Latest news with #JamesSicily
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Who Freo fans should barrack for in EVERY remaining game
With Fremantle in a massive fight for the finals, The West Australian has gone through every game and settled on which team Dockers fans should get behind in the match-ups that matter. Plus, what happens if it all goes their way … SATURDAY Hawthorn v Port Adelaide Sydney v North Melbourne SUNDAY Geelong v St Kilda Collingwood v Fremantle Adelaide v Gold Coast A Hawthorn loss to Port Adelaide in Tasmania will keep the Dockers level on points with the Hawks, even better it will give the Dockers' four points of separation if they can knock off top-of-the-ladder Collingwood. With an Adelaide loss and their own win, the Dockers could jump up as high as third. James Sicily of the Hawks. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images THURSDAY Hawthorn v Carlton FRIDAY Essendon v Western Bulldogs GWS v Sydney SATURDAY Gold Coast v Brisbane Fremantle v West Coast North Melbourne v Geelong Adelaide v Port Adelaide SUNDAY Richmond v Collingwood If the Hawks keep losing, a spot in the eight is really there for the taking, while a Dogs loss would give the Dockers more insurance on their finals spot. The Giants are also a rival for the eight. The western derby could be a chance for Fremantle to boost their percentage, while a Showdown upset could keep them in the mix for the spots right up the top. Marcus Bontempelli. Credit: Michael Willson / AFL Photos THURSDAY Western Bulldogs v GWS FRIDAY Adelaide v Hawthorn SATURDAY Gold Coast v Richmond Collingwood v Brisbane SUNDAY Geelong v Port Adelaide Fremantle v Carlton If results go Fremantle's way, they could start to shake some teams by this stage, including Greater Western Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Hawthorn, while Collingwood and Brisbane will be within reach. Lachie Whitfield. Credit: Michael Willson / AFL Photos THURSDAY Hawthorn v Collingwood FRIDAY Geelong v Essendon SATURDAY Brisbane v Sydney Carlton v Gold Coast Port Adelaide v Fremantle SUNDAY GWS v North Melbourne Melbourne v Western Bulldogs West Coast v Adelaide As tough as it is to support West Coast, an Eagles win would force Adelaide well back into the pack. The Crows would fall three wins behind the Dockers and the Cats would go three wins back, while the Suns would slide too. Tyler Brockman of the Eagles celebrates a goal. Credit: Sarah Reed / AFL Photos FRIDAY Fremantle v Brisbane SATURDAY Gold Coast v GWS Hawthorn v Melbourne Adelaide v Collingwood The Dockers wouldn't mind a dent in the confidence of Hawthorn given they're a good chance to meet in September. They'd want the Suns to continue to slide and the Magpies to keep slipping up. Darcy Moore of the Magpies looks dejected. Credit: Chris Hyde / Getty Images North Melbourne v Adelaide Western Bulldogs v Fremantle Collingwood v Melbourne In this dream scenario, a final-round win would leave the Dockers on top of the ladder. In reality, this game is likely to be crucial to their finals hopes. One more loss for Adelaide and Collingwood would do them some favours too. In all likelihood, they would at this stage still be barracking for Hawthorn to be knocked off by Brisbane and an upset by St Kilda over the Giants. Max Heath of the Saints celebrates kicking his first AFL goal in his debut match. Credit: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos / via Getty Images
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell on Josh Weddle and Cooper Hodge
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says the recent injury setback to young star Josh Weddle has allowed the dashing defender to sharpen his game. Weddle was storming away to a top finish in the Hawks' best and fairest count before going down with a stress fracture in his back. His timeline on Hawthorn's injury list remains 'to be confirmed' and he could very well miss the remainder of the 2025 season. But Mitchell says the improved and versatile Weddle is using the stint on the sidelines as a chance to advance his game and is confident he will return a better player as a result. 'At the four-week mark he'll get a scan and then you'll either rule him out for the season or say, 'We're a chance here, let's see what we can do',' he said. 'It's very easy to focus on who's not there … if you're going to lose Josh Weddle to bring in James Sicily, we'll take that and not worry too much about it. 'Any good learning for Wedds, he sat in the coaches' box and he's looking at vision – he'll be a better player when he comes back. 'Hopefully, it's this year, if not, when he comes back he'll have a greater game understanding than when he left.' The Hawks have another young star in their sights, with father-son prospect Cooper Hodge training at Waverley earlier this week. Hodge is the son of AFL great and club champion Luke Hodge, who won four premierships in the brown and gold. The son of a gun will have to choose between his eligibility as a Hawk through the father-son ruling and Brisbane as an Academy product. Mitchell says the son of his former premiership teammate looks a 'nice talent', but he will resist heaping pressure on the teenager. 'He's getting a game in the seniors at the moment, so he had to go back up to Brissy to make sure he holds his spot, they've got training tonight,' he said. 'He was with us for a few days, which was great. We've got Mark Williams' young lad out here today. 'It's great when we can see some of our father sons come down and have a run around with the boys. 'I think the thing with a guy like Coop is he's still a young man and because of his dad's fame and accolades there's a lot more pressure on him. 'The last thing I want to do is add anything to that. He was great, he is a really energetic kid, (but) he's quiet, respectful and goes about his business. 'He wants to learn, he's going to be a nice talent.'
News.com.au
03-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hawthorn not concerned about training loads and programs despite Josh Weddle's back injury
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell concedes Josh Weddle may not play again in 2025 no matter how deep into September the Hawks go as he confirmed captain James Sicily was set to return against St Kilda on Saturday. After Weddle reported soreness following last weekend's win in Tasmania, scans revealed he had a bone stress reaction in his back and he was immediately sidelined for an extended period. Medical staff wouldn't rule the 21-year-old out for the entire season, but Mitchell revealed on Thursday that he was planning without Weddle in mind, knowing his response to treatment would determine his availability, and no risks would be taken no matter where the Hawks' premiership ambitions lay. 'He pulled up from the game pretty sore in his back, and as you do, you get a scan and obviously a disappointing result. Realistically, we don't know and we won't know for a month,' Mitchell said. 'We've had a couple of these: Will McCabe came in with some back trouble and Calsher (Dear) at the start of the year. It's reasonably similar; the process is wait a month, don't do much in that time, rescan it and see how it's gone. 'If in a month's time there is a bit of healing and it's on the right track, that will keep the door open for the season. 'If in a month's time they rescan and it doesn't look as progressed as they would have liked, then they will rule him out.' Mitchell said the club would 'look into' anything in the training program that might be contributing to back issues but was overall happy with his club's medical staff. 'That's three over a couple of years now. Is that worth something changing too much? Probably not,' he said. Sicily hasn't played since round 12 after succumbing to a nagging hip issue that impacted his normally proficient kicking during a run of three-straight losses. He had some work done but did not undergo surgery and Mitchell said both Sicily and James Worpel, who has been sidelined since round 14 with a bad cork, needed to get through Thursday's training and then 'wake up well' to take on the Saints. 'It is probably more how they wake up tomorrow, so even if they get through training today we'll name them, but for both of those guys, how they wake up the next day is important,' Mitchell said. 'Worpel's corkie ended up being quite a nasty bleed. He is as professional and as diligent a player that we have. He has done a good job to get back this quickly; I don't think anyone would have got back quicker.' Gun midfielder Will Day has also stepped up his training workload this week and is targeting a return to the team by round 20 after overcoming a stress fracture in his foot.
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Minor procedure helps Hawthorn captain James Sicily get over hip issue in time for team's run to finals
Hawthorn captain James Sicily was forced to undergo what his coach Sam Mitchell called a 'minor procedure' to address the hip issue that plagued him in the first half of the season and led to weekly questions about his form. Mitchell declared the move had 'sorted out' the problem for the skipper who could return against North Melbourne on Sunday and be more able to help his team's push for a possible top-four finish. Sicily trained with his teammates on Thursday and Mitchell wasn't willing to rule him in or out of what would be his first game since stepping away following the round 13 loss to Collingwood. '(Sicily) has obviously been dealing with the nervy hip thing … we've got a bit more of our head around it, he had a minor procedure which sorted out a big portion of it,' Mitchell said. 'Will he get up for this week? Training will tell us more about that, but it's definitely been beneficial for him.' Mitchell couldn't hide his excitement at the return of key forward Mitch Lewis from an ACL injury. Lewis had been growing his hair 'until he was ready to play' as he rehabbed the knee injury but with a return in the VFL set for this weekend, his hair was short and Mitchell knows he could be a useful weapon in the run to September. 'I think sometimes when guys come back from a knee they look tentative. He definitely has that,' Mitchell said. 'But I would say for the last five or six weeks he's looked ready to play. He's ready and excited to get back out there. 'We know that Mitch Lewis, he's a fantastic AFL player, and at our best, him being a big part of that, he's a significant part of our future. It's not something we have relied on, (but) is that something we hope can come good in the second half of the season? Absolutely.' Mitchell said Lewis, who has only managed four senior games in the last two years, could work in a forward line with Mabior Chol and Calsher Dear, who is coming back from a back fracture. Dear will also play in the VFL with Lewis this week with a view to the duo making their way into the AFL side, possibly together. 'I think everyone's watched a bit of Adelaide this year with the genuine three, big tall (forwards) and thought there's something about what they're doing that's pretty good … it doesn't look clunky at all, they look really smooth the way they move the ball,' Mitchell said. 'They're probably giving us a bit of insight into what it looks like, but as far as selection goes, you're always going to push that can down the road because you never know who is going to be available and when.'
News.com.au
12-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL round 14 Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows: Live scores, updates and SuperCoach scores
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell is adamant the best 2025 version of captain James Sicily will be in the second half of the season, after an injury lay-off, as he tries to play down talk the Hawks have 'clicked' on the back of last week's win over the Western Bulldogs. Sicily had endured heavy scrutiny during a run of three-straight losses before he succumbed to a hip/abdominal issue that flared up against Collingwood, forcing him to take a break. While Sicily's return date remains unclear, Mitchell said he already sensed a new 'vibrancy' in his skipper who would benefit from a 'refresh' and in turn help the Hawks who reasserted their premiership credentials with a 22-point win over the Dogs. 'He's got a bit of vibrancy and a bit of energy back,' Mitchell said on Wednesday. 'I think every player, when they have a week off, they feel like they don't need it, but when they do, it's like 'oh I feel different'. He's already starting to get that vibe about him now. 'I'm not sure how the actual injury is … but getting a bit of a refresh for him has been important and getting the best from James Sicily in 2025 is hopefully in the second half of the season.' A back-to-basics approach, with a focus on pressure absent in the losses, delivered the desired result against the Bulldogs, but another test awaits this week against the Adelaide Crows who have also surged in 2025. James Sicily was feeling the heat before an injury break. Picture: Michael Klein The Crows toppled the reigning premiers Brisbane last week on the back of a 90-point demolition of last year's grand finalists Sydney the week before in a signal of their own premiership intent. It was enough for Mitchell to declare 'last week doesn't need to help us' this week, but there was a realisation from his players what was needed to contend with the best in the AFL. 'I'm trying to avoid the concept of 'clicking', it feels like that sometimes, but very much it's hard work that needs to be focused in the right place,' he said. 'The players, full credit to them, they knew the amount of pressure we put on Brisbane and Collingwood was not going to compete against the very best and the Dogs, they'd been in fantastic form to that point and same goes with Adelaide this week. 'They are going really well and we know that to get the job done against them we need to do the basics well and we need to be able to bring a game for a full four quarters that is going to trouble them. 'That's clear and our focus is clear and precise in that. 'As far as clicking, it's always a work in progress wherever you are at; last week doesn't need to help us, so we need to renew our vows and go again.' Originally published as AFL round 14 Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows: Live scores, updates and SuperCoach scores
