The AFL will decide upon Williams’ fate after his high bump on Clark on Monday after the full nine-match AAMI Community Series schedule.But a medium-impact, careless bump would result in Williams missing the Round 1 clash against Richmond.Williams jumped off the ground to strike Clark, with almost every bump assessed by the match review officer as careless.Watch every match of the 2021 AAMI Community Series LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >ROBBO: GET SERIOUS, AFL, AND SUSPEND WILLIAMS FOR DUMB ACTThe Herald Sun understands Clark, who was shaken after the incident but continued on, later needed assessment to check whether he had delayed concussion.He passed that SCAT test and will be available for the season opener against the Giants.The fact Williams caused enough damage for Clark to need a concussion test makes it extremely likely the force will be assessed as medium given the capacity to cause injury.A range of circumstances are taken into account when considering the force of a strike.They include the look of the strike and the damage caused, with Williams jumping off the ground to hit Clark high.Match review officer Michael Christian made clear that he would protect the head last year when he suspended Essendon’s Dylan Shiel for two weeks and St Kilda’s Ben Long for three weeks for a bump labelled “severe” impact.If he is suspended, Carlton would be likely to head to the tribunal to challenge the ban next week given the border-line nature of the hit and Williams’ importance to its Round 1 side.Blues coach David Teague said on Thursday night he was hopeful Willams would be available.“Everyone’s talking about it, so there must be something to worry about,” he said. “I briefly looked at it on the phone and to be honest the view wasn’t great, so I’m not exactly sure.“I’ve loved having him at our footy club and really hope he’s available (for Round 1).”AFL: Prized Carlton recruit faces a nervous wait, with the midfielder set to be scrutinised by the AFL MRO after this bump on Saint Hunter Clark.‘A lot of things right’: Saints rookie in line to take veteran’s spot- Marc McGowanOut-of-favour St Kilda defender Jake Carlisle could score a round one reprieve after recruit James Frawley suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday night.Carlisle wasn’t selected in the Saints’ practice game last week or for the AAMI Community Series clash with Carlton despite coach Brett Ratten confirming he was fit and available.Frawley’s hamstring setback, which occurred during a first-quarter chase, will rule him out of round one contention, swinging the door open for another of St Kilda’s defenders to grab the opportunity.Dan Hannebery (calf) is also unlikely to play in the season opener as the Saints opt for a “conservative approach”, but No.1 ruckman Paddy Ryder (head knock) isn’t in doubt after skipping the Blues match.Max King (ankle) also left the field late after kicking three goals.Mature-age SANFL draftee Tom Highmore replaced Frawley for the final three terms, while Irishman Darragh Joyce, an emergency on Thursday night, is another option.Ratten was unsure of the severity of Frawley’s injury, but expected the former Hawk and Demon to miss at least two weeks and probably more.“Jake’s had a full pre-season … (but) we thought Frawley was in front,” Ratten said.“Highmore is young (enough) to sit on the bench and just wait and maybe play a quarter, and we were going to maybe take (Dougal) Howard or (Callum) Wilkie off towards the end of the game.“But Frawley did the hamstring early, so Highmore got more of an opportunity, but you don’t want to sit Jake in that space and make him maybe play only a quarter, which is not great for his back and everything, but he’s ready to go.”Ratten was hesitant to say which player led the race for Frawley’s defensive spot, but said Highmore had “done a lot of things right”.“We’ll go through that in selection and whether Jake comes in or it’s Highmore for GWS, or we play a bit different,” he said.“(Jimmy) Webster can play a bit taller and he’s done that, (Nick) Coffield’s shown he can play taller as well, so we’re not going to make any decisions.”RELATED: EVERY KFC SUPERCOACH SCORE FROM THE AAMI SERIESCarlton had its own injury concerns, with Harry McKay (ankle), Jack Newnes (ankle) and Jacob Weitering (corked hip) all exiting the game, but none is of great concern.Eddie Betts (calf) will play in a VFL practice match on Friday, while coach David Teague said key forwards Mitch McGovern (hamstring) and Levi Casboult (jarred knee) were nearing full fitness.“They weren’t too far away – they probably needed a couple of extra days,” Teague said of McGovern and Casboult.“We’ll get some match sim into them throughout the next week and they’ll both be putting their hand up.“They’ve had strong pre-seasons up until these last little hiccups, so we expect them to be available for round one.”The Blues will have to wait until Monday to find out whether star recruit Zac Williams faces any sanction for his high bump on Hunter Clark in the opening seconds of Thursday night’s game.Match report: Encouraging signs Hill can deliver on promiseNot much went wrong for St Kilda last year, but the picky Saints fans would’ve wanted more from Bradley Hill.Hill was the most expensive of list boss James Gallagher’s extraordinary High Five of trade recruits, including Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder, Dan Butler and Zak Jones, but proved the least impactful.On Thursday night’s evidence, the dashing former Docker and Hawk is set to repay the faith in season two of his lucrative five-year deal.Hill’s damaging run and silky skills were a headache for Carlton from the get-go – and the pulse in St Kilda’s offence-packed victory in the clubs’ AAMI Community Series clash on Thursday night.He racked up almost 300 metres gained by quarter-time and never took his foot off the pedal in a scintillating display that will have planted a wide smile on coach Brett Ratten’s dial.So impressive was Hill (25 disposals) that Blues coach David Teague sent Ed Curnow to him by the second quarter to try and dull his influence.Defence was largely forgotten in the opening half as the two sides produced a thrill-a-minute shootout that ended 19.11 (125) to 15.9 (99) in favour of the impressive Saints.They combined for 13 goals in a 35-minute first term and 22 by halftime, with many of them coming from point-blank range.Goals were harder to come by after that, but Carlton would have been closer than 18 points at three-quarter time if not for straightforward Zac Williams and Lachie Fogarty misses.Jack Lonie cashed in with four goals for St Kilda – rubber-stamping his Round 1 spot, if there was any doubt in the first place – while Max King and Tim Membrey booted six majors between them.Blues forward Jack Silvagni slotted a team-high three goals, and Williams, Marc Pittonet, list hopeful Oscar McDonald, the clever Zac Fisher and Marc Murphy kicked two apiece.If the AFL is dreaming of more scoring this year, then this was an early indication it might come true, on top of last week’s practice matches.There’s been a hyper-focus on the new man-on-the-mark rule and there will be more to discuss after Shaun McKernan gave away a 50m penalty to Liam Jones after illegally moving backwards.Footy21 HS promo 650x90It was an action-packed start, with Williams delivering a glancing – and high – blow to Hunter Clark in his first official act for Carlton, as Clark drove the Saints forward after the first centre bounce.Clark bounced back to his feet after momentarily being shaken and left the afield for assessment, but soon returned to the field.The incident will put the match review officer to work early.There were some fallen soldiers on the night, with new Saint James Frawley hurting a hamstring in an opening-term chase, while Harry McKay (ankle) and Jack Newnes (ankle) went down for Carlton.Max King (ankle) also took himself from the field and Jacob Weitering (corked hip) was another whose night ended prematurely.IN A NUTSHELLCarltonThe Blues were a bit loose down back in the opening half, so that will occupy some of David Teague’s time during the week. They might need to strike a better balance between defence and attack, but they fought on well and were particularly good in the third term. Losing Harry McKay early and being without Mitch McGovern and Levi Casboult meant it was a different-looking forward line.St KildaThere were a lot of ticks for the Saints, with the recruits – particularly Jack Higgins and Shaun McKernan – fitting in seamlessly and Jack Sinclair producing great drive and winning 28 touches in a new half-back role. They’re brimming with talent and there’s no reason to think they can’t at least match last year’s effort of winning a final.SELECTION PUZZLESCarltonPaddy Dow capped a strong summer with another good midfield showing, even if it wasn’t quite as compelling as his practice match performance against Essendon. Lachie Fogarty is another player trying to force his way into the 22 for round one and was solid enough, although he would’ve loved to finish his close-range snap late in the third term.St KildaThere was some doubt about the Saints’ plans down back around their tall timber, but Jack Sinclair looks primed to be down there after a strong effort at half-back. Recruit Shaun McKernan will have given St Kilda’s selectors plenty to think about as well, as they weigh up what to do in the ruck. James Frawley’s hamstring injury might change their defensive plans.ONES TO WATCHCarlton: Oscar McDonaldMcDonald still isn’t officially a Blue as the clock ticks towards the March 9 pre-season supplemental selection period deadline, but he only enhanced his chances of reviving his AFL career. McDonald was a key defender at Melbourne, but provided an aerial contest up forward for Carlton – and did it well – kicked a couple of goals and spelled Marc Pittonet in the ruck.Jack SilvagniIf Silvagni wasn’t a round one lock before Thursday night, he was by night’s end. He was involved in plenty of the Blues’ forward thrusts, helping himself to three goals and setting up a series of others in a busy performance.St Kilda: Jack HigginsOpportunity won’t be a problem at the Saints for Higgins, who’s made every post a winner so far at his second AFL stop. The ex-Tiger looks to be St Kilda’s latest trade masterstroke, with his creativity, ball-winning ability and goal sense proving an excellent addition.Jade GreshamThe ‘Gresh Prince’ hadn’t played a competitive match since round 11 last year because of a stress fracture in his lower back. The Saints were cautious with his rehabilitation and he looked sharp on Thursday night. Gresham was put on ice in the last quarter after winning 18 disposals and kicking a goal.SIDELINEDCarltonCharlie Curnow (knee), Nic Newman (inflammation behind kneecap), Caleb Marchbank (calf), Sam Philp (hip flexor), Tom De Koning (back), Mitch McGovern (hamstring), Levi Casboult (jarred knee), Eddie Betts (calf) and Brodie Kemp (syndesmosis) are among the Blues on the sidelines.St KildaBig man Rowan Marshall (foot) is nursing a stress injury, while Paddy Ryder (head knock), Dan Hannebery (calf), Jarryn Geary (fractured fibula), Zak Jones (hamstring), Ryan Byrnes (hamstring) and Ben Paton (broken leg) are others still out.RELATED: EVERY KFC SUPERCOACH SCORE FROM THE AAMI SERIESSCOREBOARDCARLTON 15.9 (99)ST KILDA 19.11 (125)GOALSSt Kilda: Lonie 4, King 3, Membrey 3, Butler, Higgins, Gresham, Ross, Hill, Battle, Hunter, Sinclair, McKernanCarlton: J. Silvagni 3, Williams 2, Pittonet 2, McDonald 2, Fisher 2, Murphy 2, Saad, Cuningham



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