece Conca (hamstring), who are all set for a stint on the sidelines. But former Saint Blake Acres and Cam McCarthy are available and could come straight in. GEELONG J.Bews (ankle) test T.Atkins (soreness) test O.Brownless (shoulder) TBC J.Jenkins (back) 1 week S.Okunbor (achilles) indefinite R.Stanley (knee) 1-3 T.Stewart (shoulder) 3-7 J.Tarca (quad) TBC The Cats didn’t suffer any injuries in their win against Gold Coast, with Jed Bews pulling up OK after rolling his ankle. But the Cats are the masters of managing players and will have a close eye on the fixture. The squad flew to Sydney on Sunday night ahead of Thursday night’s home game against Brisbane at the SCG (it’s a weird season) off a five-day break, and will then jet to their new WA hub. Tom Atkins (chest) is likely to be held over until the Pies game in Perth and Chris Scott has flagged the possibility of resting Gary Ablett after his 350th game. Jordan Clark, Lachie Fogarty and James Parsons are depth players who can help the Cats navigate a challenging month — or more. GOLD COAST M.Rowell (shoulder) 2-3 months G.Horlin-Smith (foot) 4 weeks R.Thompson (knee) 5 weeks M.Riordan (knee) season The Suns have opted for young sensation Matt Rowell to go under the knife after dislocating his shoulder against the Cats, meaning he is likely to miss the next three months. But there are plenty of replacements ready to go with Anthony Miles coming off the injury list last week to join Will Brodie and Brayden Fiorini pushing for a spot. Or is it finally time for an Izak Rankine debut? GWS GIANTS C.Ward (soreness) test T.Hutcheson (hamstring) 1-2 Z.Williams (hamstring) 4 weeks S.Reid (calf) 3 weeks I.Cumming (hamstring) 10-12 The Giants can further boost their line-up with some big inclusions to face Port Adelaide on Sunday. Former captain Callan Ward was a late withdrawal against the Hawks with soreness but will be back and Tim Taranto is available after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction. But young defender Sam Taylor will miss at least a month after being diagnosed with a nasty bacterial infection. “He’s got septic arthritis which is in two joints, one in his pelvis and one in his ankle. He’s been quite unwell and obviously in a bit of pain,” Giants head of medical Cullan Ball said. “He’s in hospital at the moment on IV antibiotics. He’s under specialist care and they’re taking really good care of him. We’ll just see how he pulls up over the next couple of weeks.” HAWTHORN M.Walker (ankle) test C.Jiath (hamstring) test J.Impey (knee) 2 weeks L.Breust (jaw) 3-4 W.Golds (knee) season D.Howe (foot) indefinite M.Lewis (hamstring) TBC J.Scrimshaw (foot) TBC The Hawks were down to two on the bench against the Giants with Mitch Lewis (hamstring) and Jack Scrimshaw (foot) ruled out. It is unclear how much footy the pair will miss as they await scans and Hawthorn fitness boss Luke Boyd said neither will feature in their blockbuster clash with Collingwood on Friday night. Lewis’s blow opens the door for recruit Jon Patton who has been missing the last fortnight after a cooking fiasco, which left him with a nasty infection on his foot following a serious burn. Ben McEvoy excelled up forward and in the ruck when moved into his traditional role on the weekend, could it see ruck incumbent Jon Ceglar pushed forward to replace Lewis? With key forward Tim O’Brien (four disposals) quiet, Patton should find his way in regardless. MELBOURNE A.Nietschke (knee) season M.Hore (quad/toe) indefinite K.Kolodjashnij (concussion) indefinite H.Petty (groin) indefinite While opponent Richmond copped a spate of injuries during Sunday’s game, Melbourne emerged unscathed – physically at least. The Demons only have Marty Hore (quad), Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion) and Harry Petty (groin) out indefinitely, plus Aaron Nietschke (knee) gone for the season. The big watch this week will be whether Harley Bennell returns for his second game as a Demon after being left out for the past two rounds despite having 59 ranking points in half a game on debut. The former Docker and Sun would provide a touch of class for a Melbourne side which has been criticised for its inability to kick a winning score. Simon Goodwin also flagged after the loss to the Tigers Sam Weideman and Mitch Brown would be in the mix to face Gold Coast on Saturday. NORTH MELBOURNE J.Ziebell (hamstring) test N.Larkey (foot) test T.Thomas (concussion) test S.Higgins (knee) test B.Cunnington (back) test L.Davies-Uniacke (groin) test D.Tyson (calf) 1-2 E.Vickers-Willis (turf toe) 2 weeks T.Garner (hamstring) 304 C.Comben (back/knee) TBC B.Jacobs (head/neck) TBC F.Perez (knee) TBC Rhyce Shaw faces another tough call on midfielder Ben Cunnington after the Syd Barker medallist was clearly hampered during North Melbourne’s Round 5 loss to Western Bulldogs. Shaw went as far as conceding the club possibly made the wrong call to play Cunnington after he was in doubt throughout the week due to a back complaint. Cunnington played only 50 minutes of game time and spent much of that as a deep forward. Tarryn Thomas suffered concussion after a heavy landing in the second quarter. The Roos will hope to regain skipper Jack Ziebell, who was ruled out of Round 5 with a hamstring injury. In the absence of Ziebell and Cunnington for large periods, Jy Simpkin continued his fine start to the season as the leader of North Melbourne’s midfield. Shaun Higgins will also be assessed this week after leaving the ground in the second half with a knee issue. PORT ADELAIDE Ryan Burton (knee) test Xavier Duursma (hamstring) 1-2 Willem Drew (foot) 2-4 Port Adelaide played it safe with Ryan Burton last week, who was close to resuming against the Lions after minor knee surgery. His return against the Giants could see Dan Houston return to the midfield. Young gun Xavier Duursma is still two weeks away but coach Ken Hinkley has a healthy list to choose from. And he might use it after the disappointing performance against the Lions. RICHMOND T.Lynch (hand) test T.Cotchin (hamstring) 1-3 W.Martyn (foot) 2-4 B.Nyuon (shoulder) 3-5 D.Astbury (knee) 4-5 T.Nankervis (ankle) 4-8 D.Prestia (ankle) 4-8 N.Cumberland (ACL) season Where do we start? Safe to say you would be unlucky to be dropped from the team based on form this week. Dion Prestia and Toby Nankervis both suffered syndesmosis injuries against Melbourne that will sideline them for at least a month, Trent Cotchin nicked a hamstring and Tom Lynch broke his finger. He flew to the Tigers’ new Gold Coast hub on a private jet after surgery on Monday and hasn’t been ruled out of Sunday’s clash against Sydney, but he has to be a long shot. The others are all definite outs along with Bachar Houli and Shane Edwards, who stayed in Melbourne for family reasons. So, who comes in? Marlion Pickett seems an almost certain inclusion after another strong scratch match performance, Ivan Soldo will replace Nankervis, Jack Ross could take Cotchin’s role and Shai Bolton and Sydney Stack both played through the midfield in the seconds hitout last weekend. The other name to watch is Thomson Dow. The Tigers’ top draft pick last year (No. 21) is a classy but lightly-framed midfielder (and brother of Carlton’s Paddy) who has continued to impress in practice matches and could make his AFL debut against the Swans. ST KILDA Z.Jones (hamstring) test D.Hannebery (hamstring) 3 weeks L.Dunstan (pectoral) 9-11 Another soft-tissue injury for Dan Hannebery is the only thing that can wipe the smile off the faces of Saints fans at the moment. But another former Swan in Zak Jones could be a handy replacement after missing one week with a hamstring injury. Otherwise the team looks extremely settled, which is bad news for Paddy Ryder as Rowan Marshall dominates as the solo ruckman. Clashes with Fremantle and Adelaide in the next two weeks give St Kilda the chance to cement a spot in the top four. SYDNEY L.Melican (groin) 2-3 B.Ronke (back) TBC C.Sinclair (knee) 1 week K.Brand (ankle) test S.Reid (calf) 1 week T.McCartin (concussion) 1 week L.Franklin (hamstring) TBC J.Amartey (hamstring) TBC M.Knoll (knee) 2-4 S.Naismith (knee) season The Swans’ clash against Richmond on Sunday will be a battle of the walking wounded with Sydney’s list also decimated, especially when it comes to key position players. Lewis Melican has joined the likes of Lance Franklin, Sam Reid and rucks Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair on the sidelines after scans revealed a groin strain. Ben Ronke (back stress reaction) is a bit shorter than those guys but he’s also set to miss while Tom McCartin (concussion) is likely to miss another week. Ex-Hawk Kaiden Brand will be available to replace Melican while Lewis Taylor and Robbie Fox remain on the fringe. WEST COAST J.Jones (hamstring) TBC L.Shuey (hamstring) TBC M.Hutchings (knee) 2-3 M.O’Neil (back) indefinite D.Venables (concussion) season Skipper Luke Shuey will miss the Round 6 clash with Crows after suffering a low-grade hamstring injury last week. But, after he pulled up well, the club is hopeful the 30-year-old will take his place in the Derby against the Dockers. Small-forward Jamaine Jones is likely to miss at least two weeks after he, too, hurt his hamstring against the Swans, while utility Jarrod Brander is a chance to resume after missing one week with a hip complaint. In more good news, midfielder Mark Hutchings has been given the all-clear to resume training and will now work towards a return in the next three weeks. WESTERN BULLDOGS B.Smith (concussion) test L.Vandermeer (concussion) test T.Duryea (quad) 2-3 L.Jong (ankle) 3-4 S.Lloyd (collarbone) 3-5 J.Dunkley (ankle) 4-6 A.Naughton (ankle) 5-7 R.Garcia (knee) indefinite Lachie Hunter is available for selection after serving his four-week club suspension. In typical Luke Beveridge style, he has floated playing Hunter as an inside midfielder rather than his customary spot on a wing: “It’s an intriguing conundrum … we’ve got a choice to make as to whether or not he plays on the wing or inside,” he said after the Dogs’ third straight win. There could be up to four forced changes against Carlton — Bailey Smith and Laitham Vandermeer will both have to pass concussion tests to play on Sunday, while Lin Jong has an ankle injury and Hayden Crozier is challenging his one-match ban for a dangerous tackle at the tribunal. Matt Suckling and Louis Butler are possible ins and Josh Dunkley is out of his moon boot early as he makes good progress in his recovery from syndesmosis.