AFL’s forgotten man close to a comeback

HE’S the forgotten man of the AFL — but that could be just about to change.

Hawthorn running defender Grant Birchall says he is very close to returning to the playing field.

Birchall, a four-time premiership player and 2012 All-Australian, hasn’t been seen on a football ground since Round 15, 2017, and in that year played just five games.

The classy left-footer barely missed a game since his debut in Round 1 of 2006, playing 240 games of the Hawks’ 266 games between 2006 and the end of 2016.

But since the start of 2017 he has played just five games of 58 up until this stage of the season because of a combination of knee and adductor injuries.

However, in positive news Birchall, 31, told Triple M on Saturday he hoped to play a half for the Hawks’ feeder club, the Box Hill Hawks, in the VFL this weekend.

Gold Coast Sun Lachie Weller continues to quietly repay the faith the Suns put in him when they coughed up pick two in the 2017 draft to get him from Fremantle.

Weller finished third in last year’s best and fairest and has been impressive again.

After missing rounds four to seven through injury, Weller has had 23, 24, 27, 22, 27 and 27 touches in consecutive weeks.

He was one of the Suns’ best in the narrow loss to the Saints on Saturday and showed his running capacity with five rebounds out of defensive 50 and five inside attacking 50.

His brother, Mav, kicked two goals and was among the best for Richmond’s VFL side, while Chayce Jones did his chances of a recall to Adelaide’s AFL side no harm with 27 touches in the SANFL.

North Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown endured a dirty day at Blundstone Arena against the Giants yesterday.

Not only did the Roos go down by 23 points, Brown had a rough day in front of the big sticks, kicking two goals from five shots ... and he also had his number taken.

The big Roo went into the umpire’s book for a hit on GWS defender Matt Buntine during the third quarter.

The Western Bulldogs’ mid-year draftee Ryan Gardner also struggled on Saturday night in the narrow win over Carlton.

Gardner — playing just his second game — kicked a goal but only had three touches for the night.

Pictures: MICHAEL KLEIN, ALIX SWEENEY ON THE WAY: Grant Birchall cleans up across half-back for the Hawks. He may get a game this weekend for the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL. INSET ABOVE: Lachie Weller in action for the Suns on Saturday against St Kilda in Townsville.