Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks revealed he’s strongly considering Reilly O’Brien to return to their AFL side, which will impact Lachlan McAndrew.
O’Brien had 21 disposals, 33 hitouts, 10 marks, seven clearances and a goal in the SANFL on the weekend.
Nicks said: “‘ROB’ was fantastic on the weekend (in the SANFL). You talk about his confidence levels and where he’s at, he didn’t put a foot wrong since not being selected Round 1.
“On the weekend he really found his mojo. He was really clunking the ball around the ground, taking big marks, imposed himself on the game. “
Nicks also provided an update on Jordan Dawson and Rory Laird’s chances of facing Fremantle on Friday night after missing last round with calf concerns.
He said: “We hope so. We’re confident. I don’t want to over-promise on that one and don’t deliver. Both of them (Dawson and Taylor Walker) were really close last week, and they have done everything they possibly can. Laird is in the same boat.”
On Dawson specifically, Nicks said: “There’s a little bit of soreness through a calf. And ‘Daws’ has had a history of (injuries to) calves. It was too much of a push for us to risk another.”
Port assistant coach Darren Reeves confirmed Todd Marshall will miss their Round 4 game against Richmond with his ankle problem. Reeves said: “Todd won’t play this week. He’s still a little bit sore.
“I think we’re hopeful that he will improve over this week and be able to train next week and hopefully playing the week after. It’s the second time he sort of tweaked that ankle. He did it against North Melbourne and then again at training last week. Sometimes with ankles, they just take a bit longer to heal. There’s no major damage there. It’s just a little bit sore. So we won’t risk it this week.”
Reeves indicated Miles Bergman, however, will return from an ankle injury. He said: “Miles will play this week, I think. He’s pretty confident and moving really well. He trained well yesterday and should train fully tomorrow. We are pretty hopeful that he’ll play.”
Collingwood coach Craig McRae heaped praise on young ruckman Oscar Steene following his debut, making it clear he’ll back up again on Thursday night against Brisbane.
McRae said: “Really pleasing that the young lad comes in and shows the footy world what he’s good at. He can jump, and we can see that, and we want all our young men that get their opportunity to go show what they can do.”
When asked about replacing the injured Darcy Moore, McRae threw up Wil Parker’s name too. He said: “We’ve got Wil Parker who didn’t play, he was in the week before and he’s played some good footy for us, he knows our system, so he’s probably one that with a six-day break and some energy, his name will probably come up.”
McRae also revealed Nick Daicos was “a bit proppy” but in no doubt to play this Thursday. He said: “He got a corkie on the weekend and we’ve just got to get him through that.
“He’ll be fine, he’ll play. As you can see he’s a bit proppy moving but he’s just getting through that.”
West Coast accepted the one-game suspension offered to Deven Robertson for a dangerous tackle, meaning he’ll miss their Round 4 game against Sydney.
