After both making the initial cut, Tongala’s Harley Reid and Shepparton Swans’ Josh Rachele have been named in the final 2025 AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 Team of the Year.
The fan-voted team recognises the best players aged under 22 during the home and away season, with Rachele making his third appearance while 2025 marks Reid’s second selection.
Rachele has enjoyed an impressive campaign, booting 25 majors from 13 games that included a Goal of the Year nomination in round 13.
Meanwhile, midfield bull Reid has continued on from his impressive debut season in 2024, averaging 18.8 disposals, 3.9 clearances and 3.5 tackles for the Eagles in 2025.
And though the Tongala star’s season is over with an ankle injury preventing him from featuring in West Coast’s final outing, hope remains for Rachele.
Adelaide tops the AFL ladder and is expected to go deep into finals, meaning if all goes to plan, the Swans’ product could be back on the ground in as little as two weeks.
The live wire small forward has not played since round 17 win when he suffered a Posterior Capsular tear along with a bone compression injury, but he returned to running this week on an AlterG treadmill and is no longer required to wear a knee brace.
“Josh Rachele got some pleasing news from the surgeon yesterday,” Adelaide’s high performance general manager Darren Burgess said.
“He’s able to run on the AlterG (and) he’ll run on-field later this week.
“We’re anticipating a two-three week recovery process before he’s able to play.”
Fellow Crow Oscar Ryan (Shepparton United), who is yet to debut, is anticipated to return from a hamstring injury in three weeks.
Meanwhile, there is a chance Mooroopna’s Laitham Vandermeer could return from a concussion for Western Bulldogs’ crucial seventh-versus-eighth clash against Fremantle on Sunday.
Vandermeer, alongside forward Josh Dolan, will be tested to see if they’re fit for selection, according to Bulldogs’ head of sports medicine Chris Bell.
“We have come through both our AFL and VFL games on the weekend without any major injury concerns,” Bell said.
“Both Josh and Laitham have progressed well across the last week within our concussion protocol.
“Both players still have some boxes to tick across this week to align them with returning to main training on Friday – but both remain on track to return to availability.”
Another Goulburn Valley local who may reach full fitness soon is Benalla’s Harry Morrison.
The Hawthorn winger has been sidelined with a quad injury and hasn't featured for the Hawks since round 21.
However, the 26-year-old has undergone fitness tests this week and could be right to play in Hawthorn’s Sunday clash against Brisbane at the Gabba.
“Harry's made some progression over the weekend and at the end of last week. He has progressed to running faster and started some kicking on Monday,” Hawthorn high performance manager Peter Burge said.
“We'll make an assessment as to his availability over the weekend.”
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