Wellingham vows to repay Eagles

Eagles recruit Sharrod Wellingham (second from right) sings the club song with Jacob Brennan, Bradd Dalziell and Josh Kennedy after his first win in West Coast colours yesterday. Source: Getty Images

SHARROD Wellingham has promised to repay West Coast for fulfilling his dream of playing for the club he supported as a youngster.

Wellingham, who joined the Eagles from Collingwood during last year's trade period, played his first game in blue and gold yesterday after his highly anticipated debut was delayed by a serious ankle injury.

Despite his interrupted pre-season, Wellingham did not look short of match fitness as he collected 26 disposals in West Coast's 70-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs.

Wellingham described the trampoline accident as "unlucky", but denied he needed to make it up to the club for missing the first five rounds of the season.

But the 24-year-old, who played in Collingwood's 2010 premiership side, said he intended to repay the Eagles for helping him return to his home state.

"I was really lucky to be able to come home and find myself at the club I wanted to go to," he said.

"I was really grateful from the time I walked in the doors so I'll be doing everything right, even though I was a bit unlucky to have injured myself."

Wellingham feared he had broken his leg when he tumbled from the trampoline just days after playing in the opening round of the NAB Cup.

The Perth product was on crutches for two weeks and in a moon boot for another four, but was able to maintain his fitness using a weight-bearing treadmill.

Wellingham was surprised he was able to run out yesterday's game as well as he did.

"I was saying to the boys this morning I was probably most spent probably halfway through the second quarter, but then had my second wind come through and I felt I was running on top of the ground towards the end of the game," he said.

"I had a chat to Kofe (Eagles strength and conditioning Warren Kofoed) this morning and said thanks for putting me through the hard yards through the pre-season.

"It was really lucky that I could get a huge volume of running in before being back on the ground."

Another player to make a stunning return for West Coast yesterday was star ruckman Nic Naitanui.

Naitanui received a rousing reception from the Patersons Stadium crowd when he took off the green substitute's vest during the third quarter and had immediate impact upon setting foot on to the field.

"It was good being out there when he ran out on to the ground and the crowd certainly erupted," Wellingham said.

"I thought something was going on behind play, but it was just Nic running on.

"He not only gets the fans up. but he gets the boys up as well. They get a lot of confidence knowing that he's going to have a foot and a half above any other ruckman when he's jumping for it.

"I think the midfield boys definitely get up onto their toes and that relays on to the forwards as well. We know we're going to get our hands on it a lot more."

The Eagles are sweating on the fitness of midfielder Luke Shuey, who injured a calf late in yesterday's win, for Saturday's clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.

Vice-captain Beau Waters (groin) and defender Sam Butler (calf) will miss at least another week, but wingman Matt Rosa and veteran Adam Selwood, who both performed strongly for East Perth in the WAFL on Saturday, are available.
 

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Waite banned for headbutt

Jarrad Waite faces a one-match suspension for this incident against Demon Tom McDonald

The future of St Kilda's Justin Koschitzke is in serious doubt after a tumultuous night against Collingwood.

Jarrad Waite wrestles with James Strauss at the MCG yesterday. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Justin Koschitzke looks back as Jamie Elliott lies on the turf. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

ST KILDA veteran Justin Koschitzke will miss two matches for striking Collingwood's Jamie Elliott.

Koschitzke's poor record means he's stuck with the penalty ... and stuck three games short of 200 AFL games.

The AFL match review panel today hit the Saints' big man with a three-match ban, reduced by one if he pleads guilty to last Friday night's offence.

Carlton forward Jarrad Waite's long-awaited return has hit a snag with the Blue suspended for one match for headbutting Melbourne's Tom McDonald.

Yesterday's match was Waite's first senior game of the year and only his 12th since the start of last season following his battle with back and leg injuries.

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Hawthorn's ace forward Lance Franklin is in the clear for his contact to Adelaide's Andy Otten.

The MRP decided Franklin's momentum took both players to the ground, an action that resulted in a 50m penalty but no charge.

North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein has no case to answer from contact to Port Adelaide's Justin Westhoff and a match day report against Demon Luke Tapscott for a bump to Blue Kade Simpson was thrown out.

Geelong captain Joel Selwood was fined $1800 for wrestling and Richmond's former skipper Chris Newman is $900 out of pocket from their boundary line scuffle at the MCG on Saturday night.

What will the AFL match review panel make of Geelong captain Joel Selwood and Richmond's Chris Newman's wrestling moves

Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd says Koschitzke might have played his last AFL game.

"They probably won't win the next two games. You wonder whether they'll decide to play the kids and whether he ever plays Justin Koschitzke again," Lloyd said on Channel 9's Sunday Footy Show.

Lloyd said his former coach Kevin Sheedy might have taken a more sentimental approach with a 197-gamer and helped him reach the 200-game mark.

But he expected second-year coach Watters to be more hard-nosed.

"I'm not sure Scott Watters as a new coach would be in the same vein as Kevin Sheedy," Lloyd said.

Former Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey is expected to replace Koschitzke for next week's match against Carlton.

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Buddy not distracted: Wellingham

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin has failed to kick a goal in his past two games. Source: Getty Images

SHARROD Wellingham says good mate Lance Franklin's goalkicking drought has nothing to do with his decision to delay contract talks until the end of the season.

Franklin has failed to kick a goal in his past two matches – the first time since 2005 when he started his AFL career at Hawthorn.

Some critics are already comparing the 26-year-old's goal drought to the form slump Travis Cloke suffered last year when he put off contract talks with Collingwood.

But West Coast midfielder Wellingham, who played junior football in Perth with Franklin and shared a house with him in Melbourne, scoffed at suggestions the Hawks star was distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future.

"I don't think that has much to do with contract talks or what is going on the field," he said.

"He's a good player and has been good for a long time and maybe just having a down patch at the moment.

"I'm sure he'll put in the work and be back in form in no time."

Wellingham, a Collingwood premiership player who returned to WA late last year, was not confident Franklin would be playing alongside him at West Coast next season.

But he did give some hope to Fremantle supporters hoping to see Franklin line up in purple next year.

"I just know that they (Fremantle) are one of the teams that will make a play for him," Wellingham said.

"Who else? GWS might have the money, I suppose."
 

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Hill set to tackle Pies

Fremantle midfielder Stephen Hill is set to face Collingwood after recovering from injury. Source: Getty Images

FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon is hopeful star midfielder Stephen Hill will return in Saturday night's clash with Collingwood at Patersons Stadium.

Hill missed last week's win over Gold Coast due to a quadriceps injury, but the 23-year-old is expected to front up against the Magpies.

Lyon revealed Hill injured himself while taking a shot on goal with his last kick of the day at training last week.

Hill's expected return is a timely boost for Fremantle, who are still without influential midfielder Nat Fyfe (suspension), skipper Matthew Pavlich (plantaris) and ruckman Aaron Sandilands (hamstring).

"When you look at the round in the AFL, player availability is a key indicator for success at the minute," Lyon said.

"So we are working hard behind the scenes to keep everyone fit and healthy."

Meanwhile, Fremantle have re-signed emerging midfielders Hayden Crozier and Cameron Sutcliffe for a further two years, tying the pair to the club until the end of 2015.

Crozier has played five games since being taken with pick No.20 in the 2011 national draft, while Sutcliffe has notched nine games, including five this season.

Both played in the win over Gold Coast, with Crozier kicking two goals from 14 disposals, and Sutcliffe booting a goal after coming on as the sub.
 

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Ex-Cat, Roo on Tiger standy-by

Aaron Edwards took 16 marks for Coburg yesterday. Source: Herald Sun

FORMER Geelong ruckman Orren Stephenson and ex-North Melbourne forward Aaron Edwards could be vying to make their Richmond debuts in Saturday's AFL match against Port Adelaide.

Tigers ruck duo Ivan Maric and Tyrone Vickery both copped injuries early in the second half of last night's loss to Geelong.

Maric returned to the field after rolling an ankle but was clearly inhibited, while Vickery was left concussed and bleeding by a head clash and did not return.

"He (Vickery) was pretty dazed last night. He had a couple of stitches in his forehead," captain Trent Cotchin told Channel 7's AFL Game Day today.

"He had blood there leaking from his head and he was in a world of pain.

"He's a very tough character and hopefully he'll be able to get up for next week's game.

"Obviously Ivvy (Maric) was a little bit sore in the third quarter as well."

Cotchin said if one or both big men were unable to face the Power, Stephenson, rookie-drafted as a back-up ruckman, and Edwards, traded to the Tigers, would be in contention.

"He's been quite impressive in the Coburg (VFL) squad," Cotchin said of Edwards.

"The way he leads up to the footy with intent is fantastic and he's also worked on his defensive pressure in the forward line.

"Whether or not it's him or the big O (Stephenson), who's been playing some fantastic footy down at Coburg as well."

Cats v Tigers stats and SuperCoach points at LiveHQ

Edwards took 16 marks in Coburg's win against Essendon's VFL side yesterday and kicked two goals, taking his tally to 14 in the past three weeks.

Midfielders Shane Tuck (25 disposals) and Nathan Foley (24) will also be contention for a senior call-up.

Cotchin said his management was in talks with the Tigers about a new contract.

"There's a number of our players out of contract this season – Jack and Dusty, just to name a couple.

"It's just something that will get done in the future, whether or not it's in the next couple of weeks or in the next three months.

"It's not something I'm stressing about, to be totally honest.

"The powers that be will make that decision at the appropriate time."

And the Tigers skipper said he was below his best against the Cats, battling both a knee complaint sustained against Fremantle in the previous round and a cold.

"There's no excuses though, if you put your hand up to play you've got to perform your role for the side and I didn't," he said.

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Kosi's career 'may be over'

The future of St Kilda's Justin Koschitzke is in serious doubt after a tumultuous night against Collingwood.

Justin Koschitzke looks back as Jamie Elliott lies on the turf. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

ST KILDA veteran forward Justin Koschitzke might have played his last AFL game, says Essendon great Matthew Lloyd.

Koschitzke, 30, is expected to cop at least a two-match suspension for Friday night's elbow to the head of Collingwood's Jamie Elliott.

With the Saints fast falling out of finals contention and rejuvenating their side with youth, Lloyd said by the time Koschitzke was available to play again, the club might have moved on.

Lloyd said if the Saints lost their next two games, against Carlton and Adelaide, to fall to a 1-7 record, coach Scott Watters might decide the club is better off blooding younger forwards.

Pies v Saints stats and SuperCoach points at LiveHQ

"They probably won't win the next two games. You wonder whether they'll decide to play the kids and whether he ever plays Justin Koschitzke again," Lloyd said on Channel 9's Sunday Footy Show.

Lloyd said his former coach Kevin Sheedy might have taken a more sentimental approach with a 197-gamer and helped him reach the 200-game mark.

But he expected second-year coach Watters to be more hard-nosed.

"I'm not sure Scott Watters as a new coach would be in the same vein as Kevin Sheedy," Lloyd said.

Former Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey is expected to replace Koschitzke for next week's match against Carlton.

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Suns won't rush Brown back

Gold Coast hard man Campbell Brown. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

GOLD Coast coach Guy McKenna admits he's unlikely to rush Campbell Brown back into the Suns' line-up as the combative defender's suspension comes to an end.

Brown has been forced to sit on the sidelines for the first six rounds of the AFL season and the premiership player's aggression and experience were badly missed on Saturday against Fremantle.

The Dockers strangled the Suns to cruise to a comfortable 45-point win despite the two teams being all but level in several key statistics.

Suns v Freo stats and SuperCoach points at LiveHQ

But McKenna says his team is already carrying a few bodies who are struggling to get through a full game and to bring Brown straight back for next weekend's clash with Melbourne might be a risk too far.

"Might be a consideration but it might be a long one," McKenna said when asked about the former Hawthorn player.

"To throw another person in who might not be able to maintain AFL intensity for 120 minutes, my conservative nature says he might have to get a game somewhere else."

Another area where McKenna feels his hands are currently tied is in his selection of 2010 No.1 draft pick David Swallow in defence.

Swallow performed well against Hayden Ballantyne but there's a feeling his talents are being wasted in the backline.

McKenna says it was Swallow's teammates who needed to step up to ensure he and Dion Prestia were able to move forward.

"He's a good player and right now ... we actually need him playing close-checking, rebounding defensive work," McKenna said.

"He's clearly, along with Dion - another highly-rated midfielder - providing that for us.

"There's some others down there that should be doing that but aren't doing that."

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is also making do with his team selection options with club captain Matthew Pavlich, ruckman Aaron Sandilands and rising star Stephen Hill all out injured.

But the Dockers sit 4-2 despite their injury concerns and Lyon was happy with how things have been going so far.

"I'll take 4-2. Could be worse, could be better," he said.

"I think it's about fair ... it's (Saturday's win) probably our first four-quarter performance."

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Swans rout never in doubt

Sydney's Kieren Jack breaks through the middle. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

PREMIER Sydney warmed up for its AFL Grand Final rematch against Hawthorn with a comfortable 60-point victory over Brisbane at the SCG today.

Out-of-sorts forward Sam Reid found form in the first quarter as the Swans obliterated the Lions, kicking the opening six goals of the game to lead by 40 points at the first break.

Brisbane showed more fight in the remaining three terms, but could never make serious inroads on the margin and the result was never in any doubt as the Swans won 17.13 (115) to 8.7 (55).

Reid had a hand in every one of the Swans' first six goals, including two that the 21-year-old dobbed himself.

Reid was quieter after quarter-time but still finished with six marks and three goals, the same number he managed from the opening five games of the season.

Full stats and SuperCoach points at LiveHQ

Sydney midfielders Dan Hannebery, Kieren Jack and Josh Kennedy were dominant in the middle, and veteran Adam Goodes played arguably his best game of the season.

Co-captain Jarrad McVeigh continued his fine form with 28 disposals and six clearances in his 200th match, while debutant Jed Lamb impressed after being substituted into the action in the final term.

Given the mismatch in class, it was not Sydney's ideal tune-up for Saturday night's MCG meeting with the Hawks, but there were signs of the Swans' best in front of a crowd of 23,315.

None were more exhilarating than Lewis Jetta's three moments of magic in the second half.

Jetta, who like Reid had been below his best in the early stages of the Swans' premiership defence, produced his first blitzing run of the season to set-up Reid's third major.

Sydney's Heath Grundy brings down Brisbane's Jonathan Brown. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

The roles were reversed soon after, with Jetta snapping an incredible goal after Reid's tackle helped create a turnover in the forward pocket.

Jetta twice again showed a clean set of heels in the final quarter, the first ending in a bullet pass for McVeigh to stretch the margin to 53 points.

The Lions were woeful in the opening quarter, committing basic skill errors and registering 65 less disposals as the Swans ran amok.

Brisbane is 2-4 for the year and now start a nightmare run that includes games against West Coast, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong and Hawthorn.

On current form the Lions can't be expected to win any of those fixtures.

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Tex gets hand from the 'other side'

Taylor Walker goes off injured after wrecking his knee. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: Herald Sun

INJURED Crows forward Taylor Walker on Monday is expected to have the tendon of a dead person grafted to his damaged right knee.

This is to repair lateral collateral ligament damage (LCL) to the joint.

At the same time, Walker will have the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rebuilt with a traditional graft from a hamstring.

The LCL also can be rebuilt with a graft from Walker's hamstring, but adelaidenow understands the Crows already have sourced a tendon from a donor clinic in Queensland.

The Adelaide Football Club medicos today refused to detail the procedure citing patient confidentiality.

However, Walker already has put the process on public record by saying on radio "I'm actually going to get an allograft for my lateral ligament which I've torn as well, so someone that's passed away, I get a ligament from them."

Adelaide football operations chief Phil Harper told adelaidenow: "It is not an unusual procedure. It is quite a standard procedure with knee injuries and has been done before several times.

"Taylor has consulted two surgeons. They are both of the same opinion. They are both extremely confident it will work."

Walker will have to spend 12 months out of AFL football to recuperate.

Walker's season - in which he carried the hopes of the Adelaide attack after the defection of fellow key forward Kurt Tippett to Sydney - ended after an awkward landing on the MCG last Saturday.

Walker's leadership - that has drawn the praise of his teammates - will not be lost as Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson wants to keep Walker involved in the Crows' campaign this season.

"We'll get Tex doing some opposition analysis stuff when he's ready," Sanderson said.

"Tex will be back. He's got another seven or eight good years ahead of him. The next game he plays will be at Adelaide Oval, which will be something for him to look forward to. It's a setback a lot of players have had to go through during their careers.

"There's no reason he can't bounce back and be an even better player than what he was."

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Gilbert joins Hayes on the sidelines

Sam Gilbert trudges off with a knee injury. Picture: Getty

SAM Gilbert has avoided becoming the latest ACL victim but will still miss "several weeks", joining St Kilda champion Lenny Hayes on the sidelines.

Gilbert underwent scans today, revealing structural damage to his left knee and he has been booked in for knee surgery this week.

VIDEO: See the video in the player above

Live HQ: Collingwood v St Kilda

In a statement, the Saints said: "(Gilbert) is expected to miss several weeks. A specific time frame cannot be ascertained until after the surgery is completed."

Hayes withdrew from last night's clash with a calf strain after breaking down in the pre-match warm-up.

He is expected to miss a further 2-3 weeks.

St Kilda is also expected to lose Justin Koschitzke after his errant elbow floored Magpie Jamie Elliott last night.

The Saints meet Carlton next Monday night before duels with Adelaide (AAMI Stadium) and the Western Bulldogs.

Round 6: Collingwood v St. Kilda at Etihad Stadium , Docklands May 3rd 2013 Melbourne, Sam Gilbert off injured in the third Picture: Salpigtidis George Source:

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