Injury List - Round 9

[alpha33 325]

I'm not even going to waste anybody's time with the injury list from the Herald Sun's barometer series because they never get it right and even if they were remotely close, they would still miss out on the mystery injuries of the week like Shannon Byrnes and Jack Viney from last week.

So I'll concentrate on the opposition this week and if they got them right, then we really can't cry about our injury toll this week:

Jon Griffin (knee) season

Kepler Bradley (knee) season

Aaron Sandilands (hamstring) 5 weeks

Matthew Pavlich (achilles) 2 weeks

Anthony Morabito (knee) 4 weeks

Stephen Hill (quad) 1-2 weeks

Michael Walters (ankle) 3-4 weeks

As for Melbourne, it's looking like one out will be Jimmy Toumpas while Jack Watts could come back from injury and Cam Pedersen is also a good chance after a very good game with Casey and possibly Sam Blease.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Geez Freo have some massive outs. Full credit to them for being 5-2-1.

[titan_uranus 25,043]

Geez Freo have some massive outs. Full credit to them for being 5-2-1.

I'm a big Fremantle fan, they're a great side I reckon.

Watch out for them in the second half of the year, with Pavlich, Sandilands, Walters and Hill to come back, and maybe Morabito too. Already 5-1-2, if they keep getting wins without their stars, imagine how well they'll do when the A-team is back.

[hardtack 10,627]

I'm a big Fremantle fan, they're a great side I reckon.

Watch out for them in the second half of the year, with Pavlich, Sandilands, Walters and Hill to come back, and maybe Morabito too. Already 5-1-2, if they keep getting wins without their stars, imagine how well they'll do when the A-team is back.

I have nothing against Freo and Port, but unfortunately in both cases, I can't get around the fact that their supporters irritate me so much!

[titan_uranus 25,043]

I have nothing against Freo and Port, but unfortunately in both cases, I can't get around the fact that their supporters irritate me so much!

Port's bad, don't know much about Freo (I can imagine, though).

Won't ever be as bad as Collingwood or Richmond (dear me, the Richmond flogs in the MCC on the weekend were atrocious).

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

I actually tipped Freo to play in the Grand final this year, they look capable even without a bunch of stars.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Those are VERY good players Fremantle have got out.

Yet they manage a win over Collingwood without Pavlich, Sandilands, Fyfe and co.

Then they draw with Sydney without even more players going down.

Fremantle to manage to etch out wins against top clubs with their superstars out.

MFC can't even remain competitive, full list in or not.

Ross Lyon would've improved MFC tenfold... We need an experienced coach, desperately.

[binman 43,762]

Ross Lyon would've improved MFC tenfold... We need an experienced coach, desperately.

The way he dealt with Walters was very instructive. Obviously Lyon has very high standards in terms of training, dedication etc (as several players have made clear in interviews). Walters wasn't meeting those expectations apparently and by all accounts he was told to go away (to Claremont) and work if he wanted to. Tough stance and one that Neeld might have also taken i guess.

What is impressive is the whilst Walters has obviously put in the hard work and is now top shelf i can only assume Lyon dealt with what must have a tricky situation in a way that didn't disenfranchise Walters and was sufficiently supportive and motivating. Not saying that Neeld would not have been able to this, just that it is a hard balance to be a tough, brook no argument coach, whilst also being sufficiently nurturing and supportive.

Perhaps that comes from experience but i do wonder if Neeld got the first bit right in his first year but not yet the second bit?

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not sure if this has appeared elsewhere: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-05-21/injuries-take-toll-on-strugglers

this list does not take into account 2013 injuries to players who were not there last year (i.e. Dawes, Viney).

Number of games missed by top 10 players in club's 2012 best and fairest

23 Gold Coast

22 Western Bulldogs, Melbourne

21 GWS, Port Adelaide

16.5 Collingwood*

16 St Kilda

15 Carlton

14 Adelaide, Essendon

11 Brisbane Lions

9 Fremantle

8 Geelong

8 Richmond*

7 North Melbourne

6 Hawthorn, West Coast

2 Sydney Swans