THE remarkable Cecilia McIntosh will tick off another milestone in her decorated multi-sport career when she plays her 50th rebel VFLW game in Essendon’s clash with Port Melbourne at The Hangar on Saturday.
McIntosh is still a star of the competition at 42, having kicked three goals in the opening round shutout of the Western Bulldogs last week.
She won the former VWFL’s Helen Lambert Medal in 2008, was an All-Australian in 2009 and played 17 AFLW games for Collingwood from 2017-19.
She made her name in javelin, claiming a silver medal in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and represented Australia in bobsled at the 2010 Winter Olympics after earlier being runner-up in the Australian Weightlifting Championships in 1997.
The Bombers have lost Jessie Davies (groin) and Grace Dicker (unavailable) and handed a debut to Olivia Manfre for their clash with the Borough, who will be looking to make up for a last-quarter fadeout against Casey.
Port has been rocked by a knee injury to Courteney Bromage which will sideline her for unknown amount of time, and a shoulder problem to Beth Wilson, but will finally get to unveil lively small forward Sabrine Navarro after her recovery from an ACL injury suffered shortly before last season, also regaining dangerous Sarah Dargan and Emily Harley.
Two of the big winners from Round 1, Geelong and Hawthorn, lock horns in a mouthwatering clash at Deakin University, coming off identical 59-point thrashings of Carlton and North Melbourne respectively.
The Cats have been boosted by the returns of Laura Gardiner and Madisen Maguire from the AFLW team, plus ruck Olivia Fuller, despite last week’s best-on-ground Olivia Barber being promoted.
The Hawks have called up highly-rated NAB League Girls star Jaide Anthony for a club debut after she played five games for Port Melbourne last year, replacing Katelyn Cox.
Collingwood has called in the cavalry as it aims to bounce back from last week’s shock loss to the Southern Saints in the rebel VFLW match of the round against North Melbourne at Aegis Park.
The Magpies have regained the services of Rohenna Young medallist Imogen Barnett, as well as AFLW key forward Sabrina Frederick, talented wing Imogen Purcell and Hannah Bowey, the sister of Melbourne AFL premiership player Jake and daughter of former St Kilda player Brett among six changes to the team that saw its 18-match winning streak end at Victoria Park last Sunday.
They have also handed a debut to Coburg centre half-forward Shanel Camilleri as they boost their attack after kicking just one goal against the Saints.
Father-daughter Tarni Brown misses out along with last week’s debutant Rhiannon Busch and the experienced Danica Pedersen, among others.
The Kangaroos will also have a debutant from Coburg, with Tegan Bradley, 19, named on the bench to replace Williamstown recruit Emily Paterno (health and safety protocols) among three changes to the team thrashed by Hawthorn.
Darebin has lost experienced pair Nicole Callinan (unavailable) and Simone Ruedin (calf) for its “away” game against Casey on its early-season home ground at LaTrobe University.
The Falcons picked up three injuries in their comeback win over Williamstown, with Millie Shone (quad) and Naomi Celebre (calf) to also miss against a Demons team who also came from behind to win.
Casey has handed debuts to Frankston 23-year-olds Amy Laing and Zoe Mitchell, but has been weakened by Alison Brown, Tahlia Gillard, Krstel Petrevski and Olivia Purcell all being called into the Melbourne team, while Steph Rummel is out with concussion.
Carlton has been boosted by the inclusion of Lauren Brazzale, Esther Honybun, Charlotte Wilson, Brooke Walker and Charlotte Hammans after its big loss to Geelong, while Thomay Nicolaou will debut against the Southern Saints at Ikon Park.
The Saints made four changes, with skipper Kate McCarthy, Nat Exon and Jacqui Vogt promoted by St Kilda, while Maddi Capsalis, Georgia McLean and Nikki Wallace come in and Tessa Boyd makes her debut.
The Western Bulldogs have been able to select a full team of listed players after needing five top-ups and having nobody who had played more than Mary Sandral's 25 games when held scoreless by Essendon last week, with Katelyn Betts, Amanda Ling, Annabel Strahan, Jemima Woods and debutant Jemma Webster all coming into the team to play Williamstown in the VFLW Western Derby.
The Seagulls have been boosted by the inclusion of experienced former Bulldog Tayla Dinuccio and Asha Price, while Alanna Doherty debuts and Sarah Hosking plays her second game.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
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CASEY DEMONS v DAREBIN
Saturday, February 19, 10am @ La Trobe University, Bundoora (YouTube VFLW, 9.45am)
CASEY DEMONS
B: 26. E Horne, 20. B Tarrant
HB: 7. C Selleck, 30. R Grant, 14. M Chaplin
C: 18. E O’Connor, 33. A Dowler, 38. A Kirkwood
HF: 31. T Fellows, 37. B Borchard, 13. S Notman
F: 32. T Reiter, 36. G Campbell
R: 46. M Caris, 15. C McCrossan, 16. B Woolcock
Inter: 9. B Lenarcic, 23. Z Mitchell, 27. A Laing, 45. M Hogg, 62. G Byrne
Emerg: 3. E Dempster, 10. J Macdonald
*AFLW emergencies underlined
In: Byrne, Caris, Laing, Mitchell, Notman
Out: A Brown, T Gillard, K Petrevski, O Purcell (all AFLW), S Rummel (concussion)
VFLW Debut: Amy Laing, 23, Frankston; Zoe Mitchell, 23, Frankston
DAREBIN
B: 5. K McNiece, 44. V Blackwood
HB: 18. M Plunkett, 10. G Lawson-Tavan, 11. A Gunn
C: 26. M Meyer, 1. A Gogos, 39. E Mackay
HF: 36. A Caddy, 9. A Mifsud, 50. S Cowley Du Parquet
F: 17. S Simpson, 43. T Mills
R: 24. S Lynch, 16. E Buckley, 7. K Hazlett
Inter: 19. R Hibbert, 28. P Kearney, 35. K McAloon, 45. R Harris, 56. M Huta
Emerg: 14. S Padovano, 29. S Normington-Dickens, 58. V Smiljanic, 59. T Snelleksz
In: Harris, Huta, Kearney, McAloon, Mills
Out: N Callinan (unavailable), N Celebre (calf), S Ruedin (calf), M Shone (quad), A Reibelt
Prediction: Casey Demons by 35
CARLTON v SOUTHERN SAINTS
Saturday, February 19, 10am @ Ikon Park (WARF Radio, 9am; YouTube VFLW, 9.55am)
CARLTON
B: 31. B Vernon, 9. B Gurr
HB: 23. A Lee, 34. C Wilson, 19. A Jordan
C: 7. A Bild, 1. A Klingbeil, 30. L Brazzale
HF: 32. B Walker, 37. C Hammans, 6. E Honybun
F: 35. P Schaap, 40. I Milford
R: 18. J Borg, 2. L Goss, 27. A Thorneycroft
Inter: 3. S Lawrence, 20. M Di Cosmo, 21. V Murphy, 22. T Nicolaou, 26. M Cowan
Emerg: 4. O Madden, 10. C Linssen, 12. S Ingram, 13. M Jarvis, 14. T Zampaglione, 24. M Wilson
*AFLW emergencies underlined
In: Brazzale, Hammans, Honybun, Nicolaou, B. Walker, C. Wilson
Out: M Guerin (AFLW), L Robertson (hamstring), J Stramandinoli (quad), Ingram, Madden, N Moore
VFLW Debut: Thomay Nicolaou, 30, West Brunswick
SOUTHERN SAINTS
B: 35. I Gentile, 26. C Saultry
HB: 8. E Nixon, 16. A Hynes, 32. G Buchan
C: 12. N Cormack, 13. M Bertuna, 25. R Neaves
HF: 19. O Flanagan, 23. T Kearns, 21. T Boyd
F: 39. G De Angelis, 31. A Peck
R: 22. S Black, 11. H Stuart, 4. D Jolliffe
Inter: 5. M Capsalis, 6. G McLean, 7. N Wallace, 9. W Laing, 24. K Ripari
Emerg: 1. C Slater, 34. C Keohane, 48. S Nolan
*No AFLW emergencies selected
In: Boyd, Capsalis, McLean, Wallace
Out: N Exon, K McCarthy, J Vogt (all AFLW), C Ryan
VFLW Debut: Tessa Boyd, 24, Old Haileybury
Prediction: Southern Saints by 44
WESTERN BULLDOGS v WILLIAMSTOWN
Saturday, February 19, 10am @ VU Whitten Oval
(YouTube VFLW, 9.55am)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: 54. M Freeman, 31. N Wright
HB: 53. E Vale, 51. R Christgoergl, 55. L Schneider
C: 35. A Strahan, 48. K Betts, 42. M Purcell
HF: 61. A Xanthos, 28. J Woods, 46. B Hards
F: 39. M Sandral, 32. M Lister
R: 56. E Huggard, 38. J Morrow, 45. M Barnes
Inter: 29. A Ling, 43. J Webster, 49. L Bibby, 59. M McSweeney, 60. L Clymo
Emerg: S. Perret, E. Pollard
*AFLW emergencies underlined
In: Betts, Ling, Strahan, Webster, Woods
Out: K Bays, B Grech, C Pittard, K Smyth, S Trim
VFLW Debut: Jemma Webster, 19, Spotswood
WILLIAMSTOWN
B: 15. L King, 35. E Baxter
HB: 7. T Wright, 19. E Meade, 6. S Whiting
C: 21. S Dunell, 9. R Tripodi, 3. G Biedenweg-Webster
HF: 18. E Straford, 13. S McCarthy, 14. S Georgas
F: 31. L Stepnell, 29. E Mangan
R: 32. A Sarec, 25. B Kennedy, 11. S Hosking
Inter: 12. S Bridgewater, 23. J Kawa, 28. A Price, 33. A Doherty, 36. T Dinuccio
Emerg: 1. S Stratton, 8. D Di Santi, 10. R Barnes, 30. C Landwehr, 37. M Lawrence, 40. O Purcell
In: Dinuccio, Doherty, Hosking, Price
Out: Hunter (NT), Landwehr, Long, Stratton
VFLW Debut: Alanna Doherty, 28, Bacchus Marsh; Sarah Hosking, 19, Pearcedale-Baxter
Prediction: Western Bulldogs by 10
GEELONG v HAWTHORN
Saturday, February 19, 12pm @ Deakin University, Waurn Ponds
(YouTube VFLW, 11.55am)
GEELONG
B: 42. E Coventry, 38. M Boyd
HB: 25. S Williams, 29. C Remmos, 58. B Beckley
C: 35. I Hill, 18. L Gardiner, 40. T Smith
HF: 2. D Higgins, 26. C Gunjaca, 7. M Maguire
F: 17. G Clarke, 34. M Skinner
R: 13. O Fuller, 37. C Leonard, 55. P Sheppard
Inter: 33. E Ramsay, 36. S De Giacomi, 43. S Dineen, 44. M Bragg, 47. B Pratt
Emerg: 31. J Woollett, 39. A Haigh, 46. T Nelson, 49. A McKeegan, 50. L Ryan, 54 B Wells, 62. L Al-Huneidi
*AFLW emergencies underlined
In: Fuller, Gardiner, Maguire
Out: O Barber (AFLW), Haigh, Nelson
HAWTHORN
B: 4. N Garner, 28. N Von Bertouch
HB: 6. K Hay, 11. J Richardson, 9. A Kemp
C: 20. J Williams, 3. L Szigeti, 5. E Humphries
HF: 14. G McRae, 29. S Perrott, 33. E Shannon
F: 34. D Carbone, 1. T Cunningham
R: 22. T Luke, 13. M Kendall, 32. J Mifsud
Inter: 28. E McLinden, 40. M Beruldsen, 41. K Stratton, 44. J Anthony, 46. A Whelan
Emerg: 19. L Camilleri, 23. S Cameron, 24. S Bolding
In: Anthony
Out: K Cox
Prediction: Geelong by 12
NORTH MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD
Saturday, February 19, 12.05pm @ Aegis Park, Arden St
(AFL TV, 12pm)
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: 49. D Taylor, 10. C Fitzgerald
HB: 23. A Scott, 5. M McDonald, 3. H Ibrahim
C: 2. J Mourney, 1. M Eastman, 24. E Macdonald
HF: 17. J Jones, 16. G Nicholas, 30. J Hillas
F: 32. A Vine, 29. T Moss
R: 22. E McGrath, 15. S Skinner, 8. J Guy
Inter: 4. A Rhodes, 7. B Slaney, 19. L Wright, 25. L Loughnane, 33. T Bradley
Emerg: 11. R Burton, 13. K Murrihy, 20. K Delia
*AFLW team to be selected
In: Bradley, McDonald, Vine
Out: Paterno (health and safety protocols), Burton, Delia
VFLW Debut: Tegan Bradley, 19, Coburg
COLLINGWOOD
B: 74. E Wroe, 72. K Lee
HB: 88. N O’Connor, 5. N Hales, 73. O Storer
C: 55. C Bunker, 65. E Jackson, 76. I Purcell
HF: 99. M Emond, 64. S Camilleri, 77. I Barnett
F: 4. S Frederick, 40. A Moloney
R: 92. S King, 91. D Hallett, 51. M Zander
Inter: 35. H Bowey, 41. T Cowan, 56. M Neal, 60. G Matser, 63. G Ricardo
Emerg: 24. R Busch, 53. D Pedersen, 58. K Colborne-Veel
*AFLW team to be selected
In: Barnett, Bowey, Camilleri, Frederick, Purcell, Storer
Out: T. Brown, Busch, Colborne-Veel, M De Matteo, O Meagher, Pedersen
VFLW Debut: Shanel Camilleri, 24, Coburg
Prediction: Collingwood by 48
ESSENDON v PORT MELBOURNE
Saturday, February 19, 12.30pm @ The Hangar
(VFLW YouTube, 12.25pm; WARF Radio, 12.29pm)
ESSENDON
B: 16. T Crook, 21. A Morcom
HB: 8. E Ashley-Cooper, 13. E Hosking, 19. N Julian
C: 42. J Zanchetta, 9. M Anthony, 18. K Heil
HF: 22. N MacDonald, 20. C McIntosh, 24. R Tierney
F: 10. E Cornish, 4. M. Clifford
R: 30. S Nalder, 3. S Ford, 5. G Nanscawen
Inter: 1. C Ugle, 14. D Marshall, 23. A Radford, 38. O Manfre, 44. F Frew
Emerg: 2. M Trethowan, 12. I Currenti, 15. L Caruso, 46. G Elarmaly
In: Frew, Manfre
Out: J Davies (groin), G Dicker (unavailable)
VFLW Debut: Olivia Manfre, 18, Keilor
PORT MELBOURNE
B: 23. Z McWhinney, 1. O Barton
HB: 22. A Peterson, 44. L Atkinson, 3. L De Gleria Cade
C: 5. H Fosbrooke, 10. S Locke, 32. K Adams
HF: 11. M Shaw, 48. S Reid, 59. S Dargan
F: 35. S Navarro, 27. E Harley
R: 17. B Winbanks, 28. S Molan, 18. K O’Keefe
Inter: 2. K Dudley, 14. L Grocock, 19. C Ryan, 24. J Joyce, 29. I Stutt
Emerg: 7. R Niclasen, 30. M Briedis
*AFLW emergencies underlined
In: Dargan, De Gleria Cade, Harley, Navarro
Out: C Bromage (knee), B Wilson (shoulder), N Borg, M Briedis
Prediction: Essendon by 15
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 5. Season: 5.
