44 SPORT WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2014 Rioli return uncertain but Hawks feel match-fit without him

By MELISSA WOODS main squad on Monday as he with the guys was a real confi- been away,” Gibson said. know if they’re a straight Gray and Angus Monfries looks to play his first match in dence boost for the group, he’s “Everything in our camp swap,” Gibson said. doing booting nine goals be- HAWTHORN defender Josh 12 weeks at the MCG on Satur- such a well-loved bloke,” Gib- doesn’t rely on Cyril playing “Sewelly played really well tween them. Gibson says is no day afternoon. Gibson says son said. but if he’s out there it’s a fan- on the weekend and Cyril Gibson said he was happy certainty to play in their AFL there’s no guarantee Rioli will The Hawks feel comfort- tastic boost for the club hasn’t played since round 15 so not to handle a “big gorilla” preliminary final against Port play with the medical staff to able they can win without Rioli because he’s a special talent.” I don’t know how you can and felt his team could mix and Adelaide but his side has been make the final call. given his lengthy absence. Gibson questioned a report make a call on that just yet.” match to cater for Port’s small boosted by his return to But the former St Marys “If he can get up and play, that veteran Brad Sewell was a In the only meeting be- line-up. In their semi-final at training. junior’s presence at training that’s great, but he hasn’t possible casualty from the side tween the sides this season in Patersons Stadium against The livewire small forward has sparked the defending played since Round 15 and should Rioli play. round 10, Port won by 14 Fremantle, Port stormed home has pulled up well after testing premiers. we’ve been able to play some “He’s an inside mid and points, with dangerous for- from 31 points down late in the his injured hamstring with the “Just having him out there really good footy while he’s Cyril’s a forward so I don’t wards Chad Wingard, Robbie second term for a 22-point win. Stopping Stadium’s Franklin a huge task good luck for Roo By MELISSA WOODS

HE’S done the job once al- ready this season but North Melbourne’s Scott Thompson says it all says stopping ’s super- star a second time is a much tougher task. The only man to keep Franklin goal-less this season, Thompson is set to be given for Swans the assignment again in their AFL preliminary final at ANZ Stadium on Friday night. By ADRIAN WARREN In their round-four meeting AFL “The surface Franklin only managed 13 pos- sessions and one behind in the ONE glance at Sydney’s im- was fantastic Kangaroos’ 43-point win, posing AFL finals record at which Thompson said gave ANZ Stadium is enough to (for the him some confidence. understand why the Swans qualifying But he realised that ex- don’t seem too fussed about Hawk Franklin was only playing their big September final) against weeks into the season with his games there rather than at the new club. SCG. Fremantle The Swans were also miss- Going into Friday’s prelimi- ing Kurt Tippett, Adam Good- nary final against North Mel- after a lot of es and Sam Reid. bourne, Sydney boast a 7-1 “It was only round four so finals record at the main 2000 rain in they’ve played over 20 games Olympics venue. They lost Sydney” now so of course they will be their first finals game there gelling a bit more together,” against Brisbane in 2003, but Thompson said. have vanquished all subse- “He’s obviously hit some quent September visitors to McVeigh is having another good form over the last few the western Sydney ground. productive season for Sydney, weeks and Tippett just keeps Some pundits continue to averaging 24 disposals a game, kicking goals as well. push for the SCG to host finals, though the classy midfielder “They will be a handful but especially when ANZ Stadi- isn’t particularly impressed. hopefully we can get our struc- um’s surface has come under “It hasn’t been too bad, ture in place to nullify them.” fire, as it did in the recent game probably not up to the stan- Thompson said Franklin had against Richmond. dard I would have liked,” the ability to turn a game in the If Swans players have any McVeigh said. space of minutes, which he complaints about the ground, McVeigh played against his proved against Fremantle in they haven’t aired them pub- elder brother Mark during the Sydney’s opening final. licly and have been models of latter’s time at Essendon and The 2014 Coleman Medal- diplomacy when quizzed about fellow Swan Kurt Tippett list unleashed two goals, in- which venue they prefer. could line up directly on his cluding a 68m rocket, in the “It (ANZ Stadium) has got younger sibling, North Mel- space of four minutes in the no issues for us,” Swans co- bourne defender Joel Tippett. final quarter to set up the captain Jarrad McVeigh said. “He (Kurt) would be pretty Swans’ charge into the prelimi- “We’ve got a really good happy maybe to get one over nary final. record out there. his little brother, it would be “He’s a power forward and “The surface was fantastic hard for his parents,” McVeigh it doesn’t matter if he kicked 10 (for the qualifying final) said. goals on you or no goals the against Fremantle after a lot of While Kurt Tippett has last time, it could be com- rain in Sydney and we can’t been outshone in the goalkick- pletely different the next time wait to get out there. ing stakes by teammate Lance you play,” Thompson said. “We’re used to it, we’ve Franklin, McVeigh denied the “He’s such a superstar he played there 10 or so years. former Crow forward-ruck- can flick a switch and kick two There’s no ‘we want to play man has anything to prove in Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh yesterday dismissed concerns about the playing surface at ANZ on you in a minute so you’ve here or there’.” the finals. Stadium ahead of the Swans’ clash with North Melbourne on Friday Picture: HAMISH BLAIR got to be on your toes.” Falcons’ Black wins Sandover thriller Travel must be a factor for Frawley HE might not have been a past player at Crown Perth on ing in each of his last eight FREMANTLE coach Ross old is also being heavily court- seven-year deal on the table winner, the pre-count favour- Monday night. The Falcons’ matches to end up on 47 votes Lyon has confirmed he is inter- ed by Geelong. for Frawley, but a contract of ite or played state football this premiership wingman from after receiving three for his 39- ested in signing free agent The Dockers are exploring that length appears unlikely. year, but 21-year-old West last year finished one vote possession game in Round 23 James Frawley, but he hopes the option of adding Frawley But Lyon said convincing Perth wingman Aaron Black is clear in a thrilling count to against Perth. the tyranny of distance won’t to their list in order to offset Frawley to continue his career the Sandover Medal winner claim WA football’s most That saw him end up one scare the Demon away. the likely retirement of star de- in Perth wouldn’t be easy. for 2014. prestigious individual honour. vote clear of pre-count favour- Frawley flew to Perth last fender Luke McPharlin. “I think you’d be naive to Black took home the award It was a tight finish to the ite from weekend to tour Fremantle’s There are rumours Freman- think that the travel factor isn’t as the WAFL’s fairest-and-best count with Black strongly poll- Claremont. club facilities but the 25-year- tle are considering putting a a consideration,” Lyon said.

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