Geelong have swung a selection surprise ahead of Saturday evening’s preliminary final showdown with Brisbane, with retiring veteran Zach Tuohy omitted.
Tuohy, who started as sub in the Cats’ qualifying final win over Port Adelaide, has made way for star defender Tom Stewart, who was a last-minute withdrawal from that team due to illness.
The call means young Irishman Oisin Mullin, Stewart’s late replacement, retains his spot in the 23, while no room could be found for young defender Sam De Koning, despite him having held Lions star Joe Daniher to just one goal in three previous encounters.
The Lions, meanwhile, have gone in unchanged, with a heel injury to star and co-captain Lachie Neale the only concern.
Neale has been limited at training during the week, but the Lions are adamant he will be right to play on Saturday.
In the other preliminary final, Sydney have made their choice to replace injured captain Callum Mills for Friday night’s clash with Port Adelaide.
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Mills was ruled out earlier in the week due to a hamstring injury, with versatile defender Robbie Fox, veteran recruit Taylor Adams and first-year forward Caiden Cleary in the mix for a recall.
According to SEN’s Sam Edmund, Fox will take Mills’ place in the 23, with Adams again overlooked.
Adams looms as being the 2024 finals series’ biggest heartbreak story, having been omitted for the Swans’ qualifying final win over GWS despite playing the final 19 home-and-away matches, a year on from missing out on Collingwood’s grand final win in contentious circumstances.
As a Pie, Adams suffered a hamstring strain at training in between the Magpies’ qualifying and preliminary finals. He failed to pass a fitness test early in grand final week to rule him out of the match; according to reports, so frustrated was he at not being given further time to recover that he requested a trade to the Swans mere weeks later.
31-year old Fox was one of the Swans’ best in their 2022 grand final loss to Geelong, picking up 26 disposals and keeping Cats star Jeremy Cameron quiet.
He is expected to either be named the sub for the match, with qualifying final 23rd man Braeden Campbell to come back into the starting team, or play a role on one of the Power’s looming three tall forwards in Charlie Dixon, Mitch Georgiades and Esava Ratugolea.
The Power have made two changes for the match, with key forward Charlie Dixon and swingman Ryan Burton recalled after missing the semi-final win over Hawthorn with illness and a calf injury respectively.
Dixon’s late replacement, Will Lorenz, has been omitted, while key forward Todd Marshall has been sidelined with concussion.
The changes mean the Power are fielding a near-identical 23 to the team which was floored by the Cats to the tune of 84 points in the qualifying final, with Josh Sinn for Jed McEntee the only change.
Preliminary final teams
Friday night
Sydney
B: Rampe (c), McCartin, Blakey
HB: Roberts, Cunningham, Melican
C: Lloyd, Warner, Florent
HF: Parker, McDonald, Gulden
F: Papley, Amartey, Hayward
R: Grundy, Heeney, Rowbottom
I/C: McLean, Campbell, Jordon, McInerney, Fox (one to sub)
EMG: Francis, Ladhams, Cleary
IN: Fox.
OUT: Mills.
Port Adelaide
B: Jones, Zerk-Thatcher, Bergman
HB: Sinn, Aliir, L Evans
C: Burgoyne, Wines, Drew
HF: Byrne-Jones, Ratugolea, Rioli
F: Georgiades, Dixon, Rozee (c)
R: Sweet, Horne-Francis, Butters
I/C: Burton, Boak, F Evans, Narkle, Mead (one to sub)
EMG: Lord, Lorenz, Visentini
IN: Burton, Dixon.
OUT: Lorenz, Marshall.
Saturday evening
Geelong
B: Bews, J Henry, Kolodjashnij
HB: Bowes, Blicavs, Z Guthrie
C: Holmes, Dangerfield (c), Dempsey
HF: Stengle, Neale, Mannagh
F: Miers, Cameron, O Henry
R: Stanley, Atkins, Stewart
I/C: Bruhn, Humphries, Duncan, Mullin, Close (one to sub)
EMG: Tuohy, De Koning, Clohesy
IN: Stewart.
OUT: Tuohy.
Brisbane
B: Zorko, Andrews (c), McKenna
HB: Wilmot, Payne, Lester
C: Fletcher, Ashcroft, McCluggage
HF: Rayner, Daniher, Berry
F: Cameron, Hipwood, Bailey
R: McInerney, Dunkley, Neale (c)
I/C: Lohmann, Ah Chee, Morris, Starcevich, Answerth (one to sub)
EMG: Sharp, Fort, Joyce
NO CHANGE