All the teams for the four Good Friday matches in the Smithy’s VFL.
North Melbourne has copped a quadruple blow ahead of its Good Friday clash against Carlton as injuries and AFL selection bite Tom Lynch’s team.
The Kangaroos were forced to make four changes to the team that beat Northern Bullants last week, with the experienced Liam Shiels and youngster Curtis Taylor going out, while Miller Bergman and Cooper Harvey have been ruled out for up to six weeks with injuries from that game.
Bergman played out the match before scans revealed a broken jaw, while son-of-a-great Harvey suffered an ankle syndesmosis injury.
The Roos, who haven’t beaten the Blues at VFA/VFL level in more than 127 years, do regain some experience in former AFL-listed defenders Louis Butler and Ben Davis, while Bode Stevens forces his way in and another graduate of the Beaumaris footy factory, Charlie Harrop, will make his debut.
The Blues will be itching to get going after a Round 1 bye and are set to unveil draftees Ashton Moir and Billy Wilson among six recruits for their season opener.
Medium forward Moir, the No.29 draft pick from Glenelg, and Wilson, who was taken at 34 from Dromana, will make their debuts alongside Irish Category B rookie Rob Monahan, while experienced VFL recruits Tom Phillips, Luke Nelson and Lachie Young will also wear the CFC monogram for the first time.
Brisbane Lions have fared even worse at selection, with five stars going out of the team for their game against Collingwood at Brighton Homes Arena.
Tom Doedee’s unfortunate ACL recurrence sees him go out along with promoted duo Darcy Fort and Jack Payne, while Bulldogs VFL recruit Ewan Macpherson will miss after accepting a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle last week.
Liston medallist Jarryd Lyons returns to the VFL after again losing his AFL spot, with Darcy Gardiner also coming down, while high-marking utility Riley Greene will play his first game of the year and there is a club debut for ex-Footscray and Southport midfielder Jamison Shea.
The Magpies swapped one running half-back for another, with Oleg Markov coming in for the promoted John Noble.
Former North Melbourne defender Aidan Bonar has shaken off a quad injury to make his first appearance for new club Williamstown against Coburg at Highgate Reserve, with Liam Conway winning the race to replace Mitch Cox, who is unavailable, and the luckless James Cousins, who is still awaiting results on scans on the recurrence of his hamstring injury. Tom Downie will also miss through soreness.
The Lions have two more debutants to go with the five from last week, with country footy star Caleb Ernst earning his first game from Strathfieldsaye and Kew teenager Ben Thomson also getting an opportunity alongside Ryan Sturgess.
And Port Melbourne has lost two stars to injury for its clash with an unchanged Frankston, with gun recruit Robbie McComb and midfielder Josh Green to miss one or two games with foot and ankle issues respectively.
Their spots have been taken by ruckman Tom Hofert and midfielder Angus Curry.
Teams for all Saturday and Sunday games will be announced tomorrow.
All matches in the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.
Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will broadcast select matches live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7plus nationally. This week’s game will be Casey Demons vs Box Hill Hawks.
BRISBANE LIONS vs COLLINGWOOD
Friday 29 March, 11:05am, Brighton Homes Arena
Head-to-head: Brisbane Lions 2-0; At Brighton Homes Arena: 1-0; Streak: Brisbane Lions 2; Last Time: Brisbane Lions 17.16 118 def Collingwood 7.9 51 (April 6, 2023)
BRISBANE LIONS
B: D. Joyce (41), J. Budarick (51), D. Gardiner (27)
HB: J. Madden (14), J. Prior (20), S. Brain (34)
C: K. Dunkley (52), J. Tunstill (29), H. Sharp (22)
HF: J. Manly (62), L. Lloyd (19), W. Martyn (55)
F: L. Morris (13), K. Lane (45), J. Lohmann (49)
R: H. Smith (25), J. Lyons (17), B. Reville (38)
INT: R. Torrent (36), R. Greene (53), K. Lohmann (1), L. Hude (59)*, J. Shea (58)
EMG: Z. Derksen (56), B. Gordon (47), L. Rayner (57), O. Collins (64)
IN: D. Gardiner, R. Greene, J. Lyons, J. Shea
OUT: D. Fort (AFL), J. Payne (AFL), T. Doedee (knee), E. Macpherson (suspended)
NEW: Jamison Shea, 25, Southport
COLLINGWOOD
B: S. Sofronidis (54), C. Dean (43), J. Ryan (24)
HB: T. Jiath (19), O. Markov (37), C. Mulvogue (66)
C: J. Bytel (27), L. Sullivan (33), J. Carmichael (12)
HF: H. Harrison (36), J. Richards (29), T. Wilson (56)
F: S. Glover (50), J. Hutchinson (49), A. Johnson (40)
R: A. Begg (39), E. Allan (16), N. Long (55)
INT: J. Hartman (70)*, L. Purcell (65), R. Sparkes (51), C. Lane (48), H. Kennedy (53)
EMG: C. MacDonald (74), J. Longmire (57), C. Willis (64)
IN: O. Markov
OUT: J. Noble (AFL)
NORTH MELBOURNE vs CARLTON
Friday 29 March, 12:30pm, Arden Street Oval
Head-to-head: Carlton 23-7-1; At Arden Street Oval: Carlton 6-4-4; Streak: Carlton 2; Last Time: Carlton 14.14 98 def North Melbourne 6.10 46 (April 7, 2023)
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: J. Archer (34), B. Nyuon (28), F. Maley (39)
HB: R. Hardeman (17), B. Davis (50), C. Downie (47)
C: L. Butler (49), B. Drury (41), B. George (33)
HF: R. Hansen (46), H. Greenwood (1), J. Watkins (56)
F: T. Sellers (36), S. Lowson (48), C. Comben (30)
R: H. Free (45), W. Phillips (29), D. Smith (72)
INT: W. Dawson (18), T. Goad (22), B. Stevens (65), C. Lord (71), C. Harrop (55)*
EMG: K. De La Rue (63), J. Hope (54), L.Wynd (62), J. Lienert (67)
IN: L. Butler, B. Davis, C. Harrop, B. Stevens
OUT: L. Shiels (AFL), M. Bergman (jaw), C. Harvey (syndesmosis), C. Taylor
NEW: Charlie Harrop, 18, Beaumaris/Sandringham Dragons
CARLTON
B: Le. Young (33), D. Akuei (41), B. Kemp (17)
HB: La. Young (55), L. Cowan (2), A. Cincotta (39)
C: J. Binns (25), B. Wilson (35), T. Phillips (59)
HF: Z. Maher (50), R. Monahan (34), A. Moir (43)
F: L. Nelson (57), H. Lemmey (31), H. O'Keeffe (40)
R: M. Pittonet (27), H. Ramshaw (51), A. Mills (67)
INT: H. Gill (62), W. White (77)*, J. Lefroy (79), A. Stevens (64), M. Lewis (58)
EMG: B. Lambert (80), K. Ferronato (63), B. Kuipers (60), D. Hogg (75), L. Prout (74)
NEW: Ashton Moir, 18, Plympton/Glenelg; Rob Monahan, 19, County Kerry (Ireland); Luke Nelson, 26, Coburg; Tom Phillips, 27, Essendon VFL; Billy Wilson, 18, Dromana/Dandenong Stingrays; Lachie Young, 22, North Melbourne AFL
COBURG vs WILLIAMSTOWN
Friday 29 March, 2:30pm, Highgate Recreation Reserve
Head-to-head: Williamstown 86-68-1; At Highgate Recreation Reserve: Never Met; Streak: Williamstown 16 (last lost 2007 Preliminary Final, September 16); Last Time: Williamstown 16.14 110 def Coburg 8.8 56 (April 15, 2023)
COBURG
B: I. Dammersmith (15), C. Beasley (8), R. Galvin (37)
HB: J. Corigliano (2), L. Walker (25), D. Toohey (33)
C: M. Kennedy (24), H. Bromell (5), T. Rowland (31)
HF: B. Gillard (11), T. McKenzie (3), L. Serong (17)
F: K. Weightman (26), J. D'Intinosante (7), W. Bella (16)
R: C. Keogh (29), J. Trudgeon (18), F. Gentile (4)
INT: C. Ernst (40), R. Sturgess (9), B. Thomson (35), B. Rigoni (32), H. Brown (22)
EMG: S. Grant (30), J. May (20), H. Nolan (6), D. Johnston (12), L. Bailey (1)
IN: C. Ernst, R. Sturgess, B. Thomson
OUT: L. Bailey, S. Grant, D. Johnston
NEW: Caleb Ernst, 21, Strathfieldsaye, Ben Thomson, 18, Kew Comets
WILLIAMSTOWN
B: J. Fitzgerald (8), F. O'Dwyer (17), J. Greiser (18)
HB: R. Stoddart (15), L. Parks (22), C. Polson (5)
C: M. Philpot (19), L. Conway (34), N. Gadsby (13)
HF: J. Toner (14), C. Ellison (1), C. Rich (3)
F: J. Petric (24), B. Coleman (27), B. McLaughlin (6)
R: A. Deng (30), R. Collier-Dawkins (9), W. Fordham (7)
INT: H. Minton-Connell (16), J. Browne (12), T. Triffett (23), A. Bonar (25), N. Ebinger (26)
EMG: J. Brown (28), Z. Pritchard (44), B. Andrews (29), J. Noonan (31)
IN: A. Bonar, A. Deng, L. Conway
OUT: J. Cousins (hamstring), T. Downie (soreness), M. Cox (unavailable)
NEW: Aidan Bonar, 25, North Melbourne AFL
PORT MELBOURNE vs FRANKSTON
Friday 29 March, 3:05pm, ETU Stadium
Head-to-head: Port Melbourne 42-26; At ETU Stadium: Port Melbourne 22-9; Streak: Port Melbourne 2; Last Time: Port Melbourne 16.8 104 def Frankston 13.11 89 (April 24, 2023)
PORT MELBOURNE
B: B. Smith (22), T. Highmore (35), G. Barnes (25)
HB: T. Watson (11), F. Rosman (3), O. Mulady (5)
C: T. Hird (4), A. Anastasio (19), M. Moschetti (6)
HF: M. Gahan (32), J. Miller (23), L. Rankin (15)
F: B. Gowers (10), A. Manton (16), M. Signorello (17)
R: F. Flockart (27), R. Smith (18), H. Hooper (37)
INT: C. Walker (29), L. Coghlan (30), A. Curry (13), K. Viccars (2), T. Hofert (21)
EMG: N. Stuhldreier (31), S. Johnson (8), H. Stubbings (12), L. Modica (56), S. Allen (47), S. Green (36)
IN: A. Curry, T. Hofert
OUT: J. Green (ankle), R.McComb (foot)
FRANKSTON
B: K. Stainthorpe (29), M. Williams (4), T. Barlow (3)
HB: T. Murphy (5), J. Smith (25), G. Grey (6)
C: C. Nayna (9), J. Newnes (14), J. Voss (13)
HF: T. Mynott (12), T. Marotta (30), L. Reidy (2)
F: N. Burke (17), N. Gown (1), M. Johnson (24)
R: A. Grant (19), T. Owens (7), S. Quirk (11)
INT: T. Milne (15), O. Moran (28), B. O'Leary (10), L. Riley (21), J. Butland (8)
EMG: J. McManus (43), J. Davies (35), H. Jones (39), T. Campbell-Farrell (26)
No change
*Denotes 23rd Player
