Suns use their Witts for huge home clash against Hawks
Roger Vaughan |
Former captain Jarrod Witts is among three inclusions for Gold Coast’s massive AFL home game against Hawthorn.
Nick Holman also returns and Beau Addinsall will make his AFL debut as the Suns dropped Ben Jepson, Charlie Ballard and Lachlan Gulbin for Friday night’s clash.
The Hawks regain star defender Tom Barrass from a hamstring injury for his first game since round 10, with coach Sam Mitchell under no illusions about what reception awaits them on the Gold Coast.
The Suns are on a three-game skid, sparking speculation this week about tension at the club.
Hawthorn also badly need a win, having blown a lead and losing to the Western Bulldogs before their mid-season bye.
“They’re not going to be the last team that go down to GMHBA (Stadium) and don’t come away with four points,” Mitchell said of Gold Coast’s loss last Friday night to Geelong.
”There’s a lot being made of not that much about them.”
Witts is an obvious selection to provide support for Ned Moyle against Hawthorn’s ruck duo of Ned Reeves and Lloyd Meek.
The Hawks recalled Harry Morrison along with Barrass, leaving out Flynn Perez and Bodie Ryan.
Hawthorn lost their way against the Bulldogs, spraying 1.11 after halftime.
Nick Watson also was made to pay for his “walk the walk, talk the talk” comment in a TV interview at the long break, with opponent Michael Sellwood blanketing the star Hawk forward in the second half.
Likewise, captain James Sicily let niggling from opponent Will Lewis get to him.
But Mitchell likes his team to play on the edge, and strongly backed Sicily and Watson ahead of the Suns clash.
“He’s actually playing quite good footy. He obviously had a bit of attention and didn’t handle it as well he might have on other days,” Mitchell said of Sicily.
“He’s been really solid across the year. He hasn’t had that 40-possession, 18-intercept (game), but he’s been very, very consistent and he’s playing as (well) as he has across his whole career.”
Mitchell noted that part of what makes Watson such a good player is his confidence.
“Would he have learned a lesson out of that? Of course. Would he do it again? Maybe,” the Hawks coach said of the TV interview.
“I don’t think it’s something where I’m saying ‘you should never do something like that’. What makes him such a wonderful player is that attitude.
“Would he tell you guys exactly that, in that way, again? Time will tell, but I suspect you’re going to see more fun things from Nick and ‘Sic’.
“Nick Watson’s attitude is ‘I can play on anyone and they can try to play on me, but good luck’. It didn’t work on that occasion.”
AAP