All systems De Goey for Collingwood
Collingwood are likely to have their best defender Jeremy Howe and powerful forward and midfielder Jordan De Goey back for Saturday night’s match against Brisbane Lions as they try to break a two-game losing streak and keep alive hopes of a top-four finish.
Both players are expected to be fit to play presuming they clear training this week, Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said.
And in rare encouraging injury news at Collingwood star midfielder Adam Treloar could resume in the VFL next week, putting him in the frame to be back to play finals.
Walsh said the club was poised to make a decision in the next few days whether they send high leaping forward Jamie Elliott in for surgery on his hamstring. Elliott has not played this year after ankle surgery followed by repeated hamstring strains.
‘‘A decision is to be made there with Jamie if we do operate or we do continue with his rehabilitation program. We will know more on that in the next couple of days,’’ Walsh said.
The return of Howe and De Goey will be significant for Collingwood after losses to Richmond and Sydney. De Goey has missed two matches with a stress reaction or hot spot in his shin while Howe was concussed and suffered a corked leg in a collision with Darcy Moore early in the Richmond game.
‘‘Jeremy Howe will be assessed later in the week ... but we expect with his rate of improvement we are seeing that we will have some good news by the end of the week,’’ Walsh said.
Tyson Goldsack was to play his first VFL game last week after a knee reconstruction late in the pre-season but that was delayed due to back soreness. He is expected to play VFL this week. Key position player Ben Reid is also likely to return in the VFL next week.
While West Coast will be without Andrew Gaff they will also miss forward Josh Kennedy for the next two games with his ongoing leg injury.
Kennedy has missed the past two matches with a hairline fracture in his right shin. He will miss Saturday’s clash with the Power in Adelaide and admits it will difficult to play the Demons next week but should be able to return for the final-round clash with Brisbane.
Top-four aspirant GWS is also dealing with injury troubles with ruckman Dawson Simpson and injury plagued veteran Brett Deledio likely to miss the rest of the year.
Small forward Toby Greene remains hopeful of returning before finals.
Deledio (calf), Simpson (ankle), Greene (hamstring) and Sam Taylor (hamstring) all suffered injuries during the Giants’ 105-point win over Carlton.
Simpson will spend at least eight weeks on the sidelines because of a fractured ankle, meaning his 2018 campaign is over.
Greene and Taylor may not play again before September.
The Giants have also ruled a line through hard-running midfielder Tom Scully, who has been sidelined since round two because of a broken ankle, making a return this year.
In better news Tim Taranto (knee), Dylan Shiel (hamstring), Sam Reid (knee) and Ryan Griffen (hamstring) are in the mix to return against Adelaide on Saturday night.
Deledio has played just 16 games in his two seasons at the Giants. The 31-year-old hurt his hamstring in round six then tweaked his calf in recovery.
Simpson had been in career best form since coming back into the Giants team in round 14. His return allowed Rory Lobb to spend more time in attack and only relief periods in the ruck – a blend of forward and ruck time that better suited him. Lobb will now have to carry the ruck load.
With AAP