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No selection shocks expected in AFL

3 minute read

Richmond and Adelaide are set to take unchanged lineups into Saturday's AFL grand final.

Mitch McGovern's untimely hamstring injury has made it highly likely that Adelaide and Richmond will both take unchanged teams into Saturday's AFL grand final.

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The Crows forward missed last weekend's big preliminary-final victory over Geelong after straining his hamstring at training earlier this month.

McGovern, 22, had hoped to force his way back into the side but ran out of time to prove his fitness.

He hasn't come up," Crows coach Don Pyke told the crowd at an open training session at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.

Andy Otten replaced McGovern for the preliminary final and is likely to retain his spot, although the smaller and faster Wayne Milera will also be considered.

Richmond are also set to keep faith with the same 22 players who suited up in their previous two stirring finals wins over the Cats and GWS.

The Tigers' VFL side narrowly lost their grand final last week with a lineup including a host of players with plenty of senior-level experience such as the in-form Sam Lloyd, Anthony Miles, Connor Menadue and Oleg Markov.

Small forward Jason Castagna had been under some pressure, but he almost certainly did enough in the 36-point AFL win over the Giants to hold his spot.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said there were a few sore players after the preliminary-final triumph, a group understood to include key defender David Astbury and onballer Kane Lambert, but they were not in any real doubt.

The grand final teams will be revealed at 1825 AEST on Thursday.

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