Brisbane defender Jack Payne has overcome a knee injury to be cleared for his side’s semi-final against GWS, while Port Adelaide forward Todd Marshall returns for the club’s do-or-die showdown with Hawthorn.
Payne was in doubt to play despite scans clearing him of serious damage from the knee issue that caused him to be subbed out of the Lions’ elimination final win over Carlton.
But the backman will take his place in Chris Fagan’s unchanged 23 when it travels to ENGIE Stadium against the Giants, who are boosted by the return of Toby Bedford in place of Toby McMullin, on Saturday night.
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Marshall returns for Port alongside Josh Sinn, with Ryan Burton (calf tightness) failing a fitness test to drop out of Ken Hinkley’s side and Jed McEntee omitted.
It means the Power will take a tall forward line into Friday night’s clash at Adelaide Oval featuring all three of Marshall, Charlie Dixon and Mitch Georgiades, provided none are named the sub.
Burton’s crook calf may have saved small forward Francis Evans from an omission from the side – with the 23-year-old understood to be on the fringe of the 23 before Thursday’s failed fitness test.
Port will look to stretch an undersized Hawks defence that already confirmed nine-gamer Jai Serong would replace Sam Frost following the veteran’s season-ending foot injury.
Will Day (collarbone) and Cam Mckenzie (hamstring) also won’t feature after failing to prove their fitness.
AFL SEMI-FINALS TEAMS AND FIXTURE (All times AEST)
PORT ADELAIDE v HAWTHORN
Second Semi Final
Friday September 13, 7:40pm at Adelaide Oval
POWER
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
IN: J.Sinn, T.Marshall
OUT: R.Burton (Injured), J.McEntee (Omitted)
HAWKS
B: B.Hardwick, J.Serong, J.Impey
HB: J.Ward, J.Sicily – C, J.Scrimshaw
C: K.Amon, D.Moore, J.Weddle
HF: F.Maginness, M.Chol, C.Macdonald
F: J.Ginnivan, L.Breust, N.Watson
FOLL: L.Meek, J.Worpel, J.Newcombe
I/C: H.Morrison, M.D’Ambrosio, J.Gunston, C.Dear, C.Nash
EMG: H.Hustwaite, C.Jiath, N.Reeves
IN: J.Serong
OUT: S.Frost (Injured)
GWS GIANTS v BRISBANE LIONS
First Semi Final
Saturday September 14, 7:30pm at Giants Stadium
GIANTS
B: H.Himmelberg, S.Taylor, C.Idun
HB: L.Whitfield, J.Buckley, H.Perryman
C: F.Callaghan, T.Green, J.Kelly
HF: B.Daniels, A.Cadman, I.Cumming
F: D.Jones, J.Hogan, T.Greene – C
FOLL: K.Briggs, S.Coniglio, J.Peatling
I/C: C.Ward, L.Ash, T.Bedford, L.Keeffe, X.O’Halloran
EMG: J.Riccardi, T.McMullin, N.Haynes
IN: T.Bedford
OUT: T.McMullin (Omitted)
LIONS
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
No changes
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