TWO BEST and fairest winners have been ruled out for the season, with Gold Coast's Jamie Stanton and St Kilda's Liv Vesely sidelined by serious injuries.
Stanton fractured the base of her right fibula and damaged her syndesmosis in a first-quarter tackle against Adelaide, needing immediate pain relief while on the ground.
In other Gold Coast injury news, young tall Maddy Levi is available for selection after swelling from a hyperextended knee subsided, while tough midfielder Emma Pittman made the first steps in her comeback from a torn ACL suffered mid-2019, playing in the QAFLW.
There's no timeline on academy signing Ellie Hampson's foot injury, while Sarah Perkins (MCL) and Annise Bradfield (ACL) are out for the season.
St Kilda's Vesely has not played at all this year, battling a calf injury, but in recent days had surgery to remove a torn plantaris muscle (which runs down the length of the calf) which had adhered to her Achilles tendon.
Key back Rebecca Ott has also been ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury in the VFLW, but there is no damage to her ACL. Fellow defender Selena Karlson's Achilles needs another week of rest.
In some positive news for the Saints, Molly McDonald (quad), Jacqui Vogt (broken pinkie) and Jess Matin (hamstring awareness) are likely to play this week, while Nat Exon (shoulder knock) is a test.
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In a significant blow to GWS' running stocks, Nicola Barr has undergone surgery on her finger and has been ruled out for at least the next three weeks.
The club's other two injuries are Tanya Hetherington (ankle, 3-5 weeks) and Brid Stack (neck, indefinite).
Sarah Rowe (shoulder) is a chance to return for Collingwood this week, needing to pass a test in order to take on Brisbane.
Recruit Abbey Green is just one week away after a lingering knee injury, there is still no timeline on Ash Brazill's return from an ACL, while Jordan Membrey tore her ACL two weeks ago.
Carlton could get a boost for its big clash against Fremantle, with speedster Brooke Walker (foot) a test this week, which would be her first game for the season.
Tayla Harris was out "a bit banged up" last week with a bit of a sore knee, but coach Daniel Harford is confident the star forward will return, while Daisy Walker is also available after a week's rest.
As reported on Monday, exciting draftee Mimi Hill has ruptured her ACL, and defender Brooke Vernon may need another week to overcome a calf injury.
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It's a much shorter injury list this week for West Coast, compared to last week's 11 entries.
Key position players Sophie McDonald (hand) and Andrea Gilmore (concussion) are both tests, Tayla Bresland (hamstring), Julie-Anne Norrish (groin) and Beatrice Devlyn (leg) are 1-2 weeks away, while star Dana Hooker (foot) was sidelined for the season back in round two.
As previously reported, young Adelaide defender Nikki Gore will miss the rest of the season with a fractured ankle.
The news is better for the rest of the list, with Eloise Jones, Maddy Newman, Hannah Button (all shoulders) and Hannah Munyard (calf) all tests this week.
Dual premiership player Dayna Cox is still a week away with a hamstring injury, having not played yet this season.
The injury list is shortening by the week at Fremantle.
Evie Gooch (back tightness) and Mikayla Morrison (appendicitis) returned in the WAFLW last week, with the latter booting 4.3.
Tarnee Tester is still 1-2 weeks away with her knee injury, while there is no timeline on Aine Tighe (meniscus).
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North Melbourne may be boosted by the return of defender Sarah Wright (fractured arm), needing a test to play this week.
Young forward Alice O'Loughlin injured her ankle (and kicked three goals) in the VFLW, with no timeline yet set, Britt Gibson (hamstring) also has no timeline, while Amy Smith (ankle) has one more week on the sidelines.
Geelong will be cautious with Millie Brown, with the young defender having reaggravated the hamstring which caused her to miss three matches already this year.
Liv Purcell underwent surgery on her ACL on Tuesday, while Nina Morrison will reach the 12-month mark of her own ACL injury this weekend.
Meg Downie looked poised for a comeback from the ankle injury she sustained during a pre-season match, but the Melbourne defender needs one more week.
Sinead Goldrick (hamstring tightness) is a test after missing last round, and Shae Sloane (ACL) and Krstel Petrevski (hamstring) are both out for the season, with the latter having started running laps at training.
Monique Conti (hamstring tightness) is set to be a big inclusion for Richmond after her late withdrawal from the match against North Melbourne.
Alana Woodward is still battling a calf injury, while Cleo Saxon-Jones has been sidelined for the past few weeks with concussion.
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With Emma King on the horizon, the Western Bulldogs will be sweating on the results of ruck Kim Rennie's test (ankle).
Small defender/midfielder Ange Gogos is still 1-2 weeks away with her ankle injury, while Lauren Spark (ankle) and Deanna Berry (ACL) are the club's season-long injuries.
It's a relatively clean bill of health at Brisbane, with Lily Postlethwaite (ACL) the major injury concern.
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