Gold Coast defender Trent McKenzie has been withdrawn from Saturday night’s clash with West Coast at Metricon Stadium after straining his hamstring at the club’s main training session on Thursday night.
 
Midfielder Andrew Boston will replace McKenzie in Rodney Eade’s selected 22, with Clay Cameron joining the three emergencies alongside Andrew Raines and Zac Smith.
 
SUNS coach Rodney Eade told reporters on Friday morning that McKenzie suffered a minor hamstring strain late in the session and given the diabolical injury toll in Carrara, the club wasn’t prepared to take the risk so close to the game.
 
“We’ve lost Trent McKenzie now, he hurt his hamstring last night at training. So he’ll be out as well,” Eade told the media at Metricon Stadium on Friday morning.
 
“We thought we might have some respite after the bye, but now it’s back to where it was.
 
“Right at the end of training, a ground ball, didn’t know whether it was a cramp or whether he actually twinged it.
 
“He had a bit of a run this morning, he feels okay, but he just a bit of awareness. 48 hours after feeling it… it’s just not worth the risk. We’re hopeful he’ll be right for next week.”

Updated Round 18 AFL Premiership Team

B: A. Saad, R. Thompson, K. Kolodjashnij
HB: S. Lemmens, S. May, H. Schade
C: J. Harbrow, J. Martin, N. Malceski
HF: H. Bennell, T. Lynch, B. Matera
F: A. Hall, S. Day, C. Dixon
R: T. Nicholls, J. Lonergan, T. Miller
Interchange: L. Russell, M. Shaw, J. Glenn, A.Boston
Emergencies: Z. Smith, A. Raines, C. Cameron