Hawks worried about hobbled Hodge

Updated May 18, 2012 12:45:48

Hawthorn is growing increasingly concerned about captain Luke Hodge's knee injury.

Hodge will miss Saturday's clash against Fremantle in Launceston and might also be out of the side next weekend against Richmond.

The tough utility was forced out last week because of the problem and coach Alastair Clarkson revealed on Friday that the Hawks will put Hodge through more tests.

"He still has some swelling on his knee and we just can't take a trick with it at the minute," Clarkson said.

"We probably need to get that re-scanned and looked at again early next week, just to see how long.

"It's just not coming good quickly enough for us ... he'd even be in doubt for next week too unless we can get the swelling out of that knee."

Clarkson said the one benefit with Hodge's injury is that the team was learning to cope without him on the field.

"We have 22 other blokes and, hopefully, they're able to get the job (done) against Freo," he said.

Hawthorn is just outside the eight with four wins, while Fremantle has five.

"They've been quietly going along, Freo, not playing outstanding footy, but getting the job done every week," Clarkson said.

"We have a lot of regard for the way they go about it, they're very well coached and we're going to need to play our best footy to knock them off.

"You know what you're going to get, playing against a side that's coached by Ross Lyon."

While Hodge struggles to return to the side, Clarkson was brighter about Lance Franklin after a week of attention on the star forward's goalkicking inaccuracy.

Franklin sprayed 3.7 last Friday night as the Hawks kicked 15.25 in the win over Melbourne.

Clarkson said Franklin also had 10 scoring assists and was doing plenty to help the team with his tackling.

"All it is is just looking for the cream on top in a sense - the polish," Clarkson said.

"In terms of the contribution he's making, the tackle pressure down there, he's a first-rate player for us.

"We'd love him to be kicking 7.3 rather than 3.7, but we're also pretty confident that's going to come in the next few weeks.

"This debate is not foreign to us. This has been going on for seven or eight years.

"What do you do? His conversion is perhaps not as high as what you'd like, but he's getting double the shots that most forwards are probably getting."

The Hawks made one change, regaining key defender Josh Gibson from injury.

Fellow tall backman Stephen Gilham is also back in the team after an extended absence, meaning they have some much-needed height in defence.

"Since Gibson has been at the club, he and Gilham have only played together 15 times or something out of a possible 50-60 games," Clarkson said.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, hawthorn-3122, vic, australia

First posted May 18, 2012 12:45:48

View the original article here

Magpies not worried about Swan

Updated May 26, 2011 10:26:00

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has shrugged off suggestions star midfielder Dane Swan will not take his place for the AFL clash with West Coast at the MCG on Sunday.

Swan has been battling leg soreness - believed to be a quadriceps problem - in recent matches.

But Malthouse says Swan is no different to most other players at this time of the season who are able to play despite soreness and knocks.

"The attrition rate in AFL football is far greater than what's reported," Malthouse said on Thursday.

"Players continually play and carry some form of injuries ... players who can play but are restricted are in the majority.

"We will not play players who aren't able to play, so Dane is like about seven or eight players - able to play but slightly restricted."

Leigh Brown, Ben Johnson and Alan Toovey are also likely to come into consideration to take on the Eagles, who thrashed the Western Bulldogs by 123 points last weekend.

Brown, a late withdrawal from the Magpies' win over Adelaide last weekend, will be vital as Collingwood attempts to counter the Eagles ruck tandem of Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui.

Malthouse said Brown, Johnson and Toovey were all over their respective injuries.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, collingwood-3066, wa, perth-6000

First posted May 26, 2011 10:17:00

View the original article here

Pavlich not worried by heavy loss

Posted May 9, 2011 22:24:00

Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich has urged the club's fans not to "jump at shadows" following Saturday's AFL loss to Richmond, claiming the heavy defeat was a mere aberration.

Fremantle (4-2) slid to sixth on the table following the 49-point defeat to the Tigers but Pavlich said the club remained on track for a bright season and would bounce back in Sunday's western derby against arch rivals West Coast.

"Let's not jump at shadows here, we're going OK," Pavlich said on Monday. "The weekend, we think, is an aberration.

"We need to get back on the horse straight away and there's no better way than playing a derby.

"We understand that it's going to be probably the hardest game of the year that we've played to date, West Coast in their home derby.

"We just need to get back to playing the brand of football that we've been renowned for the past 30 weeks.

"It's vital that we get back on that horse and play the brand we're known for.

"We'll be desperately training hard this week to get that right."

Forward Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) is in some doubt to take on the Eagles, but midfielder Nat Fyfe (shoulder) and forward Kepler Bradley (shin) are expected to play.

Pavlich said former Collingwood forward Jack Anthony, who has been in solid form in the WAFL, would be worthy of selection if given the chance against the Eagles.

"It wouldn't be a risk at all (to select him). Jack's been tremendous in the WAFL," Pavlich said.

"He's been first class since he arrived at the football club in terms of his work ethic and his desire.

"We're confident that if he does get picked he'll fill a role really well."

Fremantle kicked a wayward 14.15 against the Tigers and Pavlich conceded the club's inaccuracy in front of goal needed to be addressed.

"The accuracy (this year) has been an issue," Pavlich said.

"A lot of teams would measure how many forward 50 tackles they get, how much time is spent percentage wise in their forward half as compared to the opposition.

"You might sacrifice the efficiency and/or the accuracy to ensure that the ball stays inside your half of the ground so you're more chance to score.

"We're certainly getting a lot of supply down there, but it's about being as efficient as we were last year."

And with a handful of key players still out injured, Pavlich said the club's younger brigade needed to consistently stand tall.

"We need to spread the load a lot better," Pavlich said.

"By virtue of the fact that we've got six or seven of our best 18 out we need them standing up week-in, week-out."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160, perth-6000

View the original article here