WAFL 2024: Swan Districts face selection squeeze as Tom Edwards, Jesse Glass-McCasker return for final

Swan Districts are facing a selection squeeze with star pair Tom Edwards and Jesse Glass-McCasker set to return for their preliminary final clash against Peel Thunder on Sunday. It’s likely to once again put pressure on co-captain Brandon Erceg as the Swans look to find the right balance to make their first grand final in 14 years. Erceg was a late withdrawal from their qualifying final win over the Thunder earlier this month, with coach Andrew Pruyn bringing in Ben Hewett to give them more run. It was a tactic that worked as they ran away 17-point winners to go one win away from the decider. Hewett and Erceg as well as forward Luke Kelly and defender Brenton Hilton are all under a cloud heading into the game as Pruyn and his coaches try to get the right team balance. Edwards, 24, will return for his first game of the finals after being sidelined with concussion following an incident that led to Perth’s Tarkyn Brogan-Henry being suspended. The high-flying forward has been a pivotal part of their forward line, booting a career-high 37 goals in 18 games to attract interest from AFL clubs. Glass-McCasker, 27, was a late out from the second semifinal loss to East Perth with an abductor injury but is set come in to assistant Nathan Blakely in the ruck against Fremantle-listed bigman Liam Reidy. Co-captain Jesse Turner has been ruled out of this weekend’s game with the MCL injury he picked up in the victory over the Thunder, but those at the club remain hopeful he could make a stunning comeback for the grand final. They are already without hard-running midfielder Aidan Clarke, who was handed a four-week suspension for striking Peel’s Brady Grey down in Mandurah a fortnight ago. The Thunder will be forced to make at least one change after forward Nathan Wilson was suspended for striking Claremont’s Kieran Gowdie in the first semifinal on Sunday. Fremantle-listed defender Karl Worner is a strong chance to return from a calf complaint, but it will force another Dockers player out of the team with the Thunder only able to play a maximum of 12 during finals. Midfielder Will Brodie (corked thigh) and forward Matt Taberner (thumb) are both believed to be on track to play despite picking up injuries in the thrilling one-point win over the Tigers. A crowd of about 6000 is anticipated for the game at Steel Blue Oval on Sunday, but the Midland train line is once again down this weekend and may affect the turnout.