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As usual, it is a mixed bag when it comes to the availability of the current six top 100 game players due to injury.
These older players often succumb to injury as much as the younger players, and it is their recovery rate and ‘time off the paddock’ that dictates how high they will climb the elite list of AFL top 100 game players of all time.
Shaun Burgoyne, the highest ranked current player, passed a fitness test and was chosen by Hawthorn in Saturday’s game against St Kilda.
Brendon Goddard will draw level with Marcus Ashcroft in 43rd position on the all-time list.
Luke Hodge has had an uninterrupted season at his new club Brisbane but has been rested this weekend.
Jarrod McVeigh has caught, and this weekend will pass, Gary Ablett on the list as Ablett is expected to be unavailable for up to three weeks.
Kade Simpson (Carlton) since ‘elbowin’ Peter Riccardi out the top 100 and this week will join Matthew Boyd, Anthony Stevens and Darren Milburn in the AFL all-time top 90 game players.
Jordan Lewis has returned to play his 288th game and will need just one more to join the top 100.
Amongst the other possibles for top 100 honours, Eddie Betts will miss one more week but should make the top 100 before the end of the season, as should David Mundy late in the season.
However, Buddy Franklin will be missing this week and whilst it is still possible for him to make the AFL top 100 game players list, it is becoming more doubtful.
Of the seven current Top 100 goalkickers, five will be in action this weekend with only ‘Buddy’ and Eddie missing. Four of those five need only one goal to advance their standing, whilst Josh Kennedy needs two goals.
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Around the clubs, the main game’s highlights are:
Adelaide: Daniel Talia will leave Robert Shirley behind and draw level with Ken McGregor.
Brisbane: Daniel Rich is back in, so will pass Marcus Ashcroft on the ladder.
Carlton: Marc Murphy is still missing, but Levi Casboult will bring up his 100th game and Ed Curnow will move to only six games outside Carlton’s elite top 100.
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury will move to equal eighth with ex-teammate Dane Swan and Ben Reid needs only four more games to make the list.
Essendon: David Zaharakis will pass Jack Jones and join Alan Belcher. It is interesting to note that – despite the fact that at present they have played the same number of games – Jones played in 49 more winning teams than Zaharakis has!
Fremantle: Haydn Ballantyne will pass Nick Suban and be outright 16th on the Docker’s all-time games played list.
Geelong: Mitch Duncan will be the only top 100 game player to move up the list, and he will join Fred Flanigan in 69th position.
Gold Coast Suns: David Swallow will pass Matt Shaw.
Greater Western Sydney: Phil Davis will equal Devon Smith at number six on the Giants’ game players list.
Hawthorn: Jarrad Roughead will pass John Platten at outright 13th on the list.
Melbourne: Will it happen?! Will Tom McDonald play his first game in 2018 and break into Melbourne’s top 100 game players? One thing is for sure, Nathan Jones will enjoy the company.
North Melbourne: Todd Goldstein will break into the Kangaroo’s top 30 when he draws level with Corey McKernan this week.
Port Adelaide: Chad Wingard will pass Jarrad Schofield and equal Matthew Bishop.
Richmond: Shane Edwards will catch former champion Dick Clay.
St Kilda: Sam Gilbert will bring up his 200th game and thus equal Justin Koschitzski.
Sydney: Kieran Jack will pass former skipper Paul Kelly and claim outright 15th place on the Swans all-time top 100 game players.
West Coast Eagles: Shannon Hurn will pass Michael Braun who retired in 2008.
Western Bulldogs: Luke Dahlhaus will continue his rise up the list, this week equalling Len McCankie and Kelvin Templeton and therefore making it into the top 60 Western Bulldogs.
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