Gold Coast’s playing stocks will receive a healthy boost this weekend with a number of key players expected to make their return from injury.
GM Football Operations, Marcus Ashcroft, revealed in the Optomo Injury Report the outlook was positive, with players to return to both the NEAFL and senior side.
“It looks to be a long list of players available for selection this week,” Ashcroft said.
“Notably, as we enter into this week Pearce Hanley will return from long-term injury, David Swallow after missing a week with his knee, Trent McKenzie (hamstring) has also been out for a bit of time as well as Jesse Lonergan (shoulder).
“All four of those players are due and expected to be available for some form of football this weekend.”
Keegan Brooksby was rushed in at the eleventh hour to replace Rory Thompson at the team’s recent trip to Shanghai, after the defender hurt his hamstring during the warm-up.
Thompson had initially been nursing a quad complaint, after sustaining the injury against Hawthorn in round three.
“Rory will be a test, he’ll need to get through later this week,” said Ashcroft.
“Our final training session will be on Thursday. If he can get through that then he will certainly play some footy."
The troops will continue to return in coming weeks, with draftee Ben Ainsworth and forward Jarrad Grant progressing in their recovery.
"Some good news, especially Benny who’s been out for a long period of time, he’s on track to play next week, round 11, and same for Jarrad Grant.
The news isn’t as optimistic for wingman Matt Rosa, with lingering concussion symptoms ruling him out for a third successive week.
He will undergo further scans as the club continues to monitor his progress.
“Unfortunately for Matt, he has had another recurrence of his concussion,” Ashcroft said.
“… Didn’t get through his testing early on this week, so he will be unavailable.
“We’ll get further MRI scans and tests and we’ll just wait and see with Matt over the next bit of time.”
It's a similar situation for second-year forward Callum Ah Chee, who the club are taking a cautious approach with.
"We’re really conscious of not rushing him back being a young player and having a back issue, so we’re hopeful he’ll be back in the next 2-3 weeks," Ashcroft exaplained.
Michael Rischitelli has this week made progress in his long-awaited return from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
The midfielder re-joined the main training group earlier this week, and with a solid block of conditioning under his belt, could make a return to football sooner rather than later.
“Rischitelli is going really well – we can’t wait to see him back out there playing some form of footy,” said Ashcroft.
“He’s now joined in full training. If he can get through 2-3 weeks of solid training, he’ll play around the round 12-13 mark.”
