Josh Dunkley is a uncertain starter for Brisbane on Saturday, with the Lions unlikely to gamble on their star recruit’s calf harm in a recreation towards AFL easybeats West Coast Eagles.
Dunkley was substituted at three-quarter time in Brisbane’s 81-point thrashing of Richmond final Thursday evening.
While Lions coach Chris Fagan dismissed the harm post-match as nothing greater than a “corky”, Dunkley didn’t practice on Tuesday and his calf was closely strapped.
Should Dunkley not play, the Lions will make at the very least three modifications to them workforce that beat the Tigers, with ahead Linc McCarthy (suspended) and the versatile Callum Ah Chee (concussion) to overlook the conflict on the Gabba.
“He (Dunkley) has been an extremely important for us so we’re hoping that he can get up but if he doesn’t, Dev Robertson played in the midfield when he (Dunkley) went down in the last quarter and did some really nice things, so we’ve got lots of options playing the VFL and lots of depth,” Lions vice-captain Hugh McCluggage mentioned.
“You don’t want to lose players but hopefully we can cover them. We’ve got guys that are really ready to go in the VFL that’ll be excited to get their chance.”
Former skipper Dayne Zorko, who appears to have recovered from a calf harm, is in line for a recall, whereas forwards Kai Lohmann and Jack Gunston and skilled duo Jarryd Lyons and Daniel Rich would even be in competition for choice recollects.
A number of different Lions, together with forwards Eric Hipwood and Charlie Cameron, midfielder Jarrod Berry and defender Jack Payne, had been restricted to mild duties at coaching on Tuesday.
If the third-placed Lions did need a chance to relaxation some gamers, Saturday’s match towards the competitors’s worst workforce – crushed by 171 factors lower than two weeks in the past by Sydney – would appear a very good time to take action.
However, McCluggage promised his facet wouldn’t take a complacent perspective into the competition.
“Nothing changes for us,” he mentioned.
“A lot of our players have been in that position before down the bottom end of the ladder and in 2017 and 2018 when we were coming up against good sides, we saw it as an opportunity to knock them off and a great opportunity to test yourself against the best.
“They’ve got a lot of young players … which is exactly the position we we’re in and you’re young, you’re enthusiastic and you just want to challenge yourself against the best.
“We know that they’re going to bring their best shot. We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a tough game. Every team at their best in this competition is really hard to play against.”
Originally revealed as Brisbane Lions star Josh Dunkley anticipated to be sidelined with a calf harm
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
