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Carlton coach Brett Ratten says key forward Jarrad Waite may be an inclusion for Sunday's match against Sydney at Docklands.
Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australiaFremantle Dockers midfielder Michael Barlow will play for Peel Thunder as he makes a cautious return from a broken leg.
Tags: australian-football-league, perth-6000The Royals kicked the opening goal of the game, but from that point on never looked in the contest.
Subiaco kicked the next six goals of the quarter to lead by 35 points at the first change.
Kyal Horsley finished with 29 touches and Blake Broadhurst kicked 3 goals to bring his season total to 36 and move 3 clear of Brock O'Brien on top of the leading goal kickers list.
Key Lions defender Darren Rumble celebrated his 150th game with an impressive performance as Subiaco claimed its fourth win of the season.
Listen to the Lions' club song down in the rooms.
Led by Michael Barlow's 33 disposals, last placed Peel Thunder stunned West Perth with a 21 point win at Rushton Park. It's the second time in as many seasons the Thunder has beaten the Falcons at home.
After playing a half in Peel's reserves last week, Barlow's impressive return from a broken leg means he's certain to be included in Fremantle's squad to take on Melbourne on Sunday.
To add to the woes of the second placed Falcons, impressive recruit Mark Hutchings ha ssustained a hamstring injury.
Swan Districts shook off the bye bogey to beat South Fremantle by 17 points at Fremantle Oval.
Swans are only the second team since Round 3 to win after having the week off. Justin Simpson starred for the visitors with 29 touches and 5 goals as the defending premiers kept alive their slim hopes of making the top four.
East Fremantle made it six wins from seven matches as they beat Perth by 17 points at Moss St.
The Demons held a three point lead at three quarter time, but a fine final term from demoted Docker Rhys Palmer helped the Sharks get home.
Palmer had 34 disposals and a goal, Mark McGough 31 touches and young Eagle Koby Stevens 26 possessions and 10 tackles for East Fremantle.
Subiaco 14.10 94 - East Perth 7.10 52
Peel 17.13 115 - West Perth 13.16 94
Swan Districts 22.8 140 - South Fremantle 18.15 123
East Fremantle 13.7 85 - Perth 10.8 68
This Saturday June 18, Grandstand WAFL will be at Rushton Park in Mandurah for the State game between WA and QLD.
We'll broadcast the entire game online from 2.05pm here at ABC Perth or join us after our AFL commitments on 720 ABC Perth and Local Radio WA.
You can contact the Grandstand WAFL team of Clint Wheeldon, Corbin Middlemas and Peter Spencer by email on Grandstand WAFL.
Or use twitter: @clintwheeldon.
The Bombers started the year in scintillating fashion, but had lost their past three matches to slump to eighth on the table.
Their initial plans for this week were scuppered on Sunday night, when their flight from Perth to Melbourne was cancelled due to volcanic ash from the Chilean volcano, forcing the squad to spend an extra night in Western Australia.
They eventually secured a flight out of Perth at 5.05pm (WST) on Monday.
Hird was disappointed with his side's work ethic in their 34-point loss to Fremantle on Sunday, and said ruckman Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, Brent Stanton and Sam Lonergan were near certainties to return against the Kangaroos.
"There's four guys that haven't played this weekend, and I think it's important with the shorter week and the break that we bring some fresh players in as well," Hird said on Monday in Perth.
"It hasn't been good (the past month).
"We'd hope to see a fair bit of improvement on Saturday against North Melbourne."
Hird believed the unusual preparation this week could spark his team back into form.
"We would have loved to have gone home last night, but it hasn't been the worst thing for us," Hird said.
"We got to spend some time together as a group, done a good recovery session and we'll go home in a couple of hours. So it's turned out OK.
"We probably needed to do something a little bit different after three losses in a row.
"It was forced upon us and it's been quite a good result for us.
"We had recovery this morning and then we talked about the game for 45 minutes and then they were able to have free time.
"We love Perth. It's a great city."
Defender Dustin Fletcher, who was subbed off at half-time against the Dockers due to a corked quad, was expected to be ready to go against North Melbourne.
"It looks to be fine. He was out jogging this morning. It's bled a little bit, but we're very confident he'll play," he said.
Hird said it was not time to panic despite recent losses to Richmond, Melbourne and Fremantle.
"I think we've spoken to our fans a lot this year about the improvement we need to become a good side," Hird said.
"That doesn't happen in three months, four months.
"The period we're going through at the moment will be a really good learning curve for our players.
"We'd love to have won the last three games but we haven't, and I think our players have learnt a fair bit about the hardships of AFL football."
-AAP
Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, essendon-3040Barlow, who broke his leg in sickening fashion in round 14 last year, has made it through two hit-outs in the WAFL and Dockers coach Mark Harvey says the 23-year-old is ready to rejoin the senior squad.
"I told him yesterday to brace himself and get ready for playing at the MCG," Harvey said.
"All the hard work's paid off.
"It's an opportunity for his family to go to the MCG.
"He's just excited to be back in the team. Hopefully he can take off from where he left it.
"I announced it to the players this morning and the applause was deafening."
Barlow's return offsets the loss of David Mundy (leg), but the Dockers will also be without goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring).
The Dockers are scheduled to fly to Melbourne on Friday morning.
But with the ash cloud from a Chilean volcano still threatening flights into and out of Melbourne, Harvey says the club is keeping in close contact with the AFL about the situation.
"(We are) concerned about when we are going over and, as important, is when we get back," Harvey said.
"So it's two-fold at this stage.
"But I know the club and the AFL are liaising at the moment to try to work through that situation.
"We've got some plans put in place if we can't get a plane - submarine, camel train, hitchhiking.
"So we've got a few options."
- AAP
Tags: sport, australian-football-league, fremantle-6160 First posted June 15, 2011 13:21:00And goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne is expected to miss two weeks after straining his hamstring in Sunday's 34-point win over Essendon.
It was initially feared Mundy had fractured his fibula, which could have ruled him out for the rest of the year.
But scans showed no crack to the bone, although the Dockers' 2010 best and fairest winner would have to wear a protective moon boot for up to three weeks due to a significant high-ankle sprain.
Mundy and Ballantyne join Adam McPhee, Aaron Sandilands, Nick Suban and Anthony Morabito as key players on the sidelines.
"I don't know what the old adage is, black cats and walking under ladders, but it has been unfortunate (with all the injuries we've suffered)," defender Paul Duffield said ahead of Sunday's clash with Melbourne at the MCG.
Mundy's absence could be offset by the return of fellow midfielder Michael Barlow, who is on track to resume his career against the Demons after making it through two hit-outs in the WAFL.
Barlow, who suffered a broken leg last year, tallied 33 possessions on Saturday for Peel Thunder.
Duffield said fans shouldn't expect Barlow to take up all of the slack left by Mundy, given his limited match practice.
"I think people understand that he's been through a fairly significant injury in the scheme of things, and we've seen players not come back to be the players they were previous to that," Duffield said.
"He's done a mountain of work. He's been super professional in the way he's handled everything and that's shown in the fact that he played so well in his second game back on the weekend after 12 months out.
"I don't think there should be any spectator pressure on Micky.
"He'll be clear on what his role is and he'll go out and do that to the best of his ability.
"I guess (Mundy's) our number one ball-winning midfielder, so it's probably a responsibility that'll come to myself and a couple of others to see if we can at least influence that area of the game and try and match the opposition in that area.
"Certainly, we had a range of players go through the midfield because of that on the weekend and I thought a lot of our guys contributed really well."
Defenders Roger Hayden and Alex Silvagni are also closing in on returns after successful comebacks in the WAFL.
The seventh-placed Dockers (6-5) had lost their past nine encounters at the MCG, but Duffield said the venue held no fear for the player group.
-AAP
Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160