MELBOURNE could receive a boost through the midfield this week, as Tom Sparrow looks to be available for selection in Round 21.
The powerful midfielder missed last weekend’s match due to calf tightness, but the club’s High Performance Manager Selwyn Griffith said the Demon was on track for availability.
“He integrated back in with the team today,” Griffith told Melbourne Media.
“He’ll need to train fully on Thursday to prove his fitness for selection for the weekend.”
Clayton Oliver is inching closer to a return to play, continuing to work through his rehabilitation of a hamstring injury.
“Clayton is progressing really well, he’ll integrate into full training,” Griffith said.
“He’s unlikely to be available this week but some really positive steps for him on his return to performance.”
Tom McDonald (ankle) and Kye Turner (groin) are moving in similar fashion with their respective injuries, both eyeing a return through the VFL next weekend.
“They’ve both integrated really well into the main group and continue to full train,” Griffith said.
“Our VFL team has a bye this week, but they’ll look to be available for selection in the following week.”
Bayley Fritsch, who’s spent the last four weeks out of action with a foot fracture, has made successful steps forward in his own rehab schedule.
“Bayley has begun his running progressions,” Griffith said.
“So, once we get a bit more of a training load into him, we’ll have a clearer picture of his return date in the weeks to come.”
Daniel Turner also continues to progress through his scaphoid fracture, which is expected to sideline him for the next three to four weeks.
In disappointing news for the young Demon, Oliver Sestan has sustained an injury to his elbow after dislocating it during a contest in the VFL on Sunday.
“Following imaging and a review with surgical consults, unfortunately for him, he’ll have to undergo surgery due to the joint being unstable,” Griffith said.
“Unfortunately, his season is finished given the length of the return to play of that injury, but he’ll be able to integrate into our end of season and off-season conditioning and we’ll have Ollie bigger and better for next year.”
Sestan will remain on the sidelines alongside Blake Howes, whose season was ended following surgery on his scaphoid fracture last week.
“He’s recovered well,” Griffith said.
“He’s got a bit of time until he gets clearance from the surgeon to sweat, but he’s already back with the group and starting to do some strength work with our strength team.”