THE FIRST teams for the 2022 NAB AFLW season have landed, and the season-opener will see the Hosking twins reunited in the black and yellow after Jess joined Richmond during the Trade Period.
Three Tigers players will make their debut, including their first selection of the 2021 NAB AFLW Draft, Stella Reid, while another four will make their first appearance in new colours, highlighted by the recently added Beth Lynch and ex-Saint Poppy Kelly.
St Kilda will be without the experienced Kate Shierlaw, with other notable outs being Nicola Xenos and Nat Exon.
As reported by womens.afl, Shierlaw's partner and North Melbourne champion Emma Kearney was isolating after returning two positive rapid tests. Shierlaw, Xenos and Molly McDonald will all miss due to the AFL's health and safety protocols.
Olivia Vesely returns for the Saints after missing all of 2021 through injury, with defender Lucy Burke, midfielder Alana Woodward and ruck Leah Cutting making their first appearance in the Saints' guernsey.
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St Kilda's midfield has a different make-up, too, with Georgia Patrikios missing due to the AFL's vaccination policy and Tyanna Smith inactive due to an ACL injury.
Tarni White and Cat Phillips have been named through the middle of the ground to support Veseley and Rosie Dillon, with Woodward on the wing.
After playing all 15 games for the Tigers to date, Kodi Jacques has been listed as an emergency, and Sarah Dargan has not been named.
Friday, January 7
St Kilda v Richmond at Skybus Stadium, 7.15pm AEDT
ST KILDA
B: T.Lucas-Rodd 18 R.Ott 20
HB: B.Jakobsson 8 J.Van Dyk 36 H.Priest - C 14
C: A.Woodward 4 T.White 29 C.Phillips 35
HF: D.Guttridge 5 I.Shannon 11 K.McCarthy 9
F: C.Greiser 17 J.Vogt 10
Foll: R.Watt 7 O.Vesely 23 R.Dillon 25
I/C: J.Matin 19 L.Burke 30 A.Burke 3 R.Saulitis 13 L.Cutting 26
Emerg: E.Friend 16 T.Meyer 34
RICHMOND
B: R.Miller 15 H.Cordner 23
HB: S.D'Arcy 12 J.Hosking 11 K.Dempsey 19
C: T.Lavey 37 S.Hosking 7 M.Shevlin 35
HF: M.Brancatisano 5 G.Seymour 28 T.Stahl 24
F: K.Brennan - C 3 C.Wakefield 8
Foll: P.Kelly 14 M.Kiely 31 M.Conti 4
I/C: B.Lynch 32 E.Yassir 27 C.Bernardi 6 H.Burchell 9 S.Reid 25
Emerg: K.Jacques 10 M.Macdonald 38