Tough call no longer up to Dew

TWICE this season Suns coach Stuart Dew has faced a tough selection decision between Peter Wright and Sam Day and on both occasions, injury has made it for him.

Wright will play his first game of the year against the Hawks in Launceston today after overcoming a major calf injury while Day has been named in defence to cover for Rory Thompson (hamstring).

The Suns suddenly look very tall against a Hawks outfit that may not be finalised until today, with ruckman Ben McEvoy and small forward Paul Puopolo on standby for their pregnant wives who are due any day.

The Hawks have lost ruckforward Jon Ceglar, who withdrew with a tight quad and was replaced by Tim O’Brien.

Dew was contemplating if he could play three tall forwards in the lead-up to the JLT Series as he wished to get some football into Day after a year out (hip) while still giving Wright match fitness to play Round 1. Wright had a strong pre-season and looked the favourite to partner Tom Lynch in attack this year, right up until the eve of the JLT Series when he contracted a virus and lost 7kg in a few days.

Day has had a quiet couple of weeks but is not alone in that regard and ruckman Jarrod Witts has been one of the Suns’ best.