Collingwood's Tom Mitchell set for first game of football since Anzac Day 2024.
Mitchell, 30, hasn't played at AFL level since Anzac Day in 2024, with his Saturday appearance ending a 380-day absence from the field.
As well as his foot injury, Mitchell, who won his Brownlow medal in 2018,also had his appendix removed last year and will build his way back up to AFL level.
'Tom has one more training session to get through,' Collingwood's Head of High Performance, Jarrod Wade said,
'If all clear, he will play limited minutes on Saturday, with the plan to increase game time over the coming weeks.
ESSENDON has lost star defender Jordan Ridley for eight weeks with a bad hamstring strain suffered in the win over North Melbourne which also resulted in a bad ankle injury to forward Harrison Jones with his return yet to be decided.
Jade Gresham will also miss a week with a low-grade adductor strain but key midfielder Jye Caldwell has been cleared to make his return from a hamstring injury.
The 24-year-old hasn't featured since round three.
The Brisbane Lions will be without forward Sam Day for six weeks after he injured his hamstring in Saturday's Q-clash win over his old side the Gold Coast Suns.
Day was subbed out during the first quarter and back running at training on Tuesday but was sent for scans which confirmed a bad hamstring strain
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Footy world stunned by Jake Stringer act against his old club
Jake Stringer looks to be settling in beautifully at the GWS Giants and it is not sitting well with his last AFL stop. The 31-year-old Stringer has been a polarising figure across his 223-game career with the Bulldogs, Bombers and now Giants. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. An All-Australian back in 2015 and a six-time club leading goalkicker, Stringer has also had off-field issues and left both the Dogs and Essendon on bad terms. Facing the Bombers for the first time since ending his 123-game stint with the Melbourne club, Stringer said pre-match on Fox Footy he was 'hoping for a few boos'. He didn't need to worry about that, with the boos raining down whenever he touched the footy against his injury-ravaged club. Unfortunately for Essendon fans, that happened a lot, with Stringer playing a starring role as the Giants built a big lead at Marvel Stadium. Journalist and Bombers fan Caspar McLeod tweeted pre-game: 'Jake Stringer … please take it easy on us.' The powerfully built 192cm forward had other ideas, however, stamping his authority on the game in the second term. GWS only took a seven-point lead into quarter-time before Stringer burst into action. Midway through the second term, he was booed when he tried to take a mark and again when a forward entry ended up in his vicinity. He then got his moment from a ball-up in the forward 50m, when Kieren Briggs tapped the ball to Stringer, who had an open goal ahead of him. But he opted to handball to young teammate Max Gruzewski, who kicked the goal. 'Wow. Wow. Jake Stinger, that is awesome,' David King said on Fox Footy. 'We've seen him do this at centre bounce clearances over the last few years, but from forward 50 stoppage I'm not sure I've seen him do much of this.' Jack Riewoldt added: 'I love this. I think it shows where Jake Stringer's mindset is, coming up against his old side. 'He gives this away to the young player Gruzewski and this shows where his mindset is at, the team player Jake Stringer is.' King then joked: 'And in true forward fashion, he handballed it so poorly he was a chance to get it back.' Just 10 secs of game time later, Tom Green found Stringer on the lead and he took the uncontested mark as the boos rained down again. 'The booing is the loudest we've heard Bombers fans all night,' Mark Howard said in commentary. 'Stringer gave the last one off, he's been in a rich vein of goalkicking form. 'Six-time leading goalkicker, off four last week, from 50 Stringer … Essendon cannot kick a goal and the Giants cannot miss.' That stretched the Giants' lead to 28 points as they started to pull away. 'They get to him, they know what this means to Jake,' King said after he kicked his first. 'He's probably circled this one in the calendar, a lot of unhappy Bombers fans. 'He's just been so good to watch this guy for a long period of time, he's a 'moments' player.' Gruzewski's goal sparked a run of four gin seven minutes to break the game open before debutant Liam McMahon finally responded with Essendon's first goal. Dating back to last week's dreadful performance against Richmond, the Bombers had gone 92 minutes of game time between goals. Early in the third term, Stringer intercepted a handball and threw the ball on his left foot and found Callum Brown, who missed his set shot. The premiership player with the Dogs then pulled off a spectacular mark after a forward entry from Toby Bedford and snapped the goal for his second of the night. 'Wow, they have recruited a highlights package, there's no doubt about that the Giants,' King said. 'He's just starting to find his feet in this line up. I tell you what, this is when you want him rolling, back half of the year.' He had three goals by three quarter-time and it's fair to say Bombers fans weren't enjoying the show and many watching on were keen to comment on the persistent booing. 'Lol who's booing Jake Stringer? He got pushed out of the club for a bag of potato chips, please,' was one comment on X. Richmond fan Paul White tweeted: 'Bomber fans booing Jake Stringer. So on point for those in red and black.' Jasper Chellappah offered: 'I have never seen Jake Stringer pass a goal off before, let alone running into an open goal.' A fourth wrote: 'Why boo Jake Stringer? He didn't leave. Essendon chose to move him on. ' The Giants' X account then got in on the action. 'The crowd here really like Jake Stringer,' they tweeted. Another fan gushed: 'I am feeling proud of Jake Stringer tonight, that play showed him being a teammate and towards the young player, and the goal for himself he deserves that, it was a great goal too. Just ignore the noise. Well done.' It's only early in Stringer's time with the Giants, but he's made a promising start as he makes his mark away from the Melbourne footy bubble.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Kangaroos make intentions clear on Magpie Jeremy Howe
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has hosed down the prospect of luring Collingwood star Jeremy Howe, saying his club can't keep on chasing veterans forever. The rebuilding Kangaroos recruited former Swans captain Luke Parker, premiership Eagles forward Jack Darling and ex-Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel at the end of last season. Daniel, 29, is averaging 26 disposals per game, 32-year-old Parker is averaging 22.8 disposals and 4.8 clearances, while 33-year-old Darling has kicked 16.5 in attack. Howe, at 35 years of age, is yet to be offered a contract at Collingwood for next season, leading to talk a move to North Melbourne could be a good way for him to finish his decorated 268-game career. Clarkson isn't ruling anything in or out when it comes to list management, but gave a strong hint Howe wouldn't be a priority recruit for them. "We'll look at any player that we think will help our list, but I think he'd be pretty content at Collingwood," Clarkson said on Thursday. "They're chasing the flag. I don't think we'll be in that space (of chasing Howe), but who knows. "We had that strategy at the end of last year when we brought in Luke Parker and Jack Darling and Caleb Daniel, and they've given us some really good assistance and sturdiness. "But we can't just keep going down that line either, because otherwise we will become too old." Howe will miss Collingwood's next two matches with an adductor injury suffered during last week's six-point loss to Gold Coast. North Melbourne (4-12-1) sit 16th on the ladder and face a tough challenge against in-form Sydney (8-9) at the SCG on Saturday. The Kangaroos will be without defender Luke McDonald for the rest of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday. "When we went and saw the specialist after that (Hawthorn) game, they said, 'let's just leave it for a couple of weeks and see whether he can regain some strength in it', knowing full well it was probably going to require surgery at the end of the year," Clarkson said. "But it just hasn't improved enough in terms of the strength or function to get him to the line." Forward Nick Larkey will miss another week due to a minor PCL injury, while ruckman Tristan Xerri will start his three-match suspension for the hit that knocked out Melbourne's Tom Sparrow. In better news for North Melbourne, George Wardlaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke will return from concussion against Sydney. North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has hosed down the prospect of luring Collingwood star Jeremy Howe, saying his club can't keep on chasing veterans forever. The rebuilding Kangaroos recruited former Swans captain Luke Parker, premiership Eagles forward Jack Darling and ex-Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel at the end of last season. Daniel, 29, is averaging 26 disposals per game, 32-year-old Parker is averaging 22.8 disposals and 4.8 clearances, while 33-year-old Darling has kicked 16.5 in attack. Howe, at 35 years of age, is yet to be offered a contract at Collingwood for next season, leading to talk a move to North Melbourne could be a good way for him to finish his decorated 268-game career. Clarkson isn't ruling anything in or out when it comes to list management, but gave a strong hint Howe wouldn't be a priority recruit for them. "We'll look at any player that we think will help our list, but I think he'd be pretty content at Collingwood," Clarkson said on Thursday. "They're chasing the flag. I don't think we'll be in that space (of chasing Howe), but who knows. "We had that strategy at the end of last year when we brought in Luke Parker and Jack Darling and Caleb Daniel, and they've given us some really good assistance and sturdiness. "But we can't just keep going down that line either, because otherwise we will become too old." Howe will miss Collingwood's next two matches with an adductor injury suffered during last week's six-point loss to Gold Coast. North Melbourne (4-12-1) sit 16th on the ladder and face a tough challenge against in-form Sydney (8-9) at the SCG on Saturday. The Kangaroos will be without defender Luke McDonald for the rest of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday. "When we went and saw the specialist after that (Hawthorn) game, they said, 'let's just leave it for a couple of weeks and see whether he can regain some strength in it', knowing full well it was probably going to require surgery at the end of the year," Clarkson said. "But it just hasn't improved enough in terms of the strength or function to get him to the line." Forward Nick Larkey will miss another week due to a minor PCL injury, while ruckman Tristan Xerri will start his three-match suspension for the hit that knocked out Melbourne's Tom Sparrow. In better news for North Melbourne, George Wardlaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke will return from concussion against Sydney. North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has hosed down the prospect of luring Collingwood star Jeremy Howe, saying his club can't keep on chasing veterans forever. The rebuilding Kangaroos recruited former Swans captain Luke Parker, premiership Eagles forward Jack Darling and ex-Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel at the end of last season. Daniel, 29, is averaging 26 disposals per game, 32-year-old Parker is averaging 22.8 disposals and 4.8 clearances, while 33-year-old Darling has kicked 16.5 in attack. Howe, at 35 years of age, is yet to be offered a contract at Collingwood for next season, leading to talk a move to North Melbourne could be a good way for him to finish his decorated 268-game career. Clarkson isn't ruling anything in or out when it comes to list management, but gave a strong hint Howe wouldn't be a priority recruit for them. "We'll look at any player that we think will help our list, but I think he'd be pretty content at Collingwood," Clarkson said on Thursday. "They're chasing the flag. I don't think we'll be in that space (of chasing Howe), but who knows. "We had that strategy at the end of last year when we brought in Luke Parker and Jack Darling and Caleb Daniel, and they've given us some really good assistance and sturdiness. "But we can't just keep going down that line either, because otherwise we will become too old." Howe will miss Collingwood's next two matches with an adductor injury suffered during last week's six-point loss to Gold Coast. North Melbourne (4-12-1) sit 16th on the ladder and face a tough challenge against in-form Sydney (8-9) at the SCG on Saturday. The Kangaroos will be without defender Luke McDonald for the rest of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday. "When we went and saw the specialist after that (Hawthorn) game, they said, 'let's just leave it for a couple of weeks and see whether he can regain some strength in it', knowing full well it was probably going to require surgery at the end of the year," Clarkson said. "But it just hasn't improved enough in terms of the strength or function to get him to the line." Forward Nick Larkey will miss another week due to a minor PCL injury, while ruckman Tristan Xerri will start his three-match suspension for the hit that knocked out Melbourne's Tom Sparrow. In better news for North Melbourne, George Wardlaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke will return from concussion against Sydney.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Mitchell injury adds to 'pressure' on Souths coach
Wayne Bennett is remaining calm as pressure increased on South Sydney's dismal season with a torn quad injury to star fullback Latrell Mitchell. Bennett said he'd become used to the heat during 40 years in the rugby league coaching furnace, but hours after making that statement it emerged Mitchell had suffered an injury at training that is set to keep him out for at least a month. It was hoped Mitchell could inspire a post-State of Origin renaissance for the Rabbitohs, but that expectation has now been scuppered. Bennett insists he has seen signs the Rabbitohs are on the right track despite a horror year of injuries and on-field results that threatens to end with the club's first wooden spoon since 2006. Missing nine players to injury, Souths could drop to the bottom of the NRL ladder this weekend if they lose to resurgent Penrith on Friday and Gold Coast beat Wests Tigers on Sunday. It's been a far cry from Bennett's first stint in charge, which ended with a grand-final appearance in 2021. The results have been enough for media coverage to begin questioning veteran mentor Bennett. "I've spent 40 years under pressure, mate. I don't feel it. It doesn't worry me," he said. It's not all doom and gloom from where Bennett is standing, though the coach felt it was inevitable lifting the Rabbitohs up the ladder would take time. "You can't click your fingers and think it's all going to work tomorrow for you. You've got to stay true to it and you've got to get the players to buy into it. I believe that's happening,' he said. "I know we're doing the right things and I know we're on the right track, but we're not where the top teams are." Bennett said Souths' attitude and their attack had impressed him. "They've been pretty brave, there's pretty good morale in the place still. We've had no crisis meetings, which I'm very pleased about," he said sardonically. "Their ball control has improved a great deal, there's a lot of energy in their games." Souths received some rare good news this week, with mid-season recruit Brandon Smith likely to miss only two or three more weeks with what had been feared a long-term knee issue. Veteran playmaker Cody Walker, meanwhile, is four to six weeks away after tearing a calf muscle during his rehabilitation for a hamstring injury. Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Cameron Murray, Alex Johnston and Jamie Humphreys are among other key men to have been sidelined in a diabolical season of injuries. Of the top-30 squad, only Jai Arrow and Keaon Koloamatangi have featured in every game, but Bennett shrugged at suggestions Souths may need to review their strength and conditioning or training practices. "A lot of them have been on the field, they haven't been training injuries," he said. "Cody's is coming on a rehab run, which he's got to do to get himself back from the hamstring injury, and he tears a calf muscle. You can't blame anybody for that." Friday's clash with Penrith will mark only the fourth NRL game for Englishman Lewis Dodd, recruited on big money to become the Rabbitohs' new halfback but largely overlooked by Bennett this season. The coach wants to see some physicality from Dodd when he comes on from the bench for his first NRL game since round nine. "(He needs to) put his body on the line. He's a small guy and there's a lot of big players out there playing against him,' Bennett said. "You've got to be committed to stopping them and taking them on with the ball. If he does that, I'll be pleased with him." Wayne Bennett is remaining calm as pressure increased on South Sydney's dismal season with a torn quad injury to star fullback Latrell Mitchell. Bennett said he'd become used to the heat during 40 years in the rugby league coaching furnace, but hours after making that statement it emerged Mitchell had suffered an injury at training that is set to keep him out for at least a month. It was hoped Mitchell could inspire a post-State of Origin renaissance for the Rabbitohs, but that expectation has now been scuppered. Bennett insists he has seen signs the Rabbitohs are on the right track despite a horror year of injuries and on-field results that threatens to end with the club's first wooden spoon since 2006. Missing nine players to injury, Souths could drop to the bottom of the NRL ladder this weekend if they lose to resurgent Penrith on Friday and Gold Coast beat Wests Tigers on Sunday. It's been a far cry from Bennett's first stint in charge, which ended with a grand-final appearance in 2021. The results have been enough for media coverage to begin questioning veteran mentor Bennett. "I've spent 40 years under pressure, mate. I don't feel it. It doesn't worry me," he said. It's not all doom and gloom from where Bennett is standing, though the coach felt it was inevitable lifting the Rabbitohs up the ladder would take time. "You can't click your fingers and think it's all going to work tomorrow for you. You've got to stay true to it and you've got to get the players to buy into it. I believe that's happening,' he said. "I know we're doing the right things and I know we're on the right track, but we're not where the top teams are." Bennett said Souths' attitude and their attack had impressed him. "They've been pretty brave, there's pretty good morale in the place still. We've had no crisis meetings, which I'm very pleased about," he said sardonically. "Their ball control has improved a great deal, there's a lot of energy in their games." Souths received some rare good news this week, with mid-season recruit Brandon Smith likely to miss only two or three more weeks with what had been feared a long-term knee issue. Veteran playmaker Cody Walker, meanwhile, is four to six weeks away after tearing a calf muscle during his rehabilitation for a hamstring injury. Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Cameron Murray, Alex Johnston and Jamie Humphreys are among other key men to have been sidelined in a diabolical season of injuries. Of the top-30 squad, only Jai Arrow and Keaon Koloamatangi have featured in every game, but Bennett shrugged at suggestions Souths may need to review their strength and conditioning or training practices. "A lot of them have been on the field, they haven't been training injuries," he said. "Cody's is coming on a rehab run, which he's got to do to get himself back from the hamstring injury, and he tears a calf muscle. You can't blame anybody for that." Friday's clash with Penrith will mark only the fourth NRL game for Englishman Lewis Dodd, recruited on big money to become the Rabbitohs' new halfback but largely overlooked by Bennett this season. The coach wants to see some physicality from Dodd when he comes on from the bench for his first NRL game since round nine. "(He needs to) put his body on the line. He's a small guy and there's a lot of big players out there playing against him,' Bennett said. "You've got to be committed to stopping them and taking them on with the ball. If he does that, I'll be pleased with him." Wayne Bennett is remaining calm as pressure increased on South Sydney's dismal season with a torn quad injury to star fullback Latrell Mitchell. Bennett said he'd become used to the heat during 40 years in the rugby league coaching furnace, but hours after making that statement it emerged Mitchell had suffered an injury at training that is set to keep him out for at least a month. It was hoped Mitchell could inspire a post-State of Origin renaissance for the Rabbitohs, but that expectation has now been scuppered. Bennett insists he has seen signs the Rabbitohs are on the right track despite a horror year of injuries and on-field results that threatens to end with the club's first wooden spoon since 2006. Missing nine players to injury, Souths could drop to the bottom of the NRL ladder this weekend if they lose to resurgent Penrith on Friday and Gold Coast beat Wests Tigers on Sunday. It's been a far cry from Bennett's first stint in charge, which ended with a grand-final appearance in 2021. The results have been enough for media coverage to begin questioning veteran mentor Bennett. "I've spent 40 years under pressure, mate. I don't feel it. It doesn't worry me," he said. It's not all doom and gloom from where Bennett is standing, though the coach felt it was inevitable lifting the Rabbitohs up the ladder would take time. "You can't click your fingers and think it's all going to work tomorrow for you. You've got to stay true to it and you've got to get the players to buy into it. I believe that's happening,' he said. "I know we're doing the right things and I know we're on the right track, but we're not where the top teams are." Bennett said Souths' attitude and their attack had impressed him. "They've been pretty brave, there's pretty good morale in the place still. We've had no crisis meetings, which I'm very pleased about," he said sardonically. "Their ball control has improved a great deal, there's a lot of energy in their games." Souths received some rare good news this week, with mid-season recruit Brandon Smith likely to miss only two or three more weeks with what had been feared a long-term knee issue. Veteran playmaker Cody Walker, meanwhile, is four to six weeks away after tearing a calf muscle during his rehabilitation for a hamstring injury. Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Cameron Murray, Alex Johnston and Jamie Humphreys are among other key men to have been sidelined in a diabolical season of injuries. Of the top-30 squad, only Jai Arrow and Keaon Koloamatangi have featured in every game, but Bennett shrugged at suggestions Souths may need to review their strength and conditioning or training practices. "A lot of them have been on the field, they haven't been training injuries," he said. "Cody's is coming on a rehab run, which he's got to do to get himself back from the hamstring injury, and he tears a calf muscle. You can't blame anybody for that." Friday's clash with Penrith will mark only the fourth NRL game for Englishman Lewis Dodd, recruited on big money to become the Rabbitohs' new halfback but largely overlooked by Bennett this season. The coach wants to see some physicality from Dodd when he comes on from the bench for his first NRL game since round nine. "(He needs to) put his body on the line. He's a small guy and there's a lot of big players out there playing against him,' Bennett said. "You've got to be committed to stopping them and taking them on with the ball. If he does that, I'll be pleased with him."
