Key posts
Changes in personnel
Glass half full for Dogs coach
The Bulldogs slipped before their mid-season bye, dropping two of their final three games, but coach Luke Beveridge is optimistic a strong run home to the finals is on the cards. Speaking pre-match on Fox Footy, Beveridge said he had been happy with the Bulldogs’ scoring and stoppage work, but had noticed a trend in their five defeats, his men “dropping our guard” for a quarter. He said when that happened, the Dogs had conceded scores “from blatant turnovers”, pointing to this issue against Geelong, Gold Coast and Brisbane. He also his eye on the Bulldogs more consistently locking the ball inside attacking 50.
Former Dog Ward yet to make call on future
Callan Ward’s stirring speech is becoming the stuff of legend, now Adam Kingsley wants the message to linger long beyond the club’s epic comeback win.
Ward composed himself after suffering a likely career-ending knee injury in Saturday’s clash with Richmond, addressing teammates at three-quarter time.
GWS Giants star Callan Ward.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Giants proceeded to overcome Richmond’s 28-point lead and snatch a memorable victory that kept them in the AFL’s top eight.
Kingsley is calling on his team to emulate the approach Ward adopted throughout his 327-game career, by priding themselves on being dependable through all four quarters.
“What is Wardy? He’s reliable,” Kingsley said as GWS prepared to tackle Port Adelaide in Canberra.
“You know what you’re going to get every single week and that’s what we need to become both individually and as a team.
“I thought the way he spoke to our group … you could see players were locked in and absorbing each and every word, and we got the response we needed.”
Set to undergo surgery in Melbourne later this month, 35-year-old Ward has yet to make a formal decision on his playing future or what his off-field role at the club will look like this season.
“Last year was his call to come back and continue to play, we’ll allow him to make the call again and see what happens,” Kingsley said.
“We’ll get through all this surgery and he’ll come back up to Sydney, then we’ll sit down and discuss what that looks like.”
AAP
Tonight’s selected teams
Western Bulldogs
Backs: Luke Cleary, James O’Donnell, Ryan Gardner
Half-backs: Lachlan Bramble, Rory Lobb, Bailey Dale
Centre: Bailey Williams, Ed Richards, Joel Freijah
Half-forwards: Ryley Sanders, Aaron Naughton, Matthew Kennedy
Forwards: Laitham Vandermeer, Buku Khamis, Rhylee West
Followers: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore
Interchange: Sam Davidson, Josh Dolan, James Harmes, Lachlan McNeil, Adam Treloar
Emergencies: Nick Coffield, Cooper Hynes, Lachie Jaques
In: Gardner, Dolan, Treloar
Out: Oscar Baker, Jason Johannisen, Taylor Duryea
Hawthorn
Backs: Josh Battle, Tom Barrass, Seamus Mitchell
Half-backs: Jarman Impey, Josh Weddle, Karl Amon
Centre: Connor Macdonald, Conor Nash, Harry Morrison
Half-forwards: Blake Hardwick, Sam Butler, Dylan Moore
Forwards: Max Ramsden, Mabior Chol, Jack Gunston
Followers: Lloyd Meek, Jai Newcombe, Josh Ward
Interchange: Jack Ginnivan, Changkuoth Jiath, James Worpel, Massimo D’Ambrosio, Finn Maginness
Emergencies: Cam Mackenzie, Jai Serong, Sam Frost
In: Mitchell, Butler, Ramsden
Out: James Sicily, Nick Watson, Jack Scrimshaw
Cornes’ apology over Schultz concussion saga comments
Football personality Kane Cornes has apologised “unreservedly” to the AFL umpires at the centre of the Lachie Schultz concussion saga for falsely accusing them of misleading the league.
Cornes read a prepared statement on SEN on Thursday afternoon.
It was reported this week that the four umpires who officiated in last month’s Fremantle-Collingwood match – Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Justin Power and Martin Rodger – were considering legal action over some of the public commentary that followed.
Kane Cornes.Credit: Getty Images
Adam Treloar is not the only Dog to return
Your thoughts: Where will the Hawks and Dogs finish this season?
A head-to-head look
Good evening and welcome
It’s a blockbuster Thursday night clash .… a match to bring big smiles to TV executives and AFL head-honchos. Two clubs in the mix for finals spots and two clubs which played an elimination final last year, Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs, lock horns at Marvel Stadium.
