Tom Lynch close to selection, Prestia sidelined with muscle strain
Dion Prestia will miss Dusty's 300th against Hawthorn on Saturday due to a soleus strain revealed by scans. The midfielder was ruled out of Richmond's win over Adelaide late in the piece but the club hope he can make a return after next week's bye.
Meanwhile, Tom Lynch (test) may play against Hawthorn on Saturday in the special occasion, while Jacob Hopper (hamstring) should also return after the bye.
Mid-year Bomber pickup to undergo surgery, Setterfield in doubt
Mid-season draftee Saad El-Hawli will have surgery this week after scans confirmed a 6-8 week syndesmosis injury, a cruel blow after his best-on-ground effort in the Bomber's VFL win over Carlton.
Midfielder Will Setterfield has recovered okay after being subbed out late in his return match due to discomfort in his previously injured knee. He could be available for the Round 15 match against West Coast following the bye, though the club will take caution
Additionally, Mason Redman, Ben Hobbs, Xavier Duursma, and Kaine Baldwin are all set to test for Round 15, potentially bolstering the team in a big way. Ruckman Sam Draper may also return after the mid-season bye.
Key Saint out for a month with hamstring injury
Dougal Howard will be out for about a month after injuring his hamstring in Saturday night's win over Gold Coast. Howard, who was subbed out in the first quarter, has had multiple hamstring issues this year.
The blow leaves the Saints depleted in their defensive stocks, also awaiting the return of Liam Stocker, who is said to be progressing positively with his abdominal strain to potentially return in a week
โIt's disappointing for Dougal, but we hope he can be back for most of the second half of the season,โ said EGM Football David Misson.
Rankine and Walker nearing returns
Izak Rankine and Taylor Walker are close to returning from injury for Saturday night's match against Sydney.
Rankine has been out since the Round 10 loss to Collingwood, the injury suffered in the dying seconds, while Walker missed last week's game against Richmond due to his back issue. Both players will be tested at training on Wednesday night.
โIzak has hit all his recovery targets and just needs to get through Wednesday's training,โ said Crows High Performance Manager Darren Burgess. โWalker is also progressing well and will be tested on Wednesday.โ
Ruckman Kieran Strachan, complained of a groin problem during the Richmond loss, has been cleared of injury.
Mills to return to full training, Fox set for return
Callum Mills may return to full team training this week after completing modified sessions in recovery for his pre-season shoulder injury..
Defender Robbie Fox has progressed well from his AC joint injury suffered in the Round 10 win over Carlton. He has held up in non-contact training and will be a test for this weekend.
Sam Reid continues with modified training and is set to return to full training soon while Corey Warner will be tested for a return to VFL action this weekend.
Four Giants eyeing Round 14 returns
Josh Kelly (calf) and Jack Buckley (calf) are set to face fitness tests for possible returns this week against Port Adelaide. Isaac Cumming (hamstring) and Nathan Wardius (test) are also looking to return, likely through the VFL.
Stephen Coniglio (shoulder), Lachie Ash (calf), Adam Kennedy (hamstring), and James Leake (quad) are all close to returning, possibly as early as next week. Harry Perryman (hamstring) is about two weeks away, and Darcy Jones (hamstring) will be absent for at least another two weeks also.
Mitch Lewis nearing return, listed as test
Hawthorn forward Mitch Lewis is making significant progress to playing again, listed as a test this week after his knee cartilage concern. Lewis joins ruckmen Lloyd Meek and Ned Reeves, who also need to prove their fitness ahead of this weekend.
โMitch has made great progress recently and should do full training on Thursday,โ said High Performance Manager Peter Burge.
โIf all goes well, he will play some game time this weekend.โ
Lloyd Meek has made good progress and will be a test on Thursday. Ned Reeves is still sore from a back injury and is listed as a test.
Chad Wingard (calf) will miss one week but is expected to return after the bye. Ethan Phillips had a knee scope to remove a loose cartilage and is expected to play after the bye as well.
Kangaroo defender out with no timeline for return
Young defender Wil Dawson has been sidelined due to a shoulder injury sustained in a groundball contest during the Round 13 clash against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The 2023 draftee is currently in a sling following a high-grade AC joint injury. North Melbourne's head of performance, Kevin White, mentioned that Dawson will be reassessed with a return-to-play timeline once he escapes the sling.
Meanwhile, Colby McKercher and Griffin Logue are nearing their returns. McKercher, recovering from a foot injury, had a strong conditioning session over the weekend and is expected to rejoin training on Friday, aiming for another intensive session on Sunday.
Logue, on the other hand, is in the final stages of his return-to-play preparation after a knee injury. He is is expected to make his return through the VFL next week, provided his progress continues as planned.
