Very doubtful....but he's on the team list

Magpies name Buckley
7:19:10 PM Thu 9 June, 2005
Angus Morgan
Sportal for afl.com.au

He's no guarantee to start, but Collingwood has left its options open by naming skipper Nathan Buckley on the bench in a 25-man squad for Monday's traditional Queen's Birthday clash against Melbourne.

Also rewarded for solid form in the VFL are Matthew Lokan, Jason Cloke and Ryan Lonie. Buckley hasn't played since undergoing surgery on a troublesome hamstring tendon after the opening round clash against the Western Bulldogs. The suspended Chris Egan will miss.

Brock McLean - a late withdrawal last week with a groin strain - Jared Rivers and Guy Rigoni have been added to the Melbourne squad.

Geelong skipper Steven King will miss the home-town clash against Adelaide on Sunday, due to a calf injury, after he pulled up sore from an indoor training session on Wednesday. The Cats have also lost David Johnson with a hamstring, while Kane Tenace and Tom Lonergan have been omitted. But the Cats have regained Joel Corey and Henry Playfair. Paul Chambers, who replaces King, is also back in the side, while vice-captain Brenton Sanderson, James Rahilly, Matthew Egan and David Haynes have been added to the provisional squad.

The Adelaide selectors have retained the side that thrashed Essendon last week, while adding Trent Hentschel, Kris Massie and Scott Welsh, who was a late withdrawal against the Bombers with the flu.

The already impressive West Coast Eagles line-up is looking more imposing still with the inclusion of David Wirrpunda and Tyson Stenglein for Friday night's match against Essendon at Subiaco Oval. Wirrpunda has missed four matches with a thigh strain while Stenglein has served a one match suspension. Youngsters Sam Butler and Mark LeCras are the pair to make way.

Justin Murphy, Mark Bolton and Angus Monfries have been included for Essendon in place of Damian Cupido, Paul Thomas and Jason Winderlich.

Forward John Barker will make a welcome return from a strained quad for Hawthorn against St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday. Simon Taylor and Chance Bateman, both late withdrawals last week, also come in for Nick Ries, Steven Green and Nick Holland.

St Kilda is looking stronger for the inclusion of Brendan Goddard, Justin Koschitzke, Aaron Fiora, Allan Murray and Raphael Clarke. Clarke's brother Xavier will miss with hamstring tightness while Barry Brooks, Jason Gram, Mark McGough and veteran Justin Peckett have been dropped.

Searching for a winning combination, the Carlton selectors have made three unforced changes, promoting Glen Bowyer, Brett Johnson and Trent Sporn from the Northern Bullants in place of Adam Bentick, David Clarke and Digby Morrell.

Nigel Lappin is set to play his 250th match for the Brisbane Lions. His inclusion for Leigh Ryswyk (quad strain) is the only change from the line-up that defeated Fremantle at Subiaco Oval last Saturday.

There's just the one change for Port Adelaide's clash against the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium on Sunday. Byron Pickett is in for the suspended Aaron Shattock. The Western Bulldogs needed to find replacements for injured trio Daniel Giansiracusa, Chris Grant and Adam Morgan. They opted for Patrick Bowden, Cameron Faulkner and Cameron Wight.

After several false starts, Sydney veteran midfielder Paul Williams looks set to return from a calf strain against Fremantle at the SCG on Sunday. Sean Dempster, Jason Saddington and Adam Schneider are among the Swans' interchange options, with Matthew Nicks the only confirmed omission.

Fremantle has lost Shaun McManus with an eye socket problem, while Graham Polak and Steven Dodd have been suspended by the club for a breach of team rules. In their place come Andrew Browne, Daniel Gilmore, Brett Peake, Byron Schammer, Dylan Smith and Dion Woods. Peake is in line to make his AFL debut and Browne to play his first match for the season.

After expecting to miss up to 18 weeks, due to shoulder surgery, Daniel Motlop is set to make an earlier than expected return for the Kangaroos against Richmond at Telstra Dome on Sunday. Motlop has been named on interchange along with the 'Roos other inclusions, Brent LeCras, Daniel Pratt and Daniel Harris. Justin Perkins will miss.

The Richmond selectors have added three players - Andrew Raines, Danny Meyer and Jay Schulz - to the line-up that went down narrowly to the West Coast Eagles last Saturday. Raines has been named on a wing while Meyer and Schulz are among the Tigers' interchange options.