Who's struggling and who's a test ahead of the first week of finals
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Cam Ellis-Yolmen*
Knee
Season
Jordan Gallucci
Jaw
Season
Elliott Himmelberg
Foot
Season
Rory Sloane
Appendix
Test
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
Sloane is racing the clock to be fit for Thursday night's qualifying final with the Giants at Adelaide Oval. The star midfielder needs to receive a medical clearance after his appendix surgery last week, and is yet to return to full training. - Lee Gaskin
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Orazio Fantasia
Hamstring
Test
Aaron Francis
Hamstring
TBC
Josh Green
Foot
Season
Cale Hooker
Leg
Test
Michael Hurley
Calf
Test
Ben McNiece
Neck
Season
Jackson Merrett
Leg
Season
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
Essendon will wait until later in the week to make a call on the fitness of Fantasia, Hooker and Hurley with important training sessions in coming days. The club is confident the trio will be available to take on the Swans on Saturday despite their injury concerns, but they might need every available minute to get up. Francis won't be available for selection after injuring his hamstring in the VFL on Sunday.- Callum Twomey
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Nakia Cockatoo
Hamstring
1-2 weeks
Josh Cowan
Achilles
Season
Cory Gregson*
Foot
Season
George Horlin-Smith
Ankle
Test
Lincoln McCarthy
Hip/Groin
Season
Quinton Narkle
Knee
Season
James Parsons
Mid-foot sprain
Test
Esava Ratugolea
Broken hand
2-4 weeks
Joel Selwood
Ankle
Test
Rhys Stanley
Calf
Test
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
After training on Saturday, the club has declared Joel Selwood more likely than unlikely to play against Richmond although he still needs to jump through some hoops to get to the line. Nakia Cockatoo remains an X-factor that the Cats would love to get right for a final while Parsons suffered a mid-foot sprain in the final game and, although doubtful, has not yet been ruled out. - Peter Ryan
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Matt Buntine
Knee
Season
Ryan Griffen
Ankle
Test
Adam Kennedy
Knee
Season
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
Griffen is likely to play in a reserves scratch match against Adelaide the day after the senior side's qualifying final on Thursday night, if he can get through training during the week.- Adam Curley
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Billy Frampton*
Shoulder
Season
Jack Hombsch
Hip
Season
Tom Jonas
Suspension
Available finals week two
Jackson Trengove
Head knock
Assess
Updated: Monday, September 4
Early prognosis
The Power have just about a full list to choose from for their elimination final with West Coast at Adelaide Oval. Trengove played strongly in the SANFL last weekend, but left the game with 10 minutes to go after sustaining a head knock. - Lee Gaskin
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Nathan Drummond*
Knee
Season
Updated: Monday, September 4
Early prognosis
The Tigers' medical room is nearly empty, with Josh Caddy ready to return from a hamstring injury. Dion Prestia is not on the list after leaving training early last week with an ankle concern that he has managed all year. He was able to train fully on Friday and is not at risk of missing the qualifying final against Geelong. Drummond is running well as part of his rehabilitation program. - Nathan Schmook
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Darcy Cameron
Shoulder
Season
Dan Hannebery
Hip
Test
Tom Papley
Knee
Test
Callum Sinclair
Ankle
Test
Kurt Tippett
Ankle
Test
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
Hannebery, Tippett, Papley and Sinclair all trained on Tuesday and provided they pull up well, they'll hit the track again on Thursday, and all four should be available to face Essendon. - Adam Curley
Player
Injury
Estimated Return
Matthew Allen
Foot
Season
Sam Butler*
Hamstring
Season
Scott Lycett
Shoulder
Season
Nic Naitanui*
Knee
Late 2017 season
Simon Tunbridge
Hamstring
Season
Daniel Venables
Toe
Season
Updated: Tuesday, September 5
Early prognosis
The Eagles had 40 players on the training track on Monday night, including Jeremy McGovern who has pulled up fine after hurting his left shoulder against Adelaide in round 23. Young forward Jake Waterman ran laps and didn't join the main group on Monday after battling illness that scuppered his chances of a debut against the Crows.- Travis King