‘Leave a bit of hope for me': Bobby Hill to miss again, finals unlikely
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Hill, who won the Norm Smith Medal in Collingwood's 2023 premiership, has played just one senior game in the past two months. He was the sub in that game and only came on late.
Collingwood have struggled in attack with him out of the side. He was sorely missed in the three-point loss to Adelaide last week when the Magpies had 34 more inside 50s than Adelaide but were unable to kick a winning score. In such congestion, the loss of Hill's speed and ability to find space to conjure a goal was telling.
Likewise, the Magpies' defence has struggled as they have lost five of their past six matches during which Jeremy Howe missed all but the loss to Hawthorn, when he was knocked out in the opening two minutes. Howe is now through the concussion protocols and will return for Collingwood's final home-and-away match of the season against Melbourne on Friday night.
'Howey will come back and his experience is important to us. I think he'll play our system really well,' McRae said.
Collingwood's tall forwards all had bad games against Adelaide on a night when they had 71 inside 50s, with Brody Mihocek dropping chest marks, Tim Membrey unable to find space, and Dan McStay unsighted. With McStay required as the second ruck, it has prompted the question of whether McRae goes back to veteran Mason Cox.
'We're working hard with Dan to get him moving and be part of our best team,' McRae said.
'There's a lot of work behind the scenes to work on his craft, jump at the ball well, and fit into our patterns.'
Meanwhile, veteran premiership player Will Hoskin-Elliott has announced his retirement as of the end of the season. Hoskin-Elliott, part of the 2023 Collingwood premiership team, was dropped for the Pies' round 23 game against the Crows and has struggled this year.
The No.4 pick in the 2011 national draft has played 242 games – 52 of them for the Giants, who drafted him.
The utility has plugged holes as a running defender, forward and wingman. He has a strong overhead game, meaning he's even been able to play as a third tall forward target.
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News.com.au
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Herald Sun
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The rapper has released songs using the same homophobic slur - f****t - that Rankine directed at the Collingwood player. "That wasn't part of our submission," Silvers said. "We're striving to be in the grand final, there's no doubt about it. I don't think we're too focused on the grand final entertainment." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned four games for a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for three games and, the following month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs at opponents. Two VFL players - Sydney's Riak Andrew (five games) and St Kilda's Lance Collard (six matches) have also been banned for on-field homophobic comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Fullstop Australia 1800 385 578 Adelaide star Izak Rankine is "deeply sorry" for a homophobic slur, as officials keep secret the medical reason that reduced his ban to four matches. Rankine is the sixth AFL-listed player banned for a homophobic slur against an opponent in the past 16 months. The AFL initially delivered a five-game suspension, which was reduced when the Crows made a "compelling medical submission", AFL chief Andrew Dillon said. Dillon and Adelaide CEO Tim Silvers refused to detail the nature of the medical submission. But Silvers admitted he was "nervous" for Rankine's mental health. "He put himself into this position and he's deeply remorseful and regrets what he said," Silvers told reporters in Adelaide. "But he's doing it pretty tough. He basically hasn't left his house for the last few days." Rankine will only play again this season if ladder-leading Adelaide lose a qualifying final but then advance to the grand final, when the 25-year-old would be available for selection. Adelaide play North Melbourne on Saturday in the last home-and-away round and will then host two finals. AFL boss Dillon defended the reduction of the league's initial proposed ban. "It was a compelling medical submission but I will not go into the detail," Dillon told reporters in Melbourne. Describing the suspension as "significant", Dillon denied it was designed to give Rankine hope of playing in the grand final. "A game is a game," he said. But Crows chief Silvers said the fact Rankine had a glimmer of grand final hope was important. "It's nice that there's a carrot for him and that it means his season, potentially, is not over ... that is good for his mental health," Silvers said. Rankine directed a homophobic slur to an unnamed Collingwood opponent in Adelaide's three-point win last Saturday night. "I regret using the word and I am deeply sorry for doing so," Rankine said in a club-issued statement. "That type of language has no place in football or in the community. "It was a mistake and I have apologised to the Collingwood player. And what happened does not reflect my values or those of the club. "I'm committed to educating myself and being better." Silvers said his club was "frustrated and disappointed" in Rankine, who will now likely spend time away from the city of Adelaide. "He might need some time out ... we're looking at some options to potentially just get him away and get him out of the Adelaide environment for a week or so," he said. Silvers was upset the AFL integrity unit's investigation, launched last Sunday, was leaked to media. "I'm disappointed that we had to deal with leaks throughout this process because it's supposed to be confidential," he said. "There was some information that was right and some misinformation as well." Silvers said his club didn't use claims of AFL hypocrisy for hiring Snoop Dogg for grand final entertainment as part of its submission. The rapper has released songs using the same homophobic slur - f****t - that Rankine directed at the Collingwood player. "That wasn't part of our submission," Silvers said. "We're striving to be in the grand final, there's no doubt about it. I don't think we're too focused on the grand final entertainment." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned four games for a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for three games and, the following month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs at opponents. Two VFL players - Sydney's Riak Andrew (five games) and St Kilda's Lance Collard (six matches) have also been banned for on-field homophobic comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Fullstop Australia 1800 385 578 Adelaide star Izak Rankine is "deeply sorry" for a homophobic slur, as officials keep secret the medical reason that reduced his ban to four matches. Rankine is the sixth AFL-listed player banned for a homophobic slur against an opponent in the past 16 months. The AFL initially delivered a five-game suspension, which was reduced when the Crows made a "compelling medical submission", AFL chief Andrew Dillon said. Dillon and Adelaide CEO Tim Silvers refused to detail the nature of the medical submission. But Silvers admitted he was "nervous" for Rankine's mental health. "He put himself into this position and he's deeply remorseful and regrets what he said," Silvers told reporters in Adelaide. "But he's doing it pretty tough. He basically hasn't left his house for the last few days." Rankine will only play again this season if ladder-leading Adelaide lose a qualifying final but then advance to the grand final, when the 25-year-old would be available for selection. Adelaide play North Melbourne on Saturday in the last home-and-away round and will then host two finals. AFL boss Dillon defended the reduction of the league's initial proposed ban. "It was a compelling medical submission but I will not go into the detail," Dillon told reporters in Melbourne. Describing the suspension as "significant", Dillon denied it was designed to give Rankine hope of playing in the grand final. "A game is a game," he said. But Crows chief Silvers said the fact Rankine had a glimmer of grand final hope was important. "It's nice that there's a carrot for him and that it means his season, potentially, is not over ... that is good for his mental health," Silvers said. Rankine directed a homophobic slur to an unnamed Collingwood opponent in Adelaide's three-point win last Saturday night. "I regret using the word and I am deeply sorry for doing so," Rankine said in a club-issued statement. "That type of language has no place in football or in the community. "It was a mistake and I have apologised to the Collingwood player. And what happened does not reflect my values or those of the club. "I'm committed to educating myself and being better." Silvers said his club was "frustrated and disappointed" in Rankine, who will now likely spend time away from the city of Adelaide. "He might need some time out ... we're looking at some options to potentially just get him away and get him out of the Adelaide environment for a week or so," he said. Silvers was upset the AFL integrity unit's investigation, launched last Sunday, was leaked to media. "I'm disappointed that we had to deal with leaks throughout this process because it's supposed to be confidential," he said. "There was some information that was right and some misinformation as well." Silvers said his club didn't use claims of AFL hypocrisy for hiring Snoop Dogg for grand final entertainment as part of its submission. The rapper has released songs using the same homophobic slur - f****t - that Rankine directed at the Collingwood player. "That wasn't part of our submission," Silvers said. "We're striving to be in the grand final, there's no doubt about it. I don't think we're too focused on the grand final entertainment." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned four games for a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for three games and, the following month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs at opponents. Two VFL players - Sydney's Riak Andrew (five games) and St Kilda's Lance Collard (six matches) have also been banned for on-field homophobic comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Fullstop Australia 1800 385 578
