Preliminary final weekend is upon us, and there are some critical selection decisions to be made ahead of the weekend.
Geelong are set to put a line through two club champions, Port Adelaide has a bevy of important calls to make, the Swans have a conundrum on their hands to replace their injured skipper, and a Brisbane superstar concerningly returned home in a moon boot.
Read all about it ahead of the preliminary finals in AFL Team Tips!
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AFLW Wrap: Crows continue perfect start | 02:44
FINALS WEEK 3 FIXTURE (ALL TIMES AEST)
SYDNEY SWANS vs. PORT ADELAIDE
First Preliminary Final
Friday September 20, 7:40pm at the SCG
Sydney’s qualifying final team:
B: D.Rampe, T.McCartin, N.Blakey
HB: C.Mills – C, H.Cunningham, O.Florent
C: J.Lloyd, Ch.Warner, E.Gulden
HF: L.Parker, H.McLean, L.McDonald
F: T.Papley, J.Amartey, W.Hayward
FOLL: B.Grundy, I.Heeney, J.Rowbottom
I/C: L.Melican, B.Campbell, M.Roberts, J.McInerney, J.Jordon
EMG: T.Adams, C.Cleary, P.Ladhams
Team Tips: All Sydney eyes will be on Callum Mills (hamstring) — who succumbed to a soft tissue concern at the worst time of the year — if the Swans progress to the Grand Final. But before that, coach John Longmire and his selection committee need to decide on an inclusion to replace the captain ahead of Friday’s meeting with a spirited Port Adelaide — and it appears that call is between the out-of-favour Taylor Adams and Robbie Fox, unless a left-field option presents. A versatile utility capable of playing multiple roles, Fox seems the ideal candidate, whereas recalling Adams would be going in a different direction — having largely played as a high forward in 2024. Like Adams, Fox was excluded on the eve of the finals series — but unlike the ex-Magpie, Fox wasn’t one of Sydney’s emergencies for its qualifier against the Giants. Of course, the 30-year-old Adams missed out on Collingwood’s premiership last year due to a hamstring injury and is looking to avoid similar heartache in 2024. Academy product Caiden Cleary and ruck-forward Peter Ladhams were emergencies against GWS, but they aren’t likely to earn recalls at this stage.
Port fined for Hinkley altercation | 00:31
Port Adelaide’s semi-final team:
B: La.Jones, B.Zerk-Thatcher, M.Bergman
HB: J.Sinn, A.Aliir, L.Evans
C: J.Burgoyne, O.Wines, W.Drew
HF: D.Byrne-Jones, E.Ratugolea, W.Rioli
F: M.Georgiades, C.Dixon, C.Rozee – C
FOLL: J.Sweet, J.Horne-Francis, Z.Butters
I/C: T.Boak, Q.Narkle, J.Mead, F.Evans, T.Marshall
EMG: W.Lorenz, D.Visentini, D.Williams
Team Tips: Port Adelaide — and Ken Hinkley — stay alive in 2024. Now, another daunting challenge awaits in the Swans in Sydney — who Port Adelaide beat explosively in Round 21, but that was a different time. Of the four remaining sides in premiership contention, the Power have the most selection conundrums to ponder in the coming days. Key forward Todd Marshall, who returned to the senior side on Friday night, suffered a concussion and has since entered the league’s concussion protocols, opening that spot back up. There will be a watch on the fitness of veteran forward Charlie Dixon (illness) — who was a late exclusion an hour before the Hawthorn clash — and defender Ryan Burton (calf) ahead of selection, with the pair remaining under clouds as the Power prepare to travel to Sydney. Young rebounder Josh Sinn was recalled in place of Burton and recorded 11 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency against the Hawks. Forward Jed McEntee was the unlucky omission for Marshalllast Thursday and will be pressing his case for a return, though he wasn’t named in the emergencies. Two-gamer Will Lorenz — who was the last-minute inclusion for Dixon on Friday — Dante Visentini and Dylan Williams were the last resorts, with Lorenz managing two possessions after starting as the substitute. Elsewhere, star midfielder Zak Butters (ribs) got through unscathed.
Neale sports moonboot after Giants win | 01:22
GEELONG CATS vs. BRISBANE LIONS
Second Preliminary Final
Saturday September 21, 5:15pm at the MCG
Geelong’s qualifying final team:
B: L.Humphries, J.Henry, J.Kolodjashnij
HB: M.Duncan, M.Blicavs, Z.Guthrie
C: M.Holmes, T.Atkins, O.Dempsey
HF: T.Stengle, S.Neale, S.Mannagh
F: B.Close, J.Cameron, O.Henry
FOLL: R.Stanley, P.Dangerfield – C, T.Bruhn
I/C: Z.Tuohy, J.Bowes, G.Miers, O.Mullin, J.Bews
EMG: G.Rohan, S.De Koning
Team Tips: The Cats were unchanged entering their qualifying final against Port Adelaide, and it seems more likely than not they will go into this Saturday having made just one change. Tom Stewart (illness/hamstring) is expected to come straight back in – a “lock” in the words of Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph, with late inclusion Oisin Mullin the obvious omission candidate. Big decisions loom on veteran pair Tom Hawkins and Cam Guthrie, as they continue to fight to make senior returns for the flag-contending Cats. The premiership duo played in Geelong’s VFL semi-final loss to Southport a week ago — Hawkins kicked one goal from 10 disposals, while Guthrie racked up 19 possessions to go with eight tackles, four clearances and a goal. Ralph also reported on Monday night to On The Couch thatthe duo “won’t get up” for the preliminary final. Tall utility Sam De Koning will be pressing for a recall after being left for the emergencies list for the Power match — he notched 17 disposals, six marks and 15 hitouts against Southport. Could he nab Jed Bews’ spot? Bews played just his fourth senior game for the year against Port and managed only eight possessions. Elsewhere, after being named an emergency for the Port Adelaide game, forward Gary Rohan (fractured skull) won’t play again this year.
Fagan full of praise for brave Lions | 07:58
Brisbane’s semi-final team:
B: D.Zorko, H.Andrews, C.McKenna
HB: D.Wilmot, J.Payne, R.Lester
C: J.Fletcher, W.Ashcroft, H.McCluggage
HF: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, J.Berry
F: C.Cameron, E.Hipwood, Z.Bailey
FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Dunkley, L.Neale – C
I/C: K.Lohmann, C.Ah Chee, L.Morris, B.Starcevich, N.Answerth
EMG: H.Sharp, D.Fort, D.Joyce
Team Tips: Well, some final that was. Somehow, Brisbane has progressed to preliminary final weekend and now travels to Melbourne to play Geelong at the MCG. Eyebrows raised when dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale was sighted in a moon boot upon the Lions’ arrival back in Brisbane on Sunday, but there isn’t cause for considerable concern — they have been taking precautionary measures with the superstar midfielder these past few weeks as he manages a sore foot/heel that flared up against the Giants. Speaking on SEN on Monday, Neale said: “(I’m) certainly not in any doubt (to play), but probably over the last 8-10 weeks I have had a fairly significant issue with my heel, but on game day it feels 100 per cent most of the time.” Meantime, key defender Jack Payne got through unscathed on Saturday after he was in some doubt because of a knee injury. His like-for-like replacement Darragh Joyce remains on standby, listed as an emergency for the GWS game alongside Harry Sharp and Darcy Fort. Brisbane’s VFL side fell in its preliminary final against Werribee, with out-of-favour midfielder Deven Robertson (24 disposals, 16 tackles) among the major ball-winners, but he remains a very outside chance of earning a call-up. Bruce Reville (18 possessions, 14 tackles and four clearances), too, is on the outside looking in. Brisbane went into Saturday’s semi-final unchanged and is likely to repeat this Thursday night at selection.
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