Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett will not be risked in the Suns’ clash with Adelaide and is among six outs for the home team ahead of Saturday’s clash at Metricon Stadium.
Ablett was concussed in the dying moments of Gold Coast’s loss to Greater Western Sydney last weekend and has failed to prove his fitness for this weekend’s clash with the Crows.
The dual Brownlow Medallist will be joined by injured teammates Adam Saad (hamstring), Aaron Hall (shoulder) and Touk Miller (ankle) on the sidelines.
Ruckman Tom Nicholls, who also copped a heavy hit in last week’s loss to the Giants, was omitted.
Gold Coast veteran Michael Rischitelli adds some much-needed experience to the injury-ravaged Suns. The former Brisbane Lion last played in Round Five and will be just one of three Suns players with 100 games or more to their name this weekend.
South Australian Seb Tape will play his first game for the season, while Luke Russell and Ryan Davis have both been recalled to the senior team. Tall duo Dan Currie and Peter Wright also return from minor injury complaints.
Jack Leslie was withdrawn from the Gold Coast team on Friday to be replaced by Keegan Brooksby, who was initially omitted.
Gold Coast’s team is:
B: H. Schade, K. Brooksby, S. Lemmens
HB: J. Harbrow, S. Day, K. Kolodjashnij
C: C. Ah Chee, M. Rischitelli, M. Shaw
HF: L. Russell, T. Lynch, J. Martin
F: B. Matera, P. Wright, R. Davis
FOL: D. Currie, J. Lonergan, D. Prestia
INT: J. Grant, N. Malceski, D. Macpherson, S. Tape
EMG: T. Nicholls, M. Willis
IN: D. Currie, R. Davis, L. Russell, M. Rischitelli, P. Wright, S. Tape
OUT: G. Ablett (concussion), T. Nicholls (omitted), A. Saad (hamstring), T. Miller (ankle), A. Hall (shoulder), Leslie (late withdrawal)
