Stay up to date throughout Round 15 with our rolling injury report from the coaches post-game. With the seven-game round extending from Thursday night through until Sunday, these snippets of info will be key.
Fremantle vs Essendon
Xavier Duursma was subbed out with hamstring tightness. Dons debutant ruckman Vigo Visentini played on after a shoulder clash.
Essendon coach Brad Scott praised Visentini offering an insight into his job security when he said: “I thought he rucked really well and I thought he competed really well. He’s a 19-year-old playing his first game against a premiership player who was picked two or three in the draft.
“From what I saw tonight, it won’t be his last game of AFL footy, that’s for sure. I like his competitiveness. He’s a great size, he’s a terrific athlete, and he’s got a huge opportunity to learn under one of the all-time great ruckmen in Todd Goldstein.
“Knowing ‘Goldy’ like I do, Goldy’s dual objective will be to get himself ready to perform when he needs to play, but he’ll take a really strong interest in getting Vigo up to speed as quickly as possible. Now we’ll have, hopefully for the first time in a long time, some decisions to make at the selection table.”
Scott also said he expected to get several players back from injury after their bye, with Sam Durham certain to return from suspension.
Geelong vs Brisbane Lions
Neither side picked up any injury concerns.
Carlton vs North Melbourne
Jacob Weitering rolled his ankle early but played out the game.
Port Adelaide vs Sydney
Sydney coach Dean Cox hailed Errol Gulden for his return from injury, along with Tom Papley. Cox said: “You talk about Errol and what he can do with the ball and how much he gets it, but it’s the way he understands the game, what the state of the game is suggesting, how he can help his teammates get into better spots to help the team.
“And then just with the energy he brings and the standards that he demands. (Gulden and Papley) are two crucial people, they’re leaders of our football club.”
Joe Berry was a late out for Port with illness. Miles Bergman nursed a shoulder concern through the game.
Collingwood vs St Kilda
Beau McCreery was subbed out at quarter-time due to hamstring tightness. Pies coach Craig McRae admitted McCreery’s injury could open the door for Charlie West, who has been in top form in the VFL.
“I must admit, his magnet was really close this week. I didn’t tell him, but it was really close,” McRae said. “Now it’s going to be really hard to keep him out. I’m rapt for him… it looks like it’s going to be hard to leave (him) out next week.”
On McCreery, McRae said: “He’ll get scans tomorrow. (The) likelihood (is) there will be some form of a hamstring strain, we’re thinking on the minor end, that’s doctors saying minor end and Beau saying minor end – he did a pretty bad one last year so there’s an awareness there so well just have to wait.”
Mattaes Phillipou was a late out for St Kilda due to a recurrence of the plantaris injury that’s recently sidelined him. Saints coach Ross Lyon: “He trained fully. Our sports science were a bit concerned that he could do a soft tissue injury with a full game. He was keen to play and we were.
“He was in the warm-up and everything was normal… and then I got a call from David Misson that Mattaes feels sore around that part of his leg. Not dramatically but he was pretty upset with it… He’ll be upset, we’ll work our way through it. Hopefully he’s OK in the short/longer term. We’ve got to do investigations.”
Lyon also praised debutant Alix Tauru. He said: “Bit to like. We like that he’s a simple player, does the simple things well. I thought he was tough, head over the ball, launched. I think he can only get better from here. Very athletic young player.”
GWS Giants vs Gold Coast Suns
GWS subbed out Lachie Whitfield following a head knock with Ben King. GWS coach Adam Kingsley said: “He seems OK. He just got that knock early in the game on the boundary line. He just got a knock on the chin. He wasn’t feeling great. We decided to make the call.” Note the Giants have the bye next round, so he won’t miss a game if he gets through the 12-day concussion protocols.
Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Adam Treloar was subbed out with a calf injury. Dogs coach Luke Beveridge said: “For us to sub him out that early in the game, there’s a degree of significant concern. As usual, it’s difficult to tell the extent of the injury. We’ll obviously report in pretty quickly once the experts know.”
Treloar had tried to play on initially. Beveridge added: “Once he came off, the boys assessed him, strapped him up – that’s what he was after – he tried it out, but he was incapacitated and we had to take him off. That will never last long, any hobble gets eradicated pretty quickly for our 18 on the field.”
James O’Donnell was benched in the final term with adductor tightness – which may open the door for Jedd Busslinger – but Beveridge said they were being “conservative” on a five-day break.
