GWS star Callaghan out for a month, TDK return looms
GWS midfielder Finn Callaghan will be out of AFL action for at least a month, as question marks remain over when Stephen Coniglio will return.
But Carlton star Tom De Koning (larynx) headlines four returning Blues for the Giants clash at Marvel Stadium.
Callaghan was hurt in a collision with Fremantle's Patrick Voss on the three-quarter time siren in the Giants' home defeat.
The 22-year-old ball-winner has avoided surgery, but could still spend six weeks on the sidelines.
Coniglio's return to play from a glute complaint has been pushed back again to four weeks after being listed as a test against Fremantle.
The 31-year-old midfielder will meet with a specialist after struggling to meet his training re-load demands.
He has been sidelined since round four and was originally slated to miss just one week.
Fellow Giants midfielder Toby McMullin also suffered an injury against the Dockers, but is expected to miss only one week with adductor irritation.
De Koning, meanwhile, is likely to return alongside Blake Acres (shoulder), Lachie Fogarty (hamstring) and Orazio Fantasia (calf) for the Blues.
Elsewhere, Collingwood captain Darcy Moore (shoulder) and fellow defender Dan Houston (calf) will have to prove their fitness later in the week.
Dion Prestia (achilles) will be available to play in Richmond's Dreamtime clash against Essendon, while the Bombers are primed to welcome back forward Jade Gresham (adductor).
Bombers midfielder Darcy Parish is set to make his return from a calf complaint via the VFL.
Brisbane are tossing up resting ruck Oscar McInerney again, while midfielder Jarrod Berry will be a chance to line up against Hawthorn after recovering from a concussion.
McInerney (soreness) was a late out from their eventual loss to Melbourne.
The Lions are hopeful defender Brandon Starcevich will make his return from a concussion within three to five weeks.
Starcevich suffered the concussion in round one and will move into full training over the next weeks.
Gold Coast forward Elliot Himmelberg's season is over after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the VFL.
He was one of three casualties from the reserves match, joined by ruck Max Knobel (foot) and forward Lloyd Johnston (concussion).
North Melbourne defender Darcy Tucker has also suffered a season-ending injury and will require back surgery.
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4 hours ago
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State of Origin move sparks mass uproar as Ashley Klein set to be named for decider despite controversial showing in Game 2, NSW Blues, Queensland Maroons
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6 hours ago
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"But you've then got to go and do it against what was and is a really good team. "That doesn't mean we always do it, and we're going to make mistakes, of course, but when we put it together, I think we're a pretty good team." Sunday's clash was dubbed the biggest yet of the so-called Expansion Cup, given both of the AFL's youngest franchises were in the top eight. The match was played in front of 10,504 fans - the largest GWS home crowd against Gold Coast. The Giants are seventh (9-6) on the ladder heading into their round-16 bye, but the Suns dropped to ninth (8-5) after the Western Bulldogs thrashed Richmond on Sunday. "That naturally builds a little bit more emotion in the game," Kingsley said. "We understood this was an important game. We're playing against another top-eight team who are a really strong team. "We had a massive crowd, which suggests there's a sense that both of these teams are good teams. Kingsley praised Stringer, who was the perfect foil to young key forward Cadman. Stringer was playing his first game since round nine after overcoming his second hamstring injury of the year. The 31-year-old kicked the match-winner, dribbling the ball in from the right pocket. Cadman tallied three goals in his 50th game. "Both those guys finished the work from the guys up the field, but it wasn't just the goals," Kingsley said. "Aaron had some really important contests he needed to have and he did that. "I thought Jake had some really important decisions up the field that needed to be made. "And certainly that last one, where he booted the ball deep inside-50 and it turned at right angles and rolled out of bounds for a stoppage, was an incredible decision to make." Fourth-quarter comebacks on home turf are shaping as a familiar tale for GWS coach Adam Kingsley after a comeback win over Gold Coast. The Suns slammed through the first four goals at Engie Stadium on Sunday, but Kingsley wasn't overly worried. A fortnight ago the Giants overcame a 28-point deficit against Richmond to win by three points. A third-quarter time message by Callan Ward, who had ruptured his ACL, proved pivotal. Staring down a 22-point difference on Sunday, Giants young gun Aaron Cadman kicked his second goal to spark another comeback. Cadman's goal was followed by seven more, with substitute Jake Stringer kicking the match-winner in their 16.10 (106) to 14.15 (99) victory. "I didn't have Wardy this time, that was the only difference," Kingsley said. "To be down at three-quarter time, our guys know that we've been able to do that in the past and so we built great confidence out of being able to do it. "But you've then got to go and do it against what was and is a really good team. "That doesn't mean we always do it, and we're going to make mistakes, of course, but when we put it together, I think we're a pretty good team." Sunday's clash was dubbed the biggest yet of the so-called Expansion Cup, given both of the AFL's youngest franchises were in the top eight. The match was played in front of 10,504 fans - the largest GWS home crowd against Gold Coast. The Giants are seventh (9-6) on the ladder heading into their round-16 bye, but the Suns dropped to ninth (8-5) after the Western Bulldogs thrashed Richmond on Sunday. "That naturally builds a little bit more emotion in the game," Kingsley said. "We understood this was an important game. We're playing against another top-eight team who are a really strong team. "We had a massive crowd, which suggests there's a sense that both of these teams are good teams. Kingsley praised Stringer, who was the perfect foil to young key forward Cadman. Stringer was playing his first game since round nine after overcoming his second hamstring injury of the year. The 31-year-old kicked the match-winner, dribbling the ball in from the right pocket. Cadman tallied three goals in his 50th game. "Both those guys finished the work from the guys up the field, but it wasn't just the goals," Kingsley said. "Aaron had some really important contests he needed to have and he did that. "I thought Jake had some really important decisions up the field that needed to be made. "And certainly that last one, where he booted the ball deep inside-50 and it turned at right angles and rolled out of bounds for a stoppage, was an incredible decision to make." Fourth-quarter comebacks on home turf are shaping as a familiar tale for GWS coach Adam Kingsley after a comeback win over Gold Coast. The Suns slammed through the first four goals at Engie Stadium on Sunday, but Kingsley wasn't overly worried. A fortnight ago the Giants overcame a 28-point deficit against Richmond to win by three points. A third-quarter time message by Callan Ward, who had ruptured his ACL, proved pivotal. Staring down a 22-point difference on Sunday, Giants young gun Aaron Cadman kicked his second goal to spark another comeback. Cadman's goal was followed by seven more, with substitute Jake Stringer kicking the match-winner in their 16.10 (106) to 14.15 (99) victory. "I didn't have Wardy this time, that was the only difference," Kingsley said. "To be down at three-quarter time, our guys know that we've been able to do that in the past and so we built great confidence out of being able to do it. "But you've then got to go and do it against what was and is a really good team. "That doesn't mean we always do it, and we're going to make mistakes, of course, but when we put it together, I think we're a pretty good team." Sunday's clash was dubbed the biggest yet of the so-called Expansion Cup, given both of the AFL's youngest franchises were in the top eight. The match was played in front of 10,504 fans - the largest GWS home crowd against Gold Coast. The Giants are seventh (9-6) on the ladder heading into their round-16 bye, but the Suns dropped to ninth (8-5) after the Western Bulldogs thrashed Richmond on Sunday. "That naturally builds a little bit more emotion in the game," Kingsley said. "We understood this was an important game. We're playing against another top-eight team who are a really strong team. "We had a massive crowd, which suggests there's a sense that both of these teams are good teams. Kingsley praised Stringer, who was the perfect foil to young key forward Cadman. Stringer was playing his first game since round nine after overcoming his second hamstring injury of the year. The 31-year-old kicked the match-winner, dribbling the ball in from the right pocket. Cadman tallied three goals in his 50th game. "Both those guys finished the work from the guys up the field, but it wasn't just the goals," Kingsley said. "Aaron had some really important contests he needed to have and he did that. "I thought Jake had some really important decisions up the field that needed to be made. "And certainly that last one, where he booted the ball deep inside-50 and it turned at right angles and rolled out of bounds for a stoppage, was an incredible decision to make."
Courier-Mail
8 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
‘What else is he meant to do?': GWS gun taken out in brutal bump
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. GWS Giants star Lachie Whitfield got cleaned up by a brutal bump against the Gold Coast Suns, but Suns spearhead Ben King is expected to escape punishment for the hit. The incident occurred late in the first quarter of the clash between two AFL expansion sides on Sunday afternoon in Sydney, as GWS claimed a thrilling seven-point win. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. A bouncing ball made its way towards Whitfield, but before he could collect it, King knocked Whitfield over with a heavy hip and shoulder. Whitfield was taken down to the Giants changerooms and was ruled out of the game with concussion, replaced by substitute Jake Stringer in the second quarter. Fox Footy's Alastair Lynch said: 'Ben King comes in and certainly his left shoulder hits Lachie Whitfield in the jaw and he goes down. Watch the bump on Lachie Whitfield in the video above Lachie Whitfield got crunched by Ben King. Photo: Fox Footy. Lachie Whitfield got crunched by Ben King. Photo: Fox Footy. 'He stayed out on the ground but he was assessed by video and they got him off the ground. 'I think Ben King should be right with that one. He was looking to protect the ball with his body and he hits Lachie Whitfield at the same time.' Fox Footy Tribunal expert David Zita said: 'Ben King was contesting the ball reasonably here, I think. He was running through the line. I don't know what else he was supposed to do in that situation. 'I don't think the action was a reportable offence. I don't see him having anything to worry about. What else is he meant to do?' Lachie Whitfield got crunched by Ben King. Photo: Fox Footy. The bump is certainly not dead — Geelong's Tom Stewart was cleared of any wrongdoing for his crunching bump on Gold Coast's Noah Anderson earlier this month. GWS recovered from a poor first quarter to claim a thrilling comeback win over the Suns to consolidate their position in the top eight. Gold Coast kicked four goals in the first four minutes of the game to take a big early lead, posting seven goals to four in a dominant opening quarter. But the Giants fought back and took the lead midway through the final quarter, kicking eight goals to three in the final term. 'It's a classic game, everybody is lifting,' Gerard Healy said on Fox Footy. Stringer and GWS captain Toby Greene kicked two goals each as the Giants surged in front in a highscoring final quarter, holding on to win 16.10 (106) to 14.15 (99). 'This is exactly why we got him here and he'll just get better,' Greene said about Stringer post-game. The Suns have never won at ENGIE Stadium in Sydney and will slip out of the top eight, while the Giants head to the bye after recording wins over Brisbane and Gold Coast. Originally published as 'What else is he meant to do?': GWS gun taken out in brutal bump
