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Concussion issues lingering for Viney
Veteran Melbourne midfielder Jack Viney will miss his fourth consecutive AFL match after the club deemed him still not ready to return from concussion.
Viney was named in the Demons’ extended squad for Sunday’s clash with St Kilda in Alice Springs, but the decision was made not to play him following Friday morning’s training session.
Jack Viney (right) speaking at the launch of Big Freeze 11 at Flinders Street earlier this month.Credit: AFL Photos
The 31-year-old hasn’t played since suffering delayed concussion symptoms following the club’s round eight win over West Coast on May 3.
“Jack has been slowly improving but unfortunately is not quite ready to return this week,” Melbourne’s general manager of football performance Alan Richardson said.
“Following our training session this morning, it was decided Jack wasn’t quite ready for the demands of an AFL game.
“The objective measures are tracking well, and he will still travel with the team to Alice Springs, where he will complete a game-load training session.”
West Coast star Jeremy McGovern was concussed in the same game as Viney, and his playing future hangs in the balance. McGovern, who has suffered multiple concussions in his decorated 197-game career, must front an expert concussion panel to be cleared to play again.
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De Goey hoping to return in ‘three weeks’
Collingwood superstar Jordan De Goey has given a hint on when he’ll make a return to the field after his Achilles injury.
While the Magpie inclusions tonight include Darcy Moore, Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom, de Goey remains sidelined (and has played three games between rounds three and nine).
In a pre-match appearance on Fox Footy, De Goey said he’s “hoping” to be back in a few weeks.
“I’ll probably say off the top of my head, I’ll say three weeks. I’ll be hoping for three weeks,” De Goey said.
“I think that’s a good outcome.”
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Take note, MCG types ….
The making of a Pies star after 17 clubs knocked him back
By Jake Niall
When Ned Long was informed that he was finished as a Hawthorn player – after just two seasons and five senior games – he contacted each of the 17 other AFL clubs, seeking another chance.
He had hoped even for the opportunity to train with one of those 17 clubs, to be a “train-on” prospect – some of whom are given a life jacket as a rookie-listed player.
None were interested. Zero out of 17, Collingwood included, despite Long’s 194-centimetre frame, work ethic and running capacity.
“It was really tough,” said Long of that period after the 2023 season at the Hawks. “Yeah, I did message every club.
“Then obviously [my] manager, Nick Gieschen [from Connors Sports Management], he was contacting all the clubs and trying to find something.”
Squeezed out at Hawthorn because of that club’s plethora of physical inside midfielders, Long’s first hope – a shot at continuing in the AFL – was dusted. So he turned to plan B.
Collingwood’s Ned Long has the chance to prove every club in the AFL wrong – even the Pies.Credit: Eddie Jim
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Some of the MCG scenes
Scott Pendlebury and goal umpire David Rodan.Credit: via Getty Images
Fans queue to enter the MCG ahead of the round 12 clash.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images
Blockbuster clash: Ticketing latest
The pre-match snapshot
It’s a compelling Friday night clash – a showdown between arguably Victoria’s two best teams (Geelong, naturally, have their own claims there). Hawthorn, however, have had a mini-slump with back-to-back losses to Gold Coast (in Darwin) and the Brisbane Lions last week at the MCG. Both those opponents are formidable so the Hawks can still look proudly to their 7-4 record.
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AFL round 12 continues with the blockbuster clash between Collingwood and Hawthorn at the MCG, a huge match that comes 24 hours after the Brisbane Lions were pushed all the way by Essendon at the Gabba. Quirkily, tonight’s game is the only one this round being played in Victoria. In the first round of the AFL’s mid-season bye period, there are several other games being played in the “northern states”, including a game in Alice Springs on Sunday.
