The return of Gary Ablett to the injury list, along with Alex Sexton, will ensure the Gold Coast SUNS are forced to make a minimum of two changes to the side that lost to Adelaide in South Australia last weekend.
With West Coast travelling across the Nullarbor for Saturday night’s clash at Metricon Stadium, Rodney Eade’s side should be strengthened by the return of ruckman Tom Nicholls and rebounding defender Adam Saad. All the pair has to do is prove their fitness at Thursday’s main training session to be cleared fit to play.
Experienced utility Jarrod Harbrow will also return to face the Eagles after missing the trip to Adelaide Oval last weekend due to the birth of his first child.
Given the strong form of West Coast ruck combination Nic Naitanui and Callum Sinclair, Rodney Eade may elect to go into the game with two specialist ruckman – Zac Smith and Nicholls.
The Eagles depleted back six is likely to not feature Jeremy McGovern for the second consecutive week as he battles a hamstring injury, as well as Will Schofield who was substituted out of last Sunday’s game against Sydney with a calf problem.
With this in mind, Eade would be aggrieved to allow Charlie Dixon to spend any time in the ruck as the SUNS can exploit West Coast’s undersized and undermanned back six that is already missing Eric McKenzie and Mitch Brown.
Having missed the last three weeks due to a groin injury, Saad’s impending return will significantly boost Gold Coast’s drive out of the back half of the ground. The mature-aged rookie was a revelation earlier in the year, dazzling opposition sides with his audacious runs from the last line of defence.
Excitement machine Jack Martin is another player who is a chance to return to the senior 22 after successfully overcoming a hamstring injury and serving his club imposed sanction. The half-forward has endured a frustrating campaign, but with six weeks to go, Martin could provide the spark the SUNS need to get something out of the last quarter of the year.
Gold Coast’s thinning engine room stocks may force the match committee to recall two elder statesmen in Andrew Raines and Danny Stanley to help strengthen the SUNS midfield stocks.
After playing six games between round six and 13, Raines has spent the last three weeks in the NEAFL. The former Brisbane Lions tagger collected 23 possessions and five inside 50s in the reserves last start against UWS prior to the bye.
Stanley has missed the last six weeks due to a medial ligament strain and would appear more likely to return via the NEAFL, but given the SUNS decimated midfield, the 27-year-old may be brought straight back into the senior line up.
Peter Wright and Clay Cameron were both left out of the travelling party to Adelaide, but both played the week earlier against Greater Western Sydney and despite the NEAFL having the bye, although unlikely, the pair could be called upon.
