ESSENDON and Collingwood will sweat on the availability of key playersahead of their twilight blockbuster at the MCG on Sunday.
The Bombers remain hopeful that skipper Jobe Watson will return after missing the past three games with a brokencollarbone, with the reigning Brownlow medallist to have further scans onThursday.
The top-two hopefuls will also nervously await the outcome of the MatchReview Panel's findings on Monday afternoon with midfielder Jake Melksham on report and versatilekey position player Jake Carlisle alsolikely to be scrutinised.
Melksham was booked for rough conduct on Jarryd Roughead in the thirdquarter as the Hawks star tried to apply a shepherd. Melksham's defence will bethat he was simply protecting himself when he made high contact with Roughead.
Earlier, Carlisle drove aforearm to the lower back of Lance Franklin, who dropped to the ground beforebouncing to his feet and remonstrating with the Dons defender.
Magpie Ben Reid appears indoubt after tweaking his left ankle while being tackled midway through thefinal term. He jogged off the field but didn’t return. Reid would be a hugeloss given the Bombers' abundance of key-position options.
Pies midfielder Luke Ball couldreturn after withdrawing from the clash with Greater Western Sydney with a calfproblem.
Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodgeappears in danger of missing his side's big clash with Richmond at the MCG onSaturday after tripping big Bomber Paddy Ryder with his left foot. It seemed areflex action and Ryder didn’t suffer any ill effects, but the Hawks will beanxious.
The Tigers will monitor the condition of ruckman/forward Ty Vickery, who was stretchered off after a heavy knock in the last quarteragainst the Sydney Swans.
Earlier, Vickery had crunched Swans defender Nick Malceski, who left the field early with a sore shoulder butlater returned.
Tiger Ricky Petterd alsoexperienced groin soreness.
Geelong forward James Podsiadly produceda contender for Mark of the Year but could be grounded by suspension after anincident during the Cats' landslide win over St Kilda.
Podsiadly was trying to dispose of the ball as he was being tackled frombehind by Tom Simpkin when he raised his forearm and elbowed the oncoming JackSteven in the face.
Podsiadly has 93 carry-over points and his suspension would be anotherblack mark against the Cats' perceived ill-discipline following recent bans toSteve Johnson and Jimmy Bartel.
Young Geelong ruckman Dawson Simpson suffered a left knee injury that could end his season after landingawkwardly while contesting a centre bounce. The Cats are confident Simpsonhasn’t damaged the anterior cruciate ligament and will avoid surgery.
North Melbourne, Geelong's opponent at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, hasalready confirmed that captain Andrew Swallow will miss up to 12 months with a ruptured Achilles tendon inhis left leg.
In Sunday's Showdown at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide could face sworn enemyPort Adelaide without two young power forwards. Josh Jenkins suffered a season-ending ankle fracture againstFremantle in Perth on Saturday night, while Shaun McKernan also hurt an ankle.
Crows midfielder Bernie Vincecopped a head knock.
A host of Dockers and Crows also face fines after being involved in ahuge melee before the first bounce.
West Coast will host Gold Coast on Saturday without midfielder ChrisMasten (right ankle) and, potentially, forward Jack Darling (knee).
Eagles not set to send stars for surgery
Promising Suns ruckman Tom Nicholls hurt a knee in his side's loss to Carlton on Saturday, while defenderRory Thompson (ankle) and midfielderDion Prestia (hamstring) were latewithdrawals.
Brisbane Lions midfielder Brent Moloney is likely to be sidelined forseveral weeks with a hamstring injury.
St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt remains in the frame to play against the Lions at the Gabba on Saturday nightdespite having floating bone in his left foot.
Fellow veteran Lenny Hayes,who is weighing up his playing future, has twinged a hamstring, while defender James Gwilt suffered pain in the knee he had reconstructed in 2011.
Three Greater Western Sydney players – Tim Mohr, Adam Kennedyand Will Hoskin-Elliott – sufferedconcussion after copping accidental head knocks. Hoskin-Elliott was the onlyone of the trio to be stretchered off, and was hospitalised with a suspectedbreak in his cheekbone.
Ben Collins is a reporter for AFLMedia. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_BenCollins
