Greater Western Sydney’s Luke Power could miss the start of the AFL regular season after suffering a hamstring injury.
A day after fellow AFL captains Jonathan Brown and Jack Grimes were hurt, it emerged on Thursday that the Giants’ co-captain had suffered the setback last week at training.
The former Brisbane premiership utility will definitely be out for the rest of the pre-season NAB Cup and the Giants are hoping Power will be right by round one.
Phil Davis will lead the Giants for Saturday’s match against Hawthorn in Launceston, with fellow captain Callan Ward rested for the trip.
Brisbane will be without Brown until round three of the regular season at the earliest after he suffered a fractured cheekbone in a training collision.
Grimes, Melbourne’s new co-captain, also hurt his shoulder at training and is out for a fortnight.
Fellow Demons’ skipper Jack Trengove is yet to play in the NAB Cup as he recovers from a leg injury, while Carlton captain Chris Judd is coming back from off-season shoulder surgery.
Sydney co-captain Adam Goodes is also out for this week through suspension.
But Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell and Essendon counterpart Jobe Watson will return this weekend as part of significantly-boosted squads.
After a horror run of injuries through February, the Magpies also recalled star onballer Scott Pendlebury, key forward Travis Cloke, defender Ben Reid and midfielder Sharrod Wellingham for Saturday night’s game against the Demons at Etihad Stadium.
Watson, veteran defender Dustin Fletcher, tall utility Michael Hurley, Rising Star winner Dyson Heppell and Brent Stanton were named in the Essendon squad for Saturday night’s match against St Kilda in Wangaratta.
The Saints also recalled star defenders Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo for the sellout game, which will attract more than 10,000 fans.
St Kilda ruck-forward Justin Koschitzke was named despite suffering a sore calf in last Friday night’s pre-season match.
Despite heavy rain in the Wangaratta area, there are no concerns about the ground being ready for the match.
Another big name to come back this weekend is West Coast onballer Daniel Kerr, named in their squad for Saturday’s match against Port Adelaide in Mandurah along with Scott Selwood and Will Schofield.
Adelaide have included forward Jason Porplyzia for Saturday night’s match against Brisbane in Alice Springs.
It will be Porplyzia’s first AFL match since dislocating his shoulder in round one last season.
Chris Knights returns from a hamstring injury and teenager Brad Crouch is in the squad after receiving AFL permission to play during the NAB Cup.
The Lions recalled Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff, Jack Redden and Todd Banfield.
The Swans have boosted their midfield for Saturday’s match against North Melbourne at Bruce Purser Reserve in north-west Sydney, regaining ruckman Shane Mumford and top onballer Josh Kennedy.
Gary Rohan, Andrej Everitt, Campbell Heath and Jed Lamb are also back for Sydney.
Alex Silvagni, Luke McPharlin, Kepler Bradley and Jon Griffin come into Fremantle’s squad for the Sunday game against Richmond at Patersons Stadium.
The Tigers have announced that Nathan Foley is out of their squad for the trip west.
Injury-plagued key defender Brian Lake is back for the Western Bulldogs in Sunday’s clash against Carlton at Etihad Stadium.
