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Headland X-factor

Headland X-factor

09/08/2010 03:03:10 AM

Fremantle may be about to throw veteran pair Paul Hasleby and Des Headland a football lifeline as they prepare for Friday night's cut-throat semi-final clash with Geelong.

Coach Mark Harvey has already confirmed that Headland, an emergency for last week's elimination final win over Hawthorn, will be part of a 25-man group travelling to Melbourne to take on the Cats at the MCG.

The retiring Hasleby is also a chance to play what may be his last game of footy, while reserve ruckman Kepler Bradley and midfielder Rhys Palmer are also in the mix.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, Harvey said he was on his way to the selection meeting ahead of the Dockers trip to Melbourne that evening.

But with the weather bureau forecasting more wet conditions for Friday night at the MCG, crafty veterans like Hasleby or Headland could be an option.

"He possibly could be one," said Harvey when asked about Hasleby, who walked a lap of honour around Subiaco at half-time in the club's 30-point win over Hawthorn, farewelling the fans after being dropped for the club's first final in four years.

Twenty-nine-year-old Headland is out of contract at the end of the season and may be long odds to get a new deal, having not played since Round 4 when he succumbed to a knee injury.

But, with five weeks in the WAFL behind him, Harvey said Headland could be the x-factor player he introduces to the forward line, to replace the injured Hayden Ballantyne.

"He'll be around the mark," said Harvey.

"We know how damaging he can be and he's a dangerous forward. Now in finals games it can be hard to score so if you can add to that, you'll look at it."

Harvey maintained what the club has said all week about the injured Aaron Sandilands, saying the ruckman would definitely play against the Cats.

Sandilands has been receiving up to 12 hours of treatment a day on his left knee after knocking it against Hawthorn ruckman Wade Skipper's shin last weekend.

Sandilands played out the game as a forward after doing the injury in the first quarter, but only contested one more centre bounce.

Harvey, though, admitted he wasn't sure just how much ruckwork Sandilands would be able to do against the Cats, with his absence from the centre square being a massive blow to the Dockers' stoppage strategies.

"If you have a look at a lot of Aaron's ruck duels, no matter where they are, he doesn't jump a hell of a lot," Harvey said when asked about the impact leaping into a ruck duel would have on Sandilands' knee.

"So once again, we've got to just see how quickly this injury can come up as to what he can do."

"Every minute, every hour that goes by, the response (to treatment) has been really positive, so that's all we can judge it on at the moment."

"We'd probably like to see in the next 48 hours what he can do (in the ruck)," Harvey added.

"So at some stage, we'll have a look at him over in Melbourne."

 
Comments
Posted by John carey at
08/09/2010 09:49 PM
Big game

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