Doubt remains over the fitness of Scott Pendlebury, Paddy McCartin and Marcus Bontempelli for their round eight clashes with Geelong, Fremantle and Brisbane respectively while Richmond are optimistic their captain Trent Cotchin will line up for the clash against North Melbourne.
The Bulldogs have listed Bontempelli (hip) as "test" on their lengthy injury list after he was a late withdrawal from the side that beat Gold Coast on Saturday. The club said the midfielder/forward had been battling the complaint for some weeks.
Bulldogs medical services manager Chris Bell said Bontempelli would play against Brisbane if he gets through the team's main training session on Thursday.
Pendlebury returned to Melbourne in a moon boot on Monday with uncertainty surrounding the ankle injury he sustained in Collingwood's win over Brisbane on Sunday.
The 2010 Norm Smith medal winner will have scans in the next 24 hours to determine the extent of the injury, which Pies coach Nathan Buckley described as a sprained ankle.
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The Pies' skipper limped to the sidelines in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game. He told reporters at Melbourne airport that he didn't know the full extent of the damage.
"It's actually pulled up not too bad … it just progressively got worse until I was struggling to turn a bit," Pendlebury said.
Top flight: Magpies playmaker and captain Scott Pendlebury in action against the Lions during the round seven clash at the Gabba.
Photo: AAP
In a blow to their strong season, North Melbourne said Ed Vickers-Willis, 22, had reinjured the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The defender missed from round 11 onwards with the same injury to the same knee in 2017.
“We wont be in a position to provide a timeframe for Eds recovery or his expected return until we have all the information and advice later in the week," Kangaroos general manager of football Cameron Joyce said.
Vickers-Willis injured the knee in the final quarter of the Kangaroos' win over Sydney when he slid into the point-post.
St Kilda say they will have no hesitation in resting Paddy McCartin if he does not recover fully from two head knocks in the loss to Melbourne on Sunday.
Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli in action against Carlton.
Photo: AAP
"He had a bit of a day yesterday, poor old Paddy. It was publicly mentioned that his blood levels werent where they should be for his diabetes," Saints footy manager Simon Lethlean told SEN.
"He then got a pretty big knock in the second quarter but passed his concussion test very pleasingly at half-time … then got another whack in the third quarter.
"It knocked him around a bit that combination of events. Well see how he presents today. He was a bit hazy and unwell last night, so well see how he comes up.”
He avoided concussion. McCartin has a troubling history with concussion and head-clashes.
He did not play after round 12 in 2017 because of concussion fears. He has had numerous throughout his short career.
In more bad news for the Saints, promising youngster Ben Long will miss eight to 10 weeks with a fractured metatarsal bone in his right foot.
Long, 20, played out the game but scans on Monday revealed the nasty injury.
Meanwhile Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin (knee) should be fit to play North Melbourne on Sunday. Coach Damien Hardwick said Cotchin will likely return to action after he was a late withdrawal from the Tigers' win over Fremantle.
Hardwick said Cotchin could have played, but if he did there was a risk that he could miss more than one match due to a build-up of fluid in his calf following an incident where his knee collided with a goal post the week before.
Richmond hope Dion Prestia will be fit to play North Melbourne after he picked up a calf injury against Fremantle, however it is possible he will miss one match. Shaun Grigg (hamstring) will likely miss another match.
Luke Shuey injured his hamstring in West Coast's win over Port Adelaide and coach Adam Simpson said the on-baller would be out "for a week or two".
Carlton's Levi Casboult will miss at least four matches with a fractured rib.
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Anthony Colangelo is a sports and breaking news reporter at The Age
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