Drysdale will welcome back captain Mitch McGuire for its cutthroat semi-final meeting with Modewarre as it attempts to avoid becoming the first qualifying final team to make a straight-sets exit since Anglesea in 2016.
The gun midfielder missed last week’s 27-point loss to the Roos due to a calf injury.
However, coach Ben Carmichael has confirmed McGuire is ready for Sunday’s clash at Portarlington’s Ron Evans Oval, replacing suspended forward Jake Hargreaves.
“He was really close last week,” Carmichael said. “He’ll be ready to go this week, which we’re really excited about.
“We probably missed his leadership out there late in the game last week and his ability to win the ball at the source.”
Carmichael and several Drysdale players were an interested spectator as the Warriors overcame a third-quarter challenge to end Geelong Amateur’s season.
The two teams met in Round 18, with the Hawks overcoming a Modewarre line-up missing Tom Hornsey, Baxter Anderson, Michael Harper and Josh Finch.
“They’re really strong around the contest and got books behind the footy that can run and carry,” Carmichael said.
“I saw on Sunday that their guys behind the footy can have some real impact.
“And once they get it into their dangerous forwards, they don’t need many chances to convert.
“They kicked their goals from everywhere on the weekend, and Connor Joseph was really impressive.”
Modewarre has lodged an unchanged team, with coach Mark Hovey set to give Warriors great Josh Finch as late as possible to decide whether he plays after injuring a calf in the elimination final win over Geelong Amateur.
BFNL: AT SELECTION – SEMI-FINALS
On Saturday, Great Ocean Road Rivals Torquay and Anglesea will meet at Ron Evans Oval for the first spot in this year’s grand final.
As reported earlier this week, four-time Ash Medal winner James Darke is back from a broken hand for the Tigers.
Big man Ed McCoy has also been named in the squad for his first game since injuring a knee in Round 9, while veteran Tim Carty and fellow premiership player Harry McLeod have been selected on an extended bench.
The only confirmed out is Jacob Ireland, who suffered a serious hamstring injury in the final-round win over Barwon Heads.
The Roos have replaced Jack Rice (hamstring) with the experienced Sam Leeds.
Anglesea captain James Carr has played down suggestions that the match would be a “free hit” against the raging premiership favourites.
“On paper, you probably would say that,” Carr told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“But, you can’t have that mindset because if you go in with the mindset of a “free hit”, you’re accepting the fact that you’re going to play next week.
“And we’re going in hoping we don’t have to play next week – that’s our mindset.
“We took the same mindset into Drysdale on the weekend that this was it.
“We didn’t want to have to play this weekend in an elimination game.”
X: @krockfootball
