Darcy Cameron has been cleared to return for Collingwood’s clash with West Coast on Saturday after training fully on Tuesday, giving the Magpies a timely boost off the back of their win over Sydney last Friday night. The ruckman is back in the frame just as Mason Steene’s knee injury leaves a hole in the club’s tall stocks.
Steene tore his ACL against Sydney last Friday night, a setback that will force Collingwood to rework its structure around the ruck and forward line. Brody Lipinski and Dan Moore are still yet to clear concussion protocols, while Tim Membrey must prove his fitness on Thursday before he can be cleared to face the Eagles.
The Round 11 AFL injury list is not just about Collingwood, though the premiers’ next selection call is a significant one. Sam Swadling pressed his case with 39 touches in the VFL, and the Magpies will be weighing whether that form is enough to cover for the players still unavailable or under watch.
Across the competition, several clubs are managing their own selection headaches. Ollie Hollands will be unavailable for much of the next month, and Saad could come in for him in Saturday night’s clash against the Power if he gets through a fitness test later this week. Adelaide has a cleaner picture, with Riley Thilthorpe available this week after being managed with back soreness, while Taylor Walker is pushing to return from a hamstring injury.
There is also positive news at the other end of the field for Adelaide, with Callum Ah Chee available after overcoming hamstring issues and Mitch Hinge also back after recovering from a hamstring injury. Sid Draper has undergone surgery for a broken jaw and will meet an oral surgeon this week, a reminder that the injury list can shift quickly from minor setbacks to longer absences.
The main thread running through the latest update is simple: some clubs are getting players back at exactly the right time, while others are still waiting on medical clearance or dealing with longer-term damage. For Collingwood, Cameron’s return helps ease the blow from Steene’s ACL injury, but the Magpies are still carrying enough uncertainty to make Thursday’s checks and Saturday’s team sheet worth watching closely.
