2 weeks ago
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Adelaide manager Matthew Nicks denies he’s rolling the proverbial dice by selecting Josh Rachele for a comeback successful the semi-final against Hawthorn.
But Nicks is tempering expectations astir Rachele’s output connected instrumentality from a near genu wounded suffered connected July 6.
“It won’t beryllium rolling the dice … he’s acceptable to go,” Nicks told reporters connected Thursday.
“Ten weeks of hard work and helium should get the reward for that – we do, due to the fact that he’s ready.
“He has trained truly well, (after) the main league pulled up truly well. He’s feeling confident, that’s the main point.”
Nicks wouldn’t divulge whether the dynamic guardant would start oregon beryllium substitute against the Hawks successful Friday night’s sudden-death clash astatine Adelaide Oval.
But helium said the 22-year-old’s fizz would beryllium welcomed by teammates.
“One-hundred per cent you person got to temper expectations when it comes to this week,” helium said.
“Max (Michalanney) came backmost past week (from a hamstring injury) and was a small spot disconnected with his touch.
“And it’s interesting, sitting down with him straight aft the game, and he’s feeling: ‘Wow, I needed that run’.
“That was six weeks (out), Josh has had 10 weeks out.
“It won’t beryllium perfect. And if it is, we’ll conscionable slap precocious fives and bask it, but it’s going to beryllium a immense situation for him.
“We don’t want him to suffer confidence.
“He’s 1 of those guys that conscionable loves playing with content and assurance and whether that’s within his ain caput oregon whether that’s teammates giving it to him, we’re not going to sap him of that.
“We want to support that and bring that arsenic overmuch arsenic helium can, but Josh, helium understands reality.”
Ahead of teams being released connected Thursday evening, Nicks refused to item who Rachele would regenerate successful the Crows broadside downed by 24 points by Collingwood successful a qualifying final.
But small defender Hugh Bond missed Adelaide’s match-eve training league and Nicks forecast conscionable 1 alteration to the team defeated by the Magpies.
The Hawks, who downed GWS by 19 points successful an distant elimination final, arrived successful Adelaide without Calsher Dear.
The young attacker has been ruled retired due to the fact that of a hamstring wounded with chap tall guardant Mitch Lewis favoured to return.
The Crows, if defeated, will go the archetypal VFL/AFL insignificant premiers since 1983 to exit the finals successful so-called straight sets.
“Everyone knows however choky the contention was this year,” Nicks said.
“We did a fantastic occupation astatine the second portion of this play to conscionable find a way to win.
“And, successful the end, the quality betwixt 1 and a fractional wins, knocks you up into that top spot.
“We understand the world … each team that made the finals and adjacent a team that missed, connected their day, tin each sound each different off.”
Source: AAP
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