All eyes at selection will be on Collingwood this week, as a veteran duo and their Norm Smith Medalist teammate all look to prove themselves amid fitness concerns.<\/p>\n
At Hawthorn, three (!) forwards are racing against the clock to overcome soft tissue injuries ahead of a blockbuster Friday night clash. <\/p>\n
And as for Geelong and Brisbane, their mastermind coaches will be contemplating whether or not change is necessary ahead of a possible grand final berth. AFL Team Tips!<\/p>\n
Watch every match of the 2025 Toyota AFL Finals Series before the Grand Final, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n FINALS WEEK 3 \u2014 PRELIMINARY FINALS (All times AEST)<\/p>\n First Preliminary Final, Friday September 19<\/p>\n [2nd] Geelong Cats vs [8th] Hawthorn (7.40pm) at the MCG<\/p>\n Cats\u2019 Qualifying Final team:<\/p>\n B: Z.Guthrie, J.Henry, C.O\u2019Sullivan<\/p>\n HB: L.Humphries, T.Stewart, O.Mullin<\/p>\n C: M.Blicavs, M.Holmes, O.Dempsey<\/p>\n HF: B.Close, S.Mannagh, T.Stengle<\/p>\n F: S.Neale, J.Cameron, P.Dangerfield (c)<\/p>\n FOLL: S.De Koning, B.Smith, T.Atkins<\/p>\n I\/C: M.O\u2019Connor, G.Miers, J.Bowes, J.Martin, J.Clark (sub)<\/p>\n EMG: J.Bews, M.Knevitt, O.Henry<\/p>\n Team Tips: It\u2019s hard to see many, if any changes to Chris Scott\u2019s side ahead of Friday night\u2019s juggernaut clash with Hawthorn. Ruckman Rhys Stanley is the only player who could return, but truth be told, it would be a shock recall given his hamstring injury came only a fortnight ago. It would mean that Mark Blicavs and Sam De Koning will share the tapping duties once more. Emergencies Mitch Knevitt and Jed Bews wait on the outskirts for an unlikely recall, as well as the out-of-favour Ollie Henry who hasn\u2019t played senior football since Round 18 against GWS. Substitute Jhye Clark clocked up just two per cent game time against the Lions in the qualifying final, but there isn\u2019t any reason to suggest he won\u2019t be picked as the 23rd man again.<\/p>\n A Rhys Stanley return this Friday night remains far more unlikely than likely (Photo by Michael Willson via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Hawks\u2019 Semi Final team:<\/p>\n B: J.Battle, T.Barrass, B.Hardwick<\/p>\n HB: J.Impey, J.Sicily (c), M.D\u2019Ambrosio<\/p>\n C: K.Amon, J.Ward, D.Moore<\/p>\n HF: C.Macdonald, M.Chol, N.Watson<\/p>\n F: J.Gunston, M.Lewis, J.Ginnivan<\/p>\n FOLL: L.Meek, J.Newcombe, C.Nash<\/p>\n I\/C: J.Scrimshaw, J.Worpel, S.Butler, J.Weddle, C.Jiath (sub)<\/p>\n EMG: L.Breust, C.Mackenzie, N.Reeves<\/p>\n Team Tips: On the surface, things looks great at Waverley Park \u2014 but a couple of crucial cogs may still need to prove their fitness on the training track this week. Star veteran Jack Gunston was sighted spending most of the final quarter against Adelaide last Friday on the bench, alongside Jack Ginnivan who reportedly went into the clash with low-level hamstring tightness. The Hawks remain optimistic the duo will face up against Geelong, however should one of them be deemed unfit, it tragically won\u2019t be Luke Breust who replaces them. The retiring club great seriously injured both his ACL and MCL in Box Hill\u2019s preliminary final loss to Footscray last Sunday in a sad end to his 17-year stint as an AFL-listed player. Hawthorn are also yet to put a definitive timeline on the fitness of Calsher Dear, who tweaked his hamstring against GWS in their elimination final. As hopeful as the club will be of his availability, a return just 13 days after the strain seems rather unlikely. In the case that two of Dear, Gunston and Ginnivan don\u2019t play, who Sam Mitchell selects will be fascinating. Emergency Cam Mackenzie seems the likeliest recall, but if they wanted to pick a genuine forward, would they consider Max Ramsden? A left-field option would also be Jai Serong, who hasn\u2019t played a senior game all season despite a scintillating season at VFL level. Tall forward Mitch Lewis was kept quiet all night against the Crows, but given the number of injury clouds hanging over his teammates in a similar role, looks likely to hold his spot.<\/p>\n Jack Gunston (left) and Jack Ginnivan (right) of the Hawks celebrate during the 2025 AFL Round 23 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Melbourne Demons at the MCG on August 16, 2025 (Photo by Michael Willson via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Second Preliminary Final, Saturday September 19<\/p>\n [4th] Collingwood vs [5th] Brisbane (5.15pm) at the MCG<\/p>\n Magpies\u2019 Qualifying Final team:<\/p>\n B: B.Frampton, D.Moore (c), B.Maynard<\/p>\n HB: H.Perryman, J.Daicos, W.Parker<\/p>\n C: J.Crisp, N.Long, S.Sidebottom<\/p>\n HF: J.De Goey, T.Membrey, B.McCreery<\/p>\n F: J.Elliott, B.Mihocek, L.Schultz<\/p>\n FOLL: D.Cameron, S.Pendlebury, N.Daicos<\/p>\n I\/C: P.Lipinski, I.Quaynor, D.Houston, M.Cox, R.Steele (sub)<\/p>\n EMG: T.Mitchell, D.McStay, E.Allan<\/p>\n Team Tips: Of all four teams playing this weekend, the most eyes will be on Collingwood and what they do at selection. On an injury front, it\u2019s all about \ufeffthe fitness of Jeremy Howe and his recovery from an adductor injury sustained in the last home-and-away match before finals. As of last Tuesday, the club revealed that he was \u201cprogressing well\u201d from the setback and was listed as one week away from a return. Should he be deemed fit, Category B rookie Wil Parker looks the likeliest to make way for Howe in the defensive half, or at the very least demoted to a substitute role which would omit mid-season draftee Roan Steele. Key forward Brody Mihocek rolled his ankle in their qualifying final win over Adelaide, and briefly sported a moon boot in the days after the affair. The 32-year-old also left training early last Friday, and may also need to prove his fitness for the clash. If he isn\u2019t up for the affair, expect dropped utility Dan McStay to slot straight back into the Pies\u2019 forward line as his replacement. Also up forward, it would be a shock to see Mason Cox dropped after a commendable performance two rounds ago. Then, there\u2019s the dilemma that revolves around Bobby Hill. The 2023 Norm Smith Medalist has played one AFL match since Round 15 \u2014 and it was as the sub against Brisbane. On the surface, the 25-year-old looks to be in the best shape he has been for quite some time, and will be raring to go if called upon. If Hill was to be picked, it would almost certainly see both Parker and Steele out of the side. Should one of the club\u2019s remaining emergencies be called upon with a shock injury, veteran Tom Mitchell looks to be first in line ahead of Ed Allan.<\/p>\n Jeremy Howe of the Magpies and Bobby Hill of the Magpies pose for the photo following their Round 13 AFL match between Collingwood Magpies and Melbourne Demons at the MCG, on June 10, 2024 (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Lions\u2019 Semi Final team:<\/p>\n B: D.Zorko, D.Gardiner, R.Lester<\/p>\n HB: D.Wilmot, H.Andrews (c), B.Starcevich<\/p>\n C: H.McCluggage, L.Ashcroft, J.Berry<\/p>\n HF: C.Cameron, T.Gallop, Z.Bailey<\/p>\n F: C.Rayner, L.Morris, C.Ah Chee<\/p>\n FOLL: D.Fort, J.Dunkley, W.Ashcroft<\/p>\n I\/C: K.Lohmann, J.Fletcher, S.Marshall, O.McInerney, B.Reville (sub)<\/p>\n EMG: S.Day, J.Tunstill, D.Joyce<\/p>\n Team Tips: There\u2019s little to no changes needed at Springfield ahead of their fourth preliminary final in as many years. Any miraculous return from dual Brownlow Medalist <\/a>Lachie Neale<\/a> will come in grand final week, despite being ruled out for the season by club medicos. The ruck duo of Darcy Fort and Oscar McInerney looked to work well enough, and will almost certainly be deployed once more with Mason Cox\u2019s expected selection at Collingwood. It means the omitted Sam Day looks almost certain to miss out for a second straight week. Forward Ty Gallop looked the most lively he\u2019s ever looked at AFL level against the Suns, so he should hold his place. First-year draftee Sam Marshall was subbed out tactically in the final quarter for Bruce Reville, and it\u2019s possible the pair swap roles for the Saturday twilight blockbuster.<\/p>\n Brisbane\u2019s two-ruck combination looks set to hit the MCG against their 2023 Grand Final opponents (Photo by Zak Simmonds)Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All eyes at selection will be on Collingwood this week, as a veteran duo and their Norm Smith…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145128,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[98403,64,63,14349,27716,3237,27726,12923,98411,10133,49773,98413,32121,12090,70802,98402,12099,13659,2105,11288,98414,4517,7492,14431,98412,8401,12102,10132,27752,73081,12098,98405,39211,19051,13126,98410,20437,7804,7198,44188,12182,92635,3233,98406,14446,19095,82581,74197,64903,88720,19071,98407,3242,19064,3537,12936,98415,49045,85,98409,14445,11740,98408,14355,98404,36844,56650],"class_list":["post-145127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-adductor-injury","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-bobby-hill","tag-box-hill","tag-brisbane-lions","tag-bruce-reville","tag-chris-scott","tag-club-medicos","tag-collingwood-magpies","tag-dan-mcstay","tag-definitive-timeline","tag-elimination-final","tag-final-quarter","tag-final-team","tag-fitness-concerns","tag-game-time","tag-geelong-cats","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-grand-final","tag-grand-final-berth","tag-hamstring-injury","tag-hawthorn-hawks","tag-injury-clouds","tag-injury-uncertainty","tag-jack-ginnivan","tag-jack-gunston","tag-jeremy-howe","tag-jhye-clark","tag-jonathan-dimaggio","tag-josh-dunkley","tag-low-level-hamstring-tightness","tag-luke-breust","tag-mark-blicavs","tag-mason-cox","tag-mastermind-coaches","tag-max-ramsden","tag-melbourne-demons","tag-michael-willson","tag-mitch-knevitt","tag-mitch-lewis","tag-moon-boot","tag-oscar-mcinerney","tag-possible-grand-final","tag-predicted-sides","tag-preliminary-final","tag-preliminary-final-loss","tag-preliminary-finals","tag-qualifying-final","tag-qualifying-final-team","tag-rhys-stanley","tag-ruck-duo","tag-sam-day","tag-sam-de-koning","tag-sam-marshall","tag-sam-mitchell","tag-semi-final-team","tag-soft-tissue-injuries","tag-sports","tag-tapping-duties","tag-team-changes","tag-team-news","tag-things-looks","tag-tom-mitchell","tag-trio-racing","tag-veteran-duo","tag-wil-parker"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}