Sam Switkowski will not be participating in the upcoming RAC Derby against West Coast due to his placement in concussion protocols. This decision follows a head injury sustained towards the end of the second quarter in the previous clash with Port Adelaide, as confirmed by High Performance Manager Phil Merriman. Despite passing the SCAT6 assessment during halftime and resuming play, Switkowski reported mild symptoms two days later. While he is expected to be available for selection against the Western Bulldogs in the following weekend, his return is contingent upon completing the protocols successfully.
Phil Merriman also provided updates on other players’ conditions. Sean Darcy, though close to returning last weekend, will undergo an additional week of recovery before potentially joining the team for the upcoming match against West Coast. Similarly, Michael Frederick’s and Conrad Williams’ availability for the game hinges on their performance during main training this week. Corey Wagner and Pat Voss are anticipated to play for the Peel team in the WAFL this weekend as they recover from calf concerns.
Further updates were provided regarding Nathan O’Driscoll’s knee injury and Karl Worner’s concussion. O’Driscoll is expected to resume training and potentially play this week after recovering well from his knee issue. Worner is set to undergo a final assessment during main training, with his availability for the upcoming match dependent on the absence of symptoms.
The injury list for round six includes Michael Frederick (hamstring), Nathan O’Driscoll (knee), Karl Worner (concussion), Sean Darcy (knee), Corey Wagner (calf), Pat Voss (calf), and Sam Switkowski (concussion), each marked as a test or expected to return within a specified timeframe. Additionally, Conrad Williams (foot) is expected to be out for 1-2 weeks, Brennan Cox (hamstring) for 9-11 weeks, Oscar McDonald (knee) for 14-18 weeks, Odin Jones (concussion) with a to-be-confirmed return date, Josh Corbett (hip) for the season, and Sebit Kuek (knee) also out for the season.
