It’s going to be an interesting week at the selection table with two Fremantle players poised to make their return from injury.
Both midfielder Stephen Hill and forward Hayden Ballantyne are listed as tests for this week.
Hill injured his hamstring in round five against North Melbourne at Domain Stadium while Ballantyne is yet to feature this season after injuring his hamstring against Carlton at Domain Stadium on Friday, March 10 during the JLT Community Series.
Utility Brady Grey is also listed as a test, potentially opening the door for a number of Peel players.
Stephen Hill
Hill was in career form before sustaining his hamstring injury against the Kangaroos, averaging 25 disposals and 489 metres gained per game while running at a disposal efficiency of 72 per cent.
Hill is likely to return to a dual role as an inside and outside midfielder, with brother Bradley Hill stepping up and delivering some strong performances on the wing in Stephen’s absence.
Hayden Ballantyne
Ballantyne looked impressive with three JLT Series goals before sustaining his hamstring injury in the third quarter of the pre-season clash with Carlton.
If he is selected, the 29-year-old will likely return to his role as a small forward, supporting tall forwards Cam McCarthy, Shane Kersten and Matt Taberner while allowing fellow small forward Michael Walters to rotate through the midfield.
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan was everywhere in Peel’s 21-point win over Swan Districts last Saturday at Rushton Park. Sheridan had 20 kicks with his 14 handballs, while collecting eight marks, six tackles and delivering three inside 50s.
Sean Darcy
If it wasn’t for some strong showings over the past fortnight from Matt Taberner as a versatile forward-ruck, Sean Darcy might be pushing for his debut after an outstanding performance in a similar role for Peel over the weekend.
Darcy shared ruck duties with Jon Griffin, racking up 31 hit outs while kicking four goals in Peel’s win.
