Worsfold Confident Cox Will Return

West Coast coach John Worsfold claims he is confident $436k ruckman Dean Cox will prove his fitness and play against Melbourne on the weekend.

Cox, owned by over 100,000 DT coaches, missed the Eagles 20-point victory over Hawthorn on the weekend due to a niggling groin strain, but returned to light training on Tuesday morning.

"We're confident that he'll get up," Worsfold said.

"It was a very minor strain and one that we would expect would have healed by now, (but) you're always just making sure that there's nothing else other than that as well.

"There's no caution taken into account. If he's fit he'll play."

Nevertheless it is understood Cox was seen on a Perth News channel tonight claiming he was still only 50-50 to play against the Dees.

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Around The Grounds

• Fremantle have confirmed $361k gun forward Matt Pavlich will miss two to three weeks with a torn calf. Pavlich, owned by over 75,000 DT coaches, injured the calf on the weekend against Collingwood.

• Star Collingwood man Scott Pendlebury could surprisingly return to the Pies side as early as this weekend after a knee injury. Pendlebury, a $455k midfielder, could be back to face Essendon along with Leon Davis who missed the Freo game due to an illness. Pies' forward Paul Medhurst said, “We have Leon and probably Scotty Pendlebury to come back in, so someone has to make way.”

• Carlton coach Brett Ratten has claimed $322k defender Bret Thornton will definitely return to the Blues side this weekend for their trip to face Fremantle. Thornton has withdrawn late from Carlton's last two matches, but Ratten said, "Thornton will come back for sure."

• Veteran $217k Collingwood forward Anthony Rocca continues to struggle with his fitness. Rocca's latest problem is achilles soreness which makes him unavailable for about a month.
  

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McPhee Doubtful For Pies

Essendon's popular $288k DT def/forward Adam McPhee is facing a race against time to be fit for Friday's Collingwood game due to a calfed cork.

McPhee, owned by almost 20,000 DT coaches, missed Essendon's last match against Carlton due to the calf problem and is still struggling with the injury.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights said on Tuesday, "He must train well today. I spoke to him about half an hour ago and I said, 'You would have to train at full throttle and get through the session to be put up for selection.'

"That's probably still a question mark at this stage with Adam. I won't be playing him unless he's 100 per cent fit."

Meanwhile, fellow Bomber Mark McVeigh will not play against the Magpies after copping a one-match internal suspension for missing a training session.

$318k midfielder McVeigh, who has only recently returned from injury, missed the Carlton game through suspension before skipping a club training session on Sunday, forcing the Bombers to discipline him.

All this could open the door for $134k defender Michael Hurley, owned by over 15,000 DT coaches, after he impressed in the reserves on the weekend.

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DreamTeam Update: Tribunal

Another week off for the AFL tribunal after all players charged opted to take early pleas and cop their sentence.

Sydney's troubled $266k forward Barry Hall accepted a two-week-ban for striking Adelaide's Ben Rutten. He'll miss games against North Melbourne and Essendon.

Meanwhile, Kangaroo $351k forward Drew Petrie is free to play the Swans after accepting a reprimand for striking Western Bulldog Brad Johnson.

Richmond young midfielder Trent Cotchin also accepted a reprimand for striking St Kilda's Jarryn Geary and will be free to face Adelaide on the Gold Coast this Saturday.

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News From The Reserves

- In the VFL this weekend, Sandringham got the better of the Coburg Tigers with a 67-point win. St Kilda $244k midfielder David Armitage pushed his case for an AFL run with a best on ground performance, while $235k defender Sean Dempster and Robert Eddy were both in the best.

For Coburg, Richmond's Mark Coughlan was in the news after getting reported for a headbutt. Pressing for an AFL game where $234k Tiger Daniel Connors who booted three goals and was amongst the best, while ruck Adam Pattison was good too.

Williamstown edged Casey Scorpions by four points this weekend with Bulldogs $251k defender Tim Callan recovering from a concussion last week to press his AFL chances with a BOG. $86k Brennan Stack booted 2 goals, Dylan Addison was good while Sam Reid and Andrejs Everitt were also amongst the best and could all be a chance to replace the injured Daniel Giansiracusa in the seniors.

For Casey, Melbourne defenders Daniel Bell ($250k) and Paul Wheatley ($407k) were amongst the best, while good games also came from Clint Bartram and Shane Valenti, so maybe a run with the Dees for those lads next week. Also Matthew Newton kicked 3 goals.

North Ballarat thumped the Collingwood reserves with an emphatic 68 point win. Sam Power pressed his case for a Kangaroos recall with a good game, while North pair Aaron Edwards and Michael Wundke ($86k forward) each kicked 3 goals.

For the Magpies, emerging midfielder Ryan Cook was in the best and young $75k midfielder Kevin Dyas had a good game.

Frankston grabbed their first win of the season with a 23-point triumph over the Bendigo Bombers this weekend. For the Bombers, $134k defender Michael Hurley could be a chance for a run with Essendon next week after 22 disposals, while $188k forward Leroy Jetta was good with 27 touches and $139k ruck Tom Bellchambers did well in ruck with 14 disposals. Also Michael Quinn got 3 goals and Jay Neagle snagged 2.

Geelong's reserves overcame the Northern Bullants by 33 points with young $86k Cat Nathan Djerrkura the best afield. Mathew Stokes didn't press his chances for a Geelong recall too hard with an okay game kicking 2 goals. Kane Tenace (2 goals), Simon Hogan, Ryan Gamble and Tom Lonergan was all in the best.

For the Bullants, amongst their Carlton brigade $110k youngster David Ellard was the best, while Jordan Russell did okay along with Cameron Cloke who booted 3 sausage rolls.

Werribee got the better of the Box Hill Hawks with a 17-point win. For Werribee, Kangas $171k big man Todd Goldstein was again very good with 3 goals while Leigh Adams played well too.

For the Hawks, $86k midfielder Liam Shiels will press his case for a bubble-bursting 3rd AFL game after a decent match, while $86k youngster Jordan Lisle kicked 4 goals and Beau Dowler got 2 and was amongst the best.

- In the WAFL, Subiaco thumped Peel Thunder by 107 points with West Coast's $349k midfielder Chad Fletcher really pressing for an AFL game after a dominant display with 38 possessions. Young $136k Eagles midfielder Adam Cockie was also good for Subi.

Claremont knocked off West Perth by 14 points with Eagles $75k rookie Lewis Stevenson impressive for the Tigers. West Coast defender Beau Wilkes was concussed in the match.

For West Perth, Fremantle $238k man Kepler Bradley racked up 25 possessions while Eagles big man Mark Seaby was dominant in the ruck. Docker Adam Campbell was relatively quiet.

South Fremantle kept up their premiership chances with a 39-point win over Perth. Freo's $300k midfielder Daniel Gilmore racked up over 30 possessions for the third week in a row, with 33 disposals and 13 marks. West Coast $75k rookie Callum Wilson was really good with 19 possessions, 11 marks and 5 goals for the Bulldogs, while Dockers' forward Ryan Murphy was quiet.

- In the SANFL, Glenelg got the better of Woodville-West Torrens by 34 points. Port Adelaide's $122k forward Nick Salter pressed for an AFL game with 6 goals and was very impressive for the Eagles. Adelaide's Brett Burton didn't end up playing in this one, while fellow Crow Jared Petrenko had a mixed day with just 12 touches and a goal.

For Glenelg, Port Adelaide's $308k midfielder Steven Salopek was back in the SANFL with Glenelg but didn't have a great day although he did kick a goal. Adelaide's $86k forward James Sellar did well in the ruck for Glenelg with 19 hit-outs and 11 disposals.

Port Adelaide Magpies defeated North Adelaide by 22 points this weekend with young $86k Power ruckman Jackson Trengove in Port's best. For North, Adelaide's $86k youngster Rory Sloane played his best game at SANFL level with 18 possessions in defence.

West Adelaide knocked off Norwood by 19 points with another Port Power youngster, $86k forward Matthew Lobbe, amongst the best for West. For Norwood, Adelaide's $86k forward Will Young impressed with 16 touches and 7 marks.

Central Districts defeated South Adelaide by 16 points with Crows' $111k man Myke Cook busy, while $86k defender Shaun McKernan was good in the ruck with 17 hit-outs and 11 possessions.

- In the QAFL, Brisbane's reserves destroyed Broadbeach by 92 points. $86k Lions forward Matt Tyler was outstanding on his return from injury with 7 goals. $86k midfielder Jack Redden continues his push for an AFL game with another very good match, while Tom Rockliff and Travis Johnstone were busy.

- In the Canberra AFL, the Sydney Swans' reserves were thumped by Eastlake by 60 points. $86k schoolboy Daniel Hannebery was Sydney's best with 36 touches, while $173k midfielder Tim Schmidt returned from injury in style with 31 disposals and 12 marks. $217k defender Nick Malceski returns to some form with 29 touches while $86k youngster Daniel O'Keefe kicked 2 goals.

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Around The Grounds

• Adelaide's $244k forward/ruck Brad Moran is expected to miss the rest of the AFL season due to a serious knee injury. Moran limped off late against Sydney on the weekend and had an MRI scan on Monday. The scan revealed a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. "No decision has been made on whether he will have surgery, but as a guide it is probably a 12-week injury," a club spokesman said.

• On an official Hawthorn FC press release, the Hawks have listed $242k forward Mark Williams as out of action for 6-8 weeks with a knee injury. Williams injured the knee on the weekend against the West Coast Eagles.

• Adelaide's $248k midfielder Brent Reilly has been named as a likely starter for the Crows against Richmond this Saturday on the Gold Coast. Reilly had been out with a hamstring injury. Also Crows' skipper Simon Goodwin is still no certainty for the match and a decision will be made later in the week on his dodgy knee.

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