Rockliff roaring back to face Freo

BRISBANE expects to recall Tom Rockliff for Saturday’s clash with Fremantle, but has ruled utility Mitch Robinson out for the rest of the season.

Robinson, runner-up in the past two club championships for Brisbane, will have surgery this week on a broken foot.

He had scans late last week on the injury he suffered against Sydney in Round 7 which revealed ligament damage that needed to be surgically repaired.

Coach Chris Fagan said the 27-year-old had not shown sufficient improvement after almost a month in a moon boot.

“Robinson is gone for the season, he is done,’’ Fagan said yesterday.

“The bone is healing, but where the bone and ligament is attached there is damage so he has to have that repaired.’’

Fagan said the best case scenario for Robinson would only have seen him return for the last month of the season so it made sense to operate now.

Rockliff completed full training last week before the side was given a four-day break over the bye weekend.

The former captain had hit career-best form before injuring his shoulder against Hawthorn in Launceston in Round 8.

Fagan revealed he was close to returning for the Lions’ last game before the bye against Collingwood and would play on Saturday provided he did not suffer a setback at training this week.

“He has got to pass the test and make sure the strength is back in the joint, but we are pretty confident, he wasn’t that far away from playing in our last game,’’ Fagan said.