An injury cloud still hovers over Max Gawn playing this round, Jack Martin and Marc Pittonet both loom as potential returnees for Carlton while a Fremantle youngster has been rookie flagged.

GAWN PROGRESS
Melbourne are still offering no assurances on Max Gawn’s (AF $920k SC $721k RUCK) availability this round as he recovers from a knee problem which has kept him out of the past two games.

Demons Performance Manager Darren Burgess said: “Maxy is progressing well with his rehab. We’re taking it day by day and we’ll see how he pulls up for the weekend.”

To add some urgency, fellow big man Braydon Preuss (AF $394k SC $329k RUCK/FWD) limped out of Wednesday training with a hip worry but Burgess appeared relaxed about it.

Burgess said: “Preussy just hurt his hip today in training. We’ll have a look at how that goes over the next few days but we’re confident he’ll get up.”

BLUES NEWS
Jack Martin (AF $573k SC $436k MID/FWD) looms for a return following a calf injury although Carlton coach David Teague was cagey on his availability.

Teague said: “He should be (right). If he gets through training, if he’s available, he’ll play. He’s a test for this week, he’s just got to get through training and we’ll play him.”

The Blues coach was more positive on the return of Marc Pittonet (AF $471k SC $334k RUCK) after his finger injury.

Teague said: “He’s got to get through training. Last week he trained but he felt he couldn’t perform at the level. He made the right call for the team.”

Pittonet’s return may force out Tom De Koning (AF $217k SC $148k RUCK), although Teague was open to the pair playing together.

Teague said: “We’ll definitely look at it (playing De Koning and Pittonet in the same team). We’ve generally played three tall forwards throughout the year. There’s a possibility.”

ROOKIE FLAG
Fremantle 2019 AFL Draft pick nine Liam Henry (AF $254k SC $171k MID/FWD) continues to be rumoured with a debut.

Freo coach Justin Longmuir told Seven News Perth: “He’ll come into consideration.

“We’re tinkering with our forward line and we thought on the weekend we got enough supply going inside our forward line but we didn’t quite finish off that work in front of goal.

“Liam’s obviously going to add to us in the forward line with his skill and offensive threat. We’ll consider him strongly this week.”

Henry is the only player picked inside the top 10 at last year’s draft who is yet to debut.

OTHERS
David Swallow (AF $655k SC $400k MID) will return for Gold Coast on Friday, which will force some changes in the Gold Coast line-up.

Suns coach Stuart Dew said: “Dave is ready to go and Jarrod (Harbrow) is ready to go. We’ll discuss later today who misses out. We’ll take 26 to Darwin.”

TOMORROW
We’re back to busy days with Luke Beveridge, Leon Cameron, Adam Simpson and Chris Scott speaking to the media, while we’ll get the 22s for Friday’s Gold Coast-Carlton game.

HB: Legendary Luka, thanks for your time, good luck for Barry McKokoner for the rest of 2020 and with uni!