AFL 2025: Alastair Clarkson on concussed young gun George Wardlaw
Wardlaw sustained a third concussion in 12 months during the Kangaroos' disappointing loss to Hawthorn on Saturday.
He will enter the concussion protocols but could sit on the sidelines for longer as North Melbourne prioritises the health of its young star.
Wardlaw was seemingly in good health at training on Tuesday, completing some running away from the main group.
Clarkson says every footballer runs the risk of injury and has no intention of changing the way Wardlaw attacks the contest.
'He's been asked this question plenty of times, what do you change with him? He's habitual, it's the way he plays his footy,' he said.
'You just hope over time he gathers a bit more awareness, a little bit more luck, a bit stronger in his body, perhaps.
'I try to take the beast out of the way that he plays and you won't have the same George Wardlaw.
'That's the risk we all have when we play the game, hope he gets a good run of luck.'
George Wardlaw was concussed early in the match against Hawthorn. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Wardlaw was not the only Roo away from the main group on Tuesday, with Luke Parker absent from the track.
Clarkson says the short turnaround between the Hawks and Western Bulldogs this Thursday is forcing the Roos to limit the training of a few sore bodies.
North Melbourne trains again on Wednesday and will put several players through a fitness test ahead of selection.
'We've got a whole heap of guys because it's such a short break, we trained today and most of those guys were able to do something,' Clarkson said.
'It's just getting them moving a bit, we'll train tomorrow and then select our side tomorrow night.
'(Parker) is one of those guys that we need to test tomorrow, some of them didn't come out on the track at all today or they did very, very light duties on the side.
'They'll present tomorrow with another 24 hours of recovery (and) see how we go. We'll have a couple of certainties out … George and Jack Darling.
'We'll test a couple others tomorrow, see how they pull up and if they're no good we'll just go in with fresh guys.'
Tyler Lewis
Sports reporter
Tyler Lewis is a sports reporter based in Melbourne's south east.
@tmlew_
Tyler Lewis
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
35 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor is Hopeful of winning feature race success at Sunshine Coast on Saturday
He captured the Glasshouse last year and gun jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor is hopeful of adding the Caloundra Cup and Winx Guineas to his trophy cabinet on Saturday. Wilson-Taylor was in a race of his own in last year's Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m), with the Anthony and Sam Freedman -trained Punch Lane revelling in heavy conditions to win by almost three lengths. This year, Wilson-Taylor will team with his good mate, trainer Stuart Kendrick, aboard Italian Riviera in the $300,000 Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m) and Redford in the Glasshouse. He has also answered the call from Annabel and Rob Archibald to ride imported stayer Hopeful in the $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m). Despite not having won since capturing the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) back in April 2022, Hopeful showed last start a return to the winner's stall wasn't far away with a fast-finishing third behind Sir Lucan and Bear On The Loose in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on June 14. 'I was fortunate enough to win the Glasshouse last year, so I'd like to either win that again or hopefully a Cup,' Wilson-Taylor said at Tuesday morning's Caloundra Cup day Breakfast With The Stars. 'It should run really well, Hopeful … he was really good in stakes company last start in Sydney. 'Obviously the favourite Bear On The Loose is $4 and we're something like 15-1, so we're good value and you're certainly going to get a good run for your money if you follow that horse, that's for sure.' What a finish at Rosehill! Sir Lucan fights off Bear On The Loose to win the Listed Winter Cup! â�'ï¸� — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 • Italian Riviera has been backed from $51 into $26 in TAB's fixed odds market for the Winx Guineas and Wilson-Taylor was brimming with confidence in the lightly-raced galloper after riding him in work at the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday. 'Stu is obviously my biggest supporter so it would be good to win a Winx Guineas for him – and I think he's got the right horse to do it,' Wilson-Taylor said. 'His horses excel here on this track and Italian Riviera, he's been going terrific. On quality, it's probably not the best edition of the Winx Guineas so it certainly puts us right there I think.' A canny $60,000 purchase at the 2023 Inglis Classic Sale, Italian Riviera has already returned more than $80,000 in prizemoney for his connections with four wins from just eight starts. After winning the Glasshouse last year, jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor is aiming to add the Caloundra Cup and Winx Guineas at Sunshine Coast on Saturday. 🎥 via @eddiefranklin47 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 1, 2025 He was most impressive under 60.5kg when powering home to win a Benchmark 68 at Doomben on June 24 and Kendrick said the Shalaa gelding had 'trained on terrific' since. 'I really like this horse (Italian Riviera). He's won four from eight, he was very impressive with a big weight last start in Brisbane, had to come from the tail and got over the top of them and won well,' Kendrick said. 'He's got to improve obviously up to this level but on what he's shown us in his work since, he has. 'We worked in well with Kyle so he'll ride – he was on him there this morning in his work and was very impressed with him. 'We gave him a little tick-over trial there last week and he won that impressively as well, so everything has sort of ticked over well … we just need a little bit of luck on the day.' Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick has a big team heading to the Caloundra Cup meeting on Saturday, headlined by Italian Riviera and Redford. 🎥 via @eddiefranklin47 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 1, 2025 While Redford is a $34 outsider in early betting for the Glasshouse, Kendrick warned punters not to write off the Snitzel gelding, who's won five of his 11 starts. 'He (Redford) is definitely a lightweight chance in the Glasshouse. He won here really well in one of the big Magic Millions races – he just had no luck around Ipswich last start,' he said. 'He loves the sting out of the track, he loves this big long straight so with no weight on his back I think he's a really good each-way chance in it.' Kendrick is also expecting strong runs on Saturday from Defiant Spirit and Bews in the Provincial Sprinters Series (1200m) as well as Bonded Affair in a Benchmark 70 over 1200m. @kendrickracing1! @BrisRacingClub — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 17, 2024 • 'Defiant Spirit – his first-up run off a long break was excellent in Brisbane. He had to do all the hard work in front and held on really well. (The) Form out of that's good and he should have improved form that. 'We've got him as well as Bews, he's also in the provincial sprint series, so they're both really good chances. 'And Bonded Affair, I couldn't have been more impressed with his first-up win the other day. We've just worked out that this horse needs to be ridden really quiet and that's how we'll ride him again on Saturday. If he gets the breaks I think he'll run really well.'
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Daria Kasatkina recovers from nervous vomit to advance at Wimbledon as Alex de Minaur helps lead Australian revival
Australia's Wimbledon challenge has been reinvigorated after a disastrous opening day as Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina led a four-win revival. On another sweltering day in London, the pair raced into the second round by early afternoon and were joined by Aleksandar Vukic and Rinky Hijikata. Seven Australians lost in Monday's calamitous start, with only an injured Jordan Thompson battling through. But there will now be five in the last-64 draw. Sixteenth seed Kasatkina became the first and only one of the seven Aussie women to progress with her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombian Emiliana Arango. Beaten in three matches on grass this season, she laboured against the world number 76, revealing she was so nervous in her first Wimbledon appearance since switching allegiance to Australia that she vomited outside just before entering court 14. "A lot of people saw it five metres from the court. I vomit[ed], so just before entering the court, yes, the little accident happened, like, completely out of nerves," she explained. She dished up 11 double faults and 38 unforced errors against Arango, but the South American contributed to her own defeat, making 39 errors of her own. De Minaur was far more authoritative in his first grand slam outing since taking a break after his shock second-round exit at the French Open, beating Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) in 2 hours and 25 minutes. Even a delay while an unwell ball boy was replaced, just before De Minaur was to serve to stay in the third set at 5-6, did not faze the 11th seed. His form was sharp enough, given his lack of match practice on grass. "It felt like a very solid match against a tough competitor, and there was a little bit of everything. There was some really good tennis, some tough moments, which I played through," said de Minaur, thrilled to have his family watching from courtside. "At the end, I had to lift my level when I needed it and played some clutch tennis to finish it off. So overall, quite happy." The chances of an all-Sydney second-round meeting were extinguished, though, after Adam Walton, having battled back from two sets down, lost 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 to Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, who will face de Minaur for the first time. Vukic beat Chinese Taipei's Chun-Hsin Tseng 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) in just over 3 hours, setting up a daunting meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner, who defeated compatriot Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-3, 6-0. It will be the second year running Vukic has drawn a big gun in the last-64, having impressed while losing to champion Carlos Alcaraz in 2024. "I've really nothing to lose," Vukic said. "He'll be the one feeling the pressure. If there's a surface to play him on, it's probably this one because it is a bit more random, so more upsets can happen. Hopefully, I can be one of those." Sinner agreed that he had nothing to lose. "Things won't be easy for me", he said, adding: "Australian tennis is in a good spot. They have some good players." Hijikata made surprisingly easy progress against veteran David Goffin, brushing aside the 34-year-old Belgian 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 after temperatures dropped in the evening. Next he will face Ben Shelton, the American 10th seed who proved a younger, superior mirror image of Alex Bolt, defeating the Murray Bridge qualifier 6-4, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-4). Beyond Kasatkina's win, it was a chastening day for the Australian women's challenge, with the biggest disappointment being 19-year-old new Eastbourne champion Maya Joint's fairly routine 6-3, 6-2 defeat to a teak tough first-round opponent, Russian 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova. It was deja vu for Joint, who won the Morocco Open in Rabat the weekend before losing in the first round at Roland Garros. "It's something I hope to get used to, but it was a lot different from the last time when I was coming from Morocco," the teenager said. "I obviously expected to do a bit better but Liudmila played really well." Priscilla Hon went down 6-2, 7-5 to Russian 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova while fellow debutant, Sydney's James McCabe, was well beaten 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 by Hungary's world number 58, Fabian Marozsan, after he arrived for his match later than he hoped for due to his car getting stuck in a traffic jam. AAP
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Worrall takes four to keep Surrey on top against Durham
Former Aussie international Dan Worrall has helped Surrey keep a stranglehold on Durham by taking four wickets - including three in three overs - in their English County Championship clash at London's Oval. Responding to Surrey's club record 9-820 , Durham captain Alex Lees posted 125 before being dismissed by the Melbourne-born Worrall, whose 4-49 also included the scalp of Ollie Robinson for 79. Matthew Fisher chipped in with 3-69 as Durham reached stumps on 9-343, trailing by 477 runs. There was also an Australian influence in the second division encounter between Lancashire and Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Aussie batter Aston Turner smashed an unbeaten 121 for Lancashire, with George Balderson contributing a rapid-fire 82 before they declared on 6-406. Derbyshire's chase got off to a tricky start when James Anderson struck in the fifth over to dismiss Australian opener Caleb Jewell for nine and they closed on 3-139 with captain Wayne Madsen unbeaten on 39. Leicestershire were defeated for the first time in the championship this season after losing by an innings and 127 runs to Middlesex. The Division Two leaders were bowled out for 205 in the first innings, Naavya Sharma's 4-43 having done the damage, and Middlesex enforced the follow-on. Noah Cornwell then took 3-60 in the second innings, including the final wicket of Sam Wood to end the match, as Leicestershire tumbled to 202 all out with Logan van Beek's unbeaten 36 their top score. Back in the top flight, Worcestershire took complete control of their encounter with Hampshire, forcing their opponents to follow on and ending the day with a 372-run lead. Replying to 7-679 declared, Hampshire were bowled out for 221 with Tom Taylor taking 4-42 and Tilak Varma top-scoring with 56. They then fell to 3-86 in their second innings after Adam Finch took 2-5 in eight overs. Centuries from Ben Slater and Jack Haynes helped Nottinghamshire take a 126-run lead over Somerset. Slater was dismissed early for 124 by Jack Leach, who claimed six wickets overall - including Ishan Kishan for 77 and Lyndon James for 66. Haynes starred with 157 off 295 balls before being trapped lbw by Leach as Nottinghamshire were all out for 509. Liam Patterson-White removed nightwatchman opener Matt Henry to end the one over so far of Somerset's second innings. Former Aussie international Dan Worrall has helped Surrey keep a stranglehold on Durham by taking four wickets - including three in three overs - in their English County Championship clash at London's Oval. Responding to Surrey's club record 9-820 , Durham captain Alex Lees posted 125 before being dismissed by the Melbourne-born Worrall, whose 4-49 also included the scalp of Ollie Robinson for 79. Matthew Fisher chipped in with 3-69 as Durham reached stumps on 9-343, trailing by 477 runs. There was also an Australian influence in the second division encounter between Lancashire and Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Aussie batter Aston Turner smashed an unbeaten 121 for Lancashire, with George Balderson contributing a rapid-fire 82 before they declared on 6-406. Derbyshire's chase got off to a tricky start when James Anderson struck in the fifth over to dismiss Australian opener Caleb Jewell for nine and they closed on 3-139 with captain Wayne Madsen unbeaten on 39. Leicestershire were defeated for the first time in the championship this season after losing by an innings and 127 runs to Middlesex. The Division Two leaders were bowled out for 205 in the first innings, Naavya Sharma's 4-43 having done the damage, and Middlesex enforced the follow-on. Noah Cornwell then took 3-60 in the second innings, including the final wicket of Sam Wood to end the match, as Leicestershire tumbled to 202 all out with Logan van Beek's unbeaten 36 their top score. Back in the top flight, Worcestershire took complete control of their encounter with Hampshire, forcing their opponents to follow on and ending the day with a 372-run lead. Replying to 7-679 declared, Hampshire were bowled out for 221 with Tom Taylor taking 4-42 and Tilak Varma top-scoring with 56. They then fell to 3-86 in their second innings after Adam Finch took 2-5 in eight overs. Centuries from Ben Slater and Jack Haynes helped Nottinghamshire take a 126-run lead over Somerset. Slater was dismissed early for 124 by Jack Leach, who claimed six wickets overall - including Ishan Kishan for 77 and Lyndon James for 66. Haynes starred with 157 off 295 balls before being trapped lbw by Leach as Nottinghamshire were all out for 509. Liam Patterson-White removed nightwatchman opener Matt Henry to end the one over so far of Somerset's second innings. Former Aussie international Dan Worrall has helped Surrey keep a stranglehold on Durham by taking four wickets - including three in three overs - in their English County Championship clash at London's Oval. Responding to Surrey's club record 9-820 , Durham captain Alex Lees posted 125 before being dismissed by the Melbourne-born Worrall, whose 4-49 also included the scalp of Ollie Robinson for 79. Matthew Fisher chipped in with 3-69 as Durham reached stumps on 9-343, trailing by 477 runs. There was also an Australian influence in the second division encounter between Lancashire and Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Aussie batter Aston Turner smashed an unbeaten 121 for Lancashire, with George Balderson contributing a rapid-fire 82 before they declared on 6-406. Derbyshire's chase got off to a tricky start when James Anderson struck in the fifth over to dismiss Australian opener Caleb Jewell for nine and they closed on 3-139 with captain Wayne Madsen unbeaten on 39. Leicestershire were defeated for the first time in the championship this season after losing by an innings and 127 runs to Middlesex. The Division Two leaders were bowled out for 205 in the first innings, Naavya Sharma's 4-43 having done the damage, and Middlesex enforced the follow-on. Noah Cornwell then took 3-60 in the second innings, including the final wicket of Sam Wood to end the match, as Leicestershire tumbled to 202 all out with Logan van Beek's unbeaten 36 their top score. Back in the top flight, Worcestershire took complete control of their encounter with Hampshire, forcing their opponents to follow on and ending the day with a 372-run lead. Replying to 7-679 declared, Hampshire were bowled out for 221 with Tom Taylor taking 4-42 and Tilak Varma top-scoring with 56. They then fell to 3-86 in their second innings after Adam Finch took 2-5 in eight overs. Centuries from Ben Slater and Jack Haynes helped Nottinghamshire take a 126-run lead over Somerset. Slater was dismissed early for 124 by Jack Leach, who claimed six wickets overall - including Ishan Kishan for 77 and Lyndon James for 66. Haynes starred with 157 off 295 balls before being trapped lbw by Leach as Nottinghamshire were all out for 509. Liam Patterson-White removed nightwatchman opener Matt Henry to end the one over so far of Somerset's second innings.
