Geelong Cats captain Patrick Dangerfield hamstring injury; Mitch Lewis to miss Hawthorn Hawks’ clash with Western Bulldogs; St Kilda Saints re-sign Mattaes Phillipou

A fitness test will decide if Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra lines up against Collingwood after missing the past three matches with a hamstring injury, however defender Mitch McGovern has been ruled out.

Cerra has not yet played alongside Sam Walsh in the midfield this season, with the Blues losing two of the three games he has missed since he hurt his hamstring at training days before Carlton took on Adelaide.

Small forward Orazio Fantasia will also need to get through training to be named, while David Cuningham could be in line for selection as he recovers from a calf injury.

Cerra’s return would be handy for the Blues, with Collingwood midfielders Jordan De Goey (groin) and Tom Mitchell (foot) in doubt for the Friday night blockbuster between the traditional rivals.

Hawks hit by frontline issue

Hawthorn will struggle to overcome their forward woes against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday with Mitch Lewis’ return delayed another week due to knee soreness and Mabior Chol out suspended after the club accepted his one-match penalty for striking Sydney’s Errol Gulden.

Hawthorn are missing Mitch Lewis, who has not played since round three. Credit: Getty

Lewis was named to return from a hamstring injury against Sydney last Sunday but was a late withdrawal on the morning of the match. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said the tall forward was not confident he could get through the match.

Scans showed no damage, but the Hawks have decided to hold him due to the lingering issue with his knee that has continued to trouble him since he hurt it during last year’s pre-season.

Hawthorn, who have won just one match this season against fellow strugglers North Melbourne, are decimated in that part of the ground and found it hard to score against the Swans.

Jack Gunston will play and the Hawks may also consider including Chad Wingard, who played for Box Hill in the VFL but only one match after a long lay-off. Max Ramsden, who played deep forward after coming on as the sub last week, could assume that key post while captain James Sicily, a defender, might be an option to move forward.

Luke Breust (groin) and Nick Watson (ankle) are both facing fitness tests, while Sam Butler has been ruled out for the season after suffering a broken leg in the VFL on Sunday.

Pregnant pause: Dockers star to miss AFLW season

AAP

Fremantle star Kiara Bowers will miss the Dockers’ 2024 campaign after announcing she is pregnant.

Bowers, who shared the AFLW’s best-and-fairest award in 2021 with Collingwood’s Bri Davey, is due to give birth in October. It will be the second child for Bowers and her partner Adele, who welcomed son Nate in 2020.

“The build-up was very nerve-racking, I’ve probably never been that nervous,” Bowers said after telling her Fremantle teammates at the prompting of coach Lisa Webb.

Kiara Bowers in 2021.Credit: Getty Images

“They may be a bit upset that I’m not annoying them at training anymore, but every single one of them gave me a hug and couldn’t be happier for us.”

An inaugural marquee signing with Fremantle in 2016, Bowers had to wait until 2019 to make her debut after being struck down by a succession of injuries.

The 32-year-old has played 49 games for the Dockers, winning the club’s best-and-fairest award on four occasions.

Fremantle finished 13th last season with a 4-6 record. Bowers is one of the most high-profile players to step away from the AFLW while pregnant.

Melbourne legend Daisy Pearce gave birth to twins in 2019, sitting out a season before returning to play a role in the Demons’ charge to their breakthrough premiership in 2022.

Pearce is now coaching Fremantle’s biggest rival, West Coast.

The 2024 AFLW season is earmarked to get under way in August, but the league is yet to confirm any formal dates.

Saints lock in youngster

St Kilda have re-signed South Australian youngster Mattaes Phillipou for another two years, tying him to Moorabbin until 2026.

The top 10 pick had an impressive debut season in 2023 but has struggled to recapture that form in the first seven games this year.

Phillipou has impressed at the Saints in his first 31 matches.Credit: Getty

However, his signature is a good outcome for the Saints as it locks in a core group of talented youngsters that includes Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens, Marcus Windhager and Darcy Wilson, who have all shown promising signs early in their careers.

“I couldn’t be loving it more,” Phillipou said.