AFL SELECTION NEWS - Round 4
Thursday, 16 April, 2009
Collingwood strike weapon Anthony Rocca will play his first AFL match since Round 13 last season against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba Friday night ... and Jaxson Barham his first.
Rocca, the 31-year-old 238-game veteran, has been sidelined by an ankle problem in what is probably his last season in the AFL but will rejoin a depleted Magpie outfit as speedster Barham, the 19-year-old son of former Collingwood flyer turned Sydney recruiting boss Ricky Barham, debuts.
But there will be no Gabba homecoming for ex-Lion Anthony Corrie after he was named among the emergencies for the fourth week in a row.
Collingwood, coming off a 27-point loss to Geelong last week, also recalled Tyson Goldsack and Alan Toovey to replace Ben Johnson (broken leg), captain Nick Maxwell (suspended) and Heath Shaw (suspended). Brad Dick was omitted.
Shane O'Bree, a former Brisbane first-round draft pick who played 19 games for the Lions in 1998-99, will play his 200th game for Collingwood.
Brisbane, looking to build on an inspiring win over Sydney last weekend, welcomed Jared Brennan for his first game of the year and recalled ruckman Jamie Charman to replace the injured Matthew Leuenberger. Albert Proud was omitted.
Nathan BockÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs self-imposed nightmare is over, at least in terms of his immediate playing future, after he was recalled to the Adelaide Crows side for Saturday night's clash with Geelong at AAMI Stadium.
Bock's indefinite suspension from the Crows after he was charged by police with allegedly striking his girlfriend 12 days ago lasted one week after the ban was lifted by the club today and he won the selection nod.
The 2008 All-Australian and Crows' B&F winner was included with tagger Robert Shirley to replace Nick Gill (hamstring) and Scott Stevens (hamstring) for a match in which Neil Craig will coach the Crows for the 108th time to surpass the 107-game club record of 2000-04 coach Gary Ayres.
Geelong made only one change in the back-up ruckman, preferring three-game elevated rookie Shane Mumford to Trent West.
Sydney, facing Carlton in a rare Saturday afternoon game at the SCG, will debut elevated rookie Kristin Thornton to replace Jared Crouch (hamstring). The Blues recalled Dennis Armfield to replace Jeff Garlett (omitted). Darren Jolly will play his 100th Swans game.
Premiers Hawthorn, coming off a break-through win over North, welcomed back premiership trio Robert Campbell, Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell along with fellow ruckman Simon Taylor, who returns from suspension.
And yet still theyÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll go in undermanned against Port Adelaide at the MCG Saturday afternoon, with premiership trio Grant Birchall (thumb), Xavier Ellis (foot) and Stephen Gilham (knee) ruled out from last week. First-year player Ryan Schoenmakers has been omitted.
Port, without captain Dominic Cassisi and Peter Burgoyne (both suspended), recalled ex-Lion Tommy Logan and promoted for his debut Hamish Hartlett, chosen at No.4 overall in last year's AFL national draft from SANFL Club - West Adelaide.
Winless Fremantle welcomed the inclusion of Roger Hayden and Paul Duffield for Saturday night's Etihad Stadium clash with an unbeaten and unchanged St.Kilda line-up. Greg Broughton was ruled unfit and Clayton Hinkley was omitted. Sam Fisher will play his 100th game for the Saints.
Essendon, surprise winners over Carlton last week, welcomed back Adam McPhee from suspensionstill found cause to omit David Myers and Heath Hocking for Sunday's Etihad Stadium clash with North, who will debut Queenslander Ben Warren (see full story).
Subject to final selection, Mark McVeigh is set to return from a hamstring injury after he joined Nathan Lovett-Murray, Irishman Michael Quinn, a star on debut a fortnight ago, and Sam Lonergan on an extended bench alongside Hayden Skipworth, Leroy Jetta and Jay Nash.
Warren was named in the starting line-up for North, who lost Daniel Wells to injury and dropped Cory Jones. Ed Lower, Todd Goldstein, Levi Greenwood and Daniel Harris were added to a bench squad which includes Sam Power, Andrew Swallow and Josh Smith. David Hale was named subject to a final medical clearance after he was ko'd last week.
North skipper Brent Harvey is due to play his 100th consecutive game, dating back to round 20, 2004. He will become only the fourth currently actively player with a streak of 100 games or more, joining Brett Kirk (157), Kane Cornes (130), Tarkyn Lockyer (110) after Adam Cooney's 102-games run ended with injury.
Richmond will debut 2006 draftee Andrew Collins (Bendigo Pioneers) in Sunday's MCG clash with Melbourne after dropping No.4 draft pick Richard Tambling and Jay Schulz.
It's a game that brings together two of the competition's three winless sides, with Richmond having lost by a combined 150 points to Carlton, Geelong and the Bulldogs, and Melbourne by a combined 144 points to North Melbourne, Collingwood and Port Adelaide.
Daniel Connors, Jordan McMahon, Robin Nahas and Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls were also added to the Tigers bench squad, leaving the axe still poised over fellow bench players Angus Graham, Shane Edwards and Jake King.
Melbourne promoted key forward Michael Newton to last week's losing side and added Queenslander Jake Spencer and Addam Maric to the bench squad alongside Paul Johnson, Nathan Jones, Clint Bartram, Ricky Petterd and Kyle Cheney.
West Coast, hosting the Western Bulldogs at Subiaco Sunday in what is their second trip to Perth in four weeks, welcomed back David Wirrpanda from injury and recalled Brent Staker into the starting 18, and added Will Schofield to the bench squad alongsidwe Mitch Brown, Chad Fletcher, Ryan Davis, Chris Masten, Brad Ebert and Ben McKinley.
The Bulldogs, without Brownlow Medalist Cooney for what club officials hope will only be one week after minor knee surgery, included Queenslander Sam Reid among the bench group for the first time this season. He will play just his second AFL game if included.
Fellow Queenslander Jarrod Harbrow, a late withdrawal last week, also is back in the mix along with Andrejs Everitt and possible first-gamer Jarrad Grant, a first-round draft selection in 2007. They were bracketed with Daniel Giansiracusa, Stephen Tiller and Callan Ward.
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