Cloke’s slipping in Bulldogs order
Freo eyes record with Sandi out
THE loss of Aaron Sandilands for the clash with Adelaide on Saturday night could lead to Fremantle breaking an AFL record by playing eight indigenous players.
Dockers coach Ross Lyon says indigenous ruckman Jon Griffin is the likely replacement for Sandilands after the 211cm giant was ruled out with hamstring tightness.
The Dockers had seven indigenous players in the team that beat Carlton by 35 points in Perth on Sunday, equalling a record they shared with Port Adelaide, who played seven against Fremantle in 2015.
The Dockers had seven indigenous players against the Western Bulldogs in 2003.
Barring a late injury, Bradley Hill, Stephen Hill, Michael Walters, Joel Hamling, Brady Grey, Danyle Pearce and Michael Johnson are all expected to retain their spots for the clash with the Crows.
Fremantle are expected to make two changes to their team, with Griffin in the box seat to replace Sandilands.
Ed Langdon will also miss the game with a sore left knee.
Darcy Tucker is a strong chance to be recalled to face the Crows. TRAVIS Cloke could be the victim of a selection squeeze against St Kilda as the Western Bulldogs’ forward line approaches full strength.
First ruckman Jordan Roughead has recovered from a hamstring injury after two VFL games and Jake Stringer has overcome a medial ligament strain.
Champion Data figures show Cloke’s output is the lowest of his career — even compared to last season when Collingwood dropped him three times.
He has clunked only four contested marks in five games and has kicked just six goals.
Coach Luke Beveridge described a 50m penalty he gave away to start the Dogs’ tailspin against Geelong last Friday night as “disturbing” and “horrendous”.
But on Saturday he indicated Cloke might retain his spot.
Stringer will try to prove his fitness at training today, with Roughead ready to form a ruck tandem with Tom Boyd that would see one of them resting forward.
That means one of Cloke or Jack Redpath would be likely to make way, with Redpath kicking five goals in the past fortnight since his return.