Adelaide v Geelong (Thursday, 7:40pm AEDT)
After he went goalless for just the second time in Adelaide colours, Izak Rankine is in doubt with a calf knock. His fitness was going to be determined during Thursday's captain's run.
Fitness test: Izak Rankine (calf)
1-2 weeks: Nick Murray (knee)
3-5 weeks: Josh Rachele (ribs)
2026: Kieran Strachan (foot)
TBD: Toby Murray (ankle)
There's a lot of action in the Geelong medical rooms at the moment. Mark Blicavs was cleared to play this week but there are a lot of personnel still a couple of weeks away.
1-2 weeks: Mitch Edwards (pelvis), Xavier Ivisic (ankle), Jake Kolodjashnij (groin), Keighton Matofai-Forbes (management)
3-4 weeks: Jack Henry (hamstring)
4-8 weeks: Jed Bews (finger)
TBD: Tanner Bruhn (finger), Cillian Burke (knee), Toby Conway (back), Cam Guthrie (achilles), Lenny Hoffman (back), Jack Martin (calf), Jacob Molier (hamstring)
Collingwood v Sydney (Friday, 7:40pm AEDT)
Collingwood have been hit with three big outs through the suspension of Dan Houston and injuries to both Jordan de Goey and Lachie Schultz.
1 week: Jordan de Goey (ankle)
2-3 weeks: Lachie Schultz (hamstring)
Round 7: Dan Houston (suspended)
6-8 weeks: Ash Johnson (leg)
TBD: Harvey Harrison (knee), Tom Mitchell (foot)
2026: Reef McInnes (knee)
Lewis Melican could be back for Sydney this week if cleared, whilst Logan McDonald is reportedly being considered for a recall after three goals in the reserves last week.
Fitness test: Lewis Melican (adductor), Harry Cunningham (foot)
2-3 weeks: Callum Mills (foot)
Round 6: Justin McInerney (suspension)
3-5 weeks: Taylor Adams (hamstring)
6-8 weeks: Jesse Datoli (back), Tom Papley (foot)
8-10 weeks: Riak Andrew (shoulder)
10-12 weeks: Errol Gulden (ankle)
TBD: Robbie Fox (calf)
North Melbourne v Gold Coast (Saturday, 12:35pm AEDT)
Jackson Archer incurred a hamstring injury during his suspension so his return has been delayed but George Wardlaw is set to be named in the North Melbourne matchday squad after a successful return in the VFL.
Fitness test: Zac Fisher (concussion), Eddie Ford (hamstring)
1-2 weeks: Jackson Archer (hamstring)
3-4 weeks: Josh Goater (hamstring)
5-9 weeks: Callum Coleman-Jones
TBD: Brayden George (knee)
Gold Coast will be required to make at least one forced change with Connor Budarick to miss at least one round.
1-3 weeks: Connor Budarick (ribs)
4-6 weeks: David Swallow (knee)
6-8 weeks: Leo Lombard (shoulder)
2026: Charlie Ballard (knee)
Carlton v West Coast (Saturday, 1:20pm AEDT)
Harry McKay kicked two goals for the Blues’ VFL team last weekend and looked set to be in line for a recall as of Thursday afternoon.
Fitness test: Marc Pittonet (calf), Matt Cottrell (ankle)
2-4 weeks: Orazio Fantasia (calf), Alex Cincotta (hip)
4-6 weeks: Lachie Cowan (hamstring)
TBD: Nic Newman (knee)
2026: Jagga Smith (knee)
Poor old West Coast need all the help they can get at the moment, so the news that Jake Waterman has travelled to Adelaide is most encouraging.
Fitness test: Jake Waterman (calf/back)
1-2 weeks: Jack Hutchinson (hamstring), Liam Ryan (illness), Elijah Hewett (calf), Jeremy McGovern (groin)
3-4 weeks: Callum Jamieson (ankle/knee), Elliot Yeo (ankle/knee)
5-7 weeks: Campbell Chesser (ankle)
2026: Dom Sheed (knee)
Western Bulldogs v Brisbane (Saturday, 4:15pm AEDT)
Western Bulldogs medical staff have been carefully monitoring Laitham Vandermeer after he was subbed out of last weekend's loss to Fremantle.
Fitness test: Laitham Vandermeer (knee), Lachie Jaques (thigh), Jason Johannisen (hamstring)
1-2 weeks: Anthony Scott (knee), Marcus Bontempelli (calf)
3-6 weeks: Adam Treloar (calf), Nick Coffield (hamstring), Riley Garcia (knee)
TBD: Cody Weightman (knee)
It looks as though Brisbane Lions recruit Tom Doedee is still some time away from being considered for an AFL recall after he played VFL last weekend.
1 week: Kai Lohmann (ankle)
3-5 weeks: Keidean Coleman (knee)
TBD: Lincoln McCarthy (knee), Brandon Starcevich (concussion), Henry Smith (concussion)
Melbourne v Essendon (Saturday, 7:35pm AEDT)
Jake Lever had been conservatively managed week-to-week and had “done a power of work to try to get up for each game” according to Melbourne’s High Performance Manager, but with no progress being made they opted for a surgery which will hopefully have him back in two months.
Cleared to play: Xavier Lindsay (knee)
Fitness test: Matthew Jefferson (hand)
1 week: Judd McVee (hamstring)
2-3 weeks: Tom Campbell (hamstring)
5-7 weeks: Marty Hore (calf)
8 weeks: Jake Lever (ankle)
2026: Shane McAdam (achilles), Andy Moniz-Wakefield (knee)
The VFL has a week off this week for the state game against the SANFL as part of Gather Round festivities, so Peter Wright could be eased back into action through an Essendon VFL practice match against Box Hill.
Fitness test: Darcy Parish (back), Archie Perkins (quad), Elijah Tsatas (hand), Peter Wright (ankle)
1-2 weeks: Nik Cox (concussion), Kyle Langford (hamstring)
4-5 weeks: Matt Guelfi (hamstring), Angus Clarke (collarbone), Jye Caldwell (hamstring)
2026: Tom Edwards (knee)
Richmond v Fremantle (Sunday, 12:35pm AEDT)
Recently convicted criminal Noah Balta was still technically available for selection but Richmond management opted to take the conservative option and leave him out of the spotlight for now, especially with no VFL football on this weekend. Maurice Rioli returns to the forward line.
Fitness test: Liam Fawcett (nose)
1-2 weeks: Kane McAuliffe (foot)
3-4 weeks: Dion Prestia (achilles), Judson Clarke (ACL)
Round 7: Rhyan Mansell (suspended)
TBD: Josh Gibcus (ACL), Taj Hotton (ACL), Mykelti Lefau (ACL), Tylar Young (ACL)
Nat Fyfe is still a part of Fremantle's best 22, according to head coach Justin Longmuir, but he is still being cautiously managed after knee surgery.
Cleared to play: Sam Switkowski
1-2 weeks: Nat Fyfe (knee), Charlie Nicholls (back), Corey Wagner (calf), Michael Walters (knee)
3-4 weeks: Luke Jackson (hamstring)
4-6 weeks: Nathan O'Driscoll (ankle)
6-8 weeks: Sam Sturt (knee)
3-4 months: Brandon Walker (shoulder)
2026: Odin Jones (back)
St Kilda v GWS Giants (Sunday, 3:20pm AEDT)
Jack Steele returns from a knee injury, whilst St Kilda defenders Liam Stocker and Jimmy Webster both passed fitness tests.
1-2 weeks: Hunter Clark (abs), Alex Dodson (concussion), Liam O’Connell (concussion), Dan Butler (achilles), Max Heath (ankle)
4-5 weeks: Jack Carroll (hamstring), Dougal Howard (shoulder), Mattaes Phillipou (leg)
TBD: Paddy Dow (knee), Max King (knee)
GWS Giants have quite a few key players due to come back in the next couple of weeks.
Available for selection: Ryan Fahey (suspension over)
1-2 weeks: Ryan Angwin (ankle), Stephen Coniglio (glute), Brent Daniels (abdomen), Phoenix Gothard (finger)
5-7 weeks: Ollie Hannaford (wrist)
TBD: Logan Smith (illness)
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn (Sunday, 7:20pm AEDT)
Darcy Byrne-Jones was rubbed out for a head-high bump on St Kilda defender Ryan Byrnes last weekend. Port Adelaide legend Travis Boak will play AFL game number 375, and potentially his last in a Gather Round, after being rested last week.
Round 6: Darcy Byrne-Jones (suspended)
1-2 weeks: Jed McEntee (hamstring), Tom Anastasopoulos (ankle), Ryan Burton (hip)
4-6 weeks: Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (back)
TBD: Jack Lukosius (knee), Todd Marshall (achilles)
Early indications suggest that James Worpel is set for a Gather Round return, whilst Hawthorn will be waiting to make a decision on Thursday for both McDonald and Blanck.
Fitness test: James Blanck (knee), Connor Macdonald (ankle), James Worpel (ankle)
Round 6: Jack Scrimshaw (suspension)
3-4 months: Will Day (foot)
TBD: Sam Butler (leg), Calsher Dear (back), Mitch Lewis (knee)