After weeks of rigorous rehab and intensified training, Rory Thompson has been cleared to travel with the team to China to take on Port Adelaide at Jiangwan Sports Centre.
GM Football Operations Marcus Ashcroft said while Thompson would still be required to pass a series of fitness tests, all signs were looking positive.
“Rory has done a mountain of work over the past three-four weeks; he has missed a month of footy with a mild quad complaint,” Ashcroft told the Optomo Injury Report.
“He is in the extended travelling squad that is going to China, we’ll train again over in China a couple of times and if he can get through that then we expect him to be in the frame to play.”
However, Gold Coast will be without David Swallow, Matt Rosa and Callum Ah Chee for the historic match in Shanghai and will not board the two-leg Singapore Airlines flight.
Unfortunately for Swallow, the selfless SUN coped a knock to his knee in the club’s convincing 25-point win over a top four Geelong outfit, and has since reported minor soreness.
With Swallow having missed a large chunk of footy the past two seasons, Ashcroft said the club were swift to take a conservative approach with their fearless warrior.
“We’re really conscious and careful of David; obviously he has had some injuries that have been long-term with his knee,” Ashcroft said.
“He had a rest a couple of weeks ago, he got a knock to the same knee on the weekend.
“It’s not a long term issue. He’ll rest this weekend and won’t play. With the long flight over to China we won’t risk him in any way.
“He’ll have the bye round, as well as the coming weekend off, then be available for our round ten game against Melbourne.”
Consecutive head knocks to Rosa will also see the veteran wingman unavailable for team selection.
“Unfortunately for ‘Matty’ he suffered another head knock in the game on the weekend, and as advised by our Doctors, won’t play or travel,” Ashcroft said.
Second-year forward Ah Chee will also remain on the Gold Coast as he nurses a back complaint sustained against the Cats on Saturday night.
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