Do AFL Players Really Need Farewell Games?

Something to chew over the weekend on farewell games, what do you reckon folks? Click on the link, have a browse and post a comment.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/05/29/do-afl-players-really-need-farewell-games/

And good luck with your DT this wknd!

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Fraser Problems From Bad To Worse

Those DT coaches who've been hanging onto $286k Pies ruckman Josh Fraser, it's time to trade him out.

Fraser - who is owned by just under 5,000 DT coaches - has struggled for a game lately and now has an injury problem.

"He just rolled his ankle at training," Pies footy manager Geoff Walsh said.

"He had a scan and there is no structural damage. There are no breaks or ligament problems but it did blow up very quickly.

"So he obviously didn't come up this week and now we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

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Around The Grounds

• Collingwood's $275k fwd Leon Davis - owned by over 18,000 DT coaches - may miss two games with a calf injury. Teammate Shane O'Bree said: "Leon's carrying an injury at the moment so it's probably better that he has a week or two off just to freshen up and get himself right."
• Geelong's $222k def Matthew Scarlett - owned by almost 20,000 DT coaches - is set to miss a month with a hamstring injury.
• Richmond's $164k ruck Tyrone Vickery - owned by over 8,000 DT coaches - is set to be rested until the mid-season break after a heavy workload.
• WB $326k fwd Jason Akermanis - owned by almost 9,000 DT coaches - could be suspended by his club next week after lying about his controversial Herald Sun article last week.

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Armstring Close To Bursting Bubble

Those DT coaches keen on Adelaide's $94k midfield two-gamer Tony Armstrong will be pleased to hear coach Neil Craig speaking positively about his chances of a recall.

Armstrong - who is owned by over 16,000 DT coaches - played Round One for the Crows but disappointingly only posted 36, before his Round Eight return where he scored 123!! Then he was dropped?

So Craig was asked about Armstrong and recalled: "Tony Armstrong travels with us and misses out on an SANFL game. He plays against North Melbourne and plays a reasonable game, but gets omitted.

“He then goes back to North Adelaide and plays another good game- that’s the sort of pressure that you want to underpin a bit more internal competition that we haven’t had… it’s a good problem to have for a change."

It's difficult to kinda negotiate Craig's comment there, but me thinks Armstrong's close to a recall and a bubble bursting third game.

Also, Adelaide's $359k fwd Chris Knights will miss a further 6 weeks after foot surgery this week. Still over 3,000 DT coaches own Knights.

Knights' Crows teammate, $94k one-game def Will Young, will also miss some more footy as he undergoes arthroscopy on damaged knee cartilage.

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Carlton Changes Aplenty

There's likely to be changes aplenty at Carlton this week following some injuries.

$220k defender Simon White - owned by over 43,000 DT coaches - has a knee injuy.

As you've probably heard $322k midfielder Andrew Walker - owned by around 1,500 DT coaches - is back for Carlton. Not big news in the DT world.

"It is a big boost and I think it's a credit to Andrew with his rehab and what he's done to just keep up with his knowledge of football," Blues coach Brett Ratten said from Visy Park on Thursday.

"He's been at most opposition games to have a look with the coaches so I think it's been a real credit to him."

But Ratten admitted there were a few others in the blender for this week.

"Shaun Grigg will probably come back in after three weeks out," Ratten said. "Brock McLean will be pretty much in the mix as well with Grigg, and Richard Hadley's in the same boat so we've got a few decisions to make."

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Presti To Return?

Owners of $134k Collingwood defender Simon Prestigiacomo will be pleased to here he could return this weekend.

Prestigiacomo - owned by almost 19,000 DT coaches - along with $351k fwd Tarkyn Lockyer and $286k ruck Josh Fraser are under consideration for the Pies game in Brisbane this weekend.

“All those guys had a great last game in the VFL,” Pies football manager Geoff Walsh said.

“They all were very prominent in the stats and with their form overall, so they’d all be in contention, there’s no doubt about that.

“I don’t think there’ll be any compulsory changes [from the Geelong game]. From a selection point of view there may well be, but we’ll see how blokes pull up tomorrow.”

Also $271k fwd Brad Dick - who recently returned to VFL action - isn't far off a return either.

Walsh said: “Hopefully he’s not too far away from senior selection.

“Now it all comes down to form because his fitness is there, so hopefully he pushes in on a form basis.”

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Medhurst Misses Another

Collingwood's $259k fwd Paul Medhurst - owned by over 20,000 DT coaches - will miss out again this weekend due to a foot injury.

“He wasn’t [able to train] … and on the basis of that he won’t be available for selection,” Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a foot problem that he’s had before, and it hasn’t responded as quickly as we thought, so he certainly won’t be available this week, but we’re hopeful that next week he’ll be up and going.

“He had a stress reaction last time, a bit of a hot spot in the foot, which is not a fracture or anything like that but there’s a bit of pain there so we just want to make sure he can control that pain first and then hopefully get him back up and going.”

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Roo Could Be DT Finals Must-Have

St Kilda's $445k premium forward Nick Riewoldt is on track to return to AFL ranks in the latter part of the season.

Riewoldt has been back running with the Saints and could return just in time for the DT finals.

At his price, that's not bad news for those who sold him. Curiously almost 25,000 DT coaches still have him!

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said: “He is running at the higher end; he’s not yet 100 per cent but he is certainly doing a lot of quality work and it’s been pleasantly surprising because I’ve stepped away from it and got really good reports off the surgeon.

“We’re really optimistic that Nick will be back in the latter third of the season.”

But Lyon didn't offer a return date.

“If I put a timeframe on it, it becomes a countdown and every week [people are asking] ‘is he playing?’” he said.

"There are no certainties until it occurs but he’s really vibrant and positive.”

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