Dusty firms for Tiger return as Roos rule out Wardlaw

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Dusty firms for Tiger return as Roos rule out Wardlaw

North Melbourne are bracing for the “frightening proposition” of taking on Richmond superstar Dustin Martin and have ruled out young **** George Wardlaw for a battle that could decide the AFL’s wooden spoon.

Rising Star contender Wardlaw has been sidelined with delayed concussion symptoms after the second-from-bottom Kangaroos’ loss to Geelong last round.

The 20-year-old midfielder is unavailable to face the last-placed Tigers at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

“He’s not going to play this week,” North coach Alastair Clarkson told reporters after Thursday’s training session.

“He reported that he’d been unwell with a bit of delayed concussion, we think, from an incident late in the (Geelong) game.

“We were unaware of that until this morning, in terms of him continuing to be unwell.

“So unfortunately we’re going to have to declare him out of the side and see where it goes from there.”

Clarkson is hopeful both Aidan Corr (ankle) and Charlie Comben (groin) will be cleared to play, with the pair to be named in the team on Thursday evening and assessed before the game.

Young star Colby McKercher (soreness) is set to play against Richmond but Zac Fisher (foot) will miss out.

Richmond veteran Martin completed training at Punt Road on Thursday and is set to return after more than a month out with a back complaint.

Tigers midfielder Tim Taranto is also likely to play despite being hampered by a lower back issue last week.

“We’ll just prepare for Richmond at their best and for Dustin at his best, which is a bit of a frightening proposition,” Clarkson said.

“He’s just an ornament to the game really.

“I don’t know what he’ll do next year – whether it’s at Richmond, elsewhere or whether he’ll retire – but we need to applaud this bloke for what he’s contributed to our game.

“I’m not sure we’ll ever see it again; three Norm Smith medals in three winning (grand) finals.”

North Melbourne and Richmond both take 2-17 records into Saturday’s contest, with the Kangaroos boasting a slightly superior percentage.

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