Adelaide has recalled inexperienced duo Mitch Grigg and Kyle Hartigan for the Club’s last-ever game at AAMI Stadium against Melbourne on Saturday.
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Grigg, who has impressed in three games this season, returns after missing the match against the Western Bulldogs with a corked hip. Hartigan will play just his second AFL game, having made a promising debut against Fremantle in Round 18.
The emerging pair replaces Sam Shaw, who has a minor hamstring strain, and Matthew Jaensch (omitted). Coach Brenton Sanderson said Hartigan had earned a recall following strong SANFL form.
“Of the current squad, Kyle is the only player to have played AFL for the Club, who hasn’t played at AAMI Stadium. It’s nice that his first game at AAMI Stadium will be our last game here,” he said.
“He was one of South Adelaide’s best players last week and showed us he was up to the level when he came in for Ben Rutten a few weeks ago.
“Mitch Grigg was unlucky to miss last week with a hip pointer injury, so he comes straight back in.”
Shaw has endured a wretched run with injury in the past 12 months. The athletic defender was placed on the Club’s long-term injury list in April and has been limited to only two games (in the past fortnight) this season.
Sanderson said Adelaide was taking a cautious approach to Shaw’s setback.
“Sam has a slight hamstring strain. It may settle down before Saturday, but at this stage of the season and with the year Sam’s had, there’s no point in risking him,” he said.
“The best thing for Sam is to let it settle for a week. He still might be available next week, but otherwise we’ll put him away for the season and prepare him for a big summer.
“He didn’t train much at all last pre-season and missed the first half of this season, so he just hasn’t got the conditioning in his body at this point.”
The emergencies are Matthew Wright, Richard Tambling and Shaun McKernan, who are all expected to play for their SANFL clubs on Sunday.
Saturday’s match will be Adelaide’s 280th and final game at AAMI Stadium
Ticketing and match day information is available here.
Make sure you get to the game early to farewell Graham Johncock in his lap of honour at 12:40pm.
The team is:
B: Andy Otten, Ben Rutten, Rory Laird
HB: Luke Brown, Daniel Talia, Brodie Smith
C: Bernie Vince, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane
HF: Nathan van Berlo, Lewis Johnston, Richard Douglas
F: Ian Callinan, Tom Lynch, Jared Petrenko
RUCKS: Sam Jacobs, Brad Crouch, Scott Thompson
INTERCHANGE: David Mackay, Sam Kerridge, Mitch Grigg, Kyle Hartigan
EMERGENCIES: Matthew Wright, Richard Tambling, Shaun McKernan
IN: Mitch Grigg, Kyle Hartigan
OUT: Sam Shaw (hamstring), Matthew Jaensch (omitted)
