HAWTHORN has suffered a double blow ahead of its clash with Darebin at LaTrobe University on Saturday, with star midfielder Tegan Cunningham and talented youngster Jaide Anthony ruled out of the contest.

Cunningham, who picked up 10 coaches votes in the opening round win over North Melbourne, and another one in last week’s loss to Geelong, has not been named in the Hawks’ 21, while Anthony has returned to the Dandenong Stingrays in the NAB League Girls competition, with Katelyn Cox and debutant Sarah Cameron among the inclusions.

Darebin has received a significant boost at the same time with experienced midfielder Nicole Callinan returning to the team along with Angelique Reibelt and Millie Shone, while Chloe Weston-Sirett will make her debut.

Winless Port Melbourne’s injury woes have worsened with Maddi Shaw and Isabella Stutt ruled out of the tough trip to Geelong under AFL health and safety protocols.

The Borough is already without best-and-fairest winner Claire Dyett (1-2 weeks), captain Mel Kuys (season) and Courteney Bromage (1-2 weeks) with knee injuries, among others, and can ill-afford to lose any more, although Beth Wilson (shoulder) returns to the team.

The Cats have named AFLW-listed trio Renee Caris, Zali Friswell and Stephanie Williams, with Laura Gardiner and Madisen Maguire having being promoted.

Casey Demons captain Sammie Johnson will play her first game of the season against North Melbourne at Casey Fields, joining Alison Brown and Megan Fitzsimon among the inclusions, while the Kangaroos regain Emily Paterno from health and safety protocols, plus talented trio Daisy Bateman, Alexia Hamilton and Perri King, but lose Hannah Ibrahim and Brooke Slaney.

The struggling Western Bulldogs will be without captain Riley Christgoergl with a calf injury for Sunday morning’s afl.com.au clash against the Southern Saints at VU Whitten Oval, but AFLW-listed pair Bailey Hunt and Hannah Scott will strengthen their line-up against a team that has its own Covid issues with Melanie Bertuna forced into isolation, while Madi Capsalis and Olivia Flanagan are injured.

Collingwood kickstarted its season with a hard-fought win over North Melbourne and will welcome AFLW-listed trio Eloise Chaston, Ebony O’Dea and Bella Smith into its team to host a buoyant Williamstown at Victoria Park, although last week’s matchwinner Sabrina Frederick makes an expected quick return to the AFLW team.

The Seagulls left out last week’s two debutants, Sarah Hosking (Dandenong Stingrays) and Alanna Doherty (omitted), calling in another debutant in Ellie Cleland along with second gamer Matisse Hunter.

High-flying Essendon regains Grace Dicker and Jessie Davies for its clash with Carlton at Ikon Park, with last week’s debutant Olivia Manfre returning to the Calder Cannons and Natalie MacDonald left out, while the Blues named Teresa Zampaglione and Nadia Moore to replace AFLW call-up Poppy Schaap and Mia Cowan.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

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DAREBIN v HAWTHORN

Saturday, February 26, 11am @ La Trobe University, Bundoora (www.warfradio.com 10am; www.youtube.com/user/AFLVictoria 10.55am)

DAREBIN
B: 5. K McNiece, 44. V Blackwood
HB: 18. M Plunkett, 10. G Lawson-Tavan, 11. A Gunn
C: 26. M Meyer, 16. E Buckley, 39. E Mackay
HF: 50. S Cowley Du Parquet, 36. A Caddy, 31. A Reibelt
F: 35. K McAloon, 17. S Simpson
R: 24. S Lynch, 2. N. Callinan, 1. A Gogos
Inter: 7. K Hazlett, 28. P Kearney, 43. T Mills, 52. C Weston-Sirett, 60. M Shone
Emerg: 14. S Padovano, 19. R Hibbert, 45. R Harris, 58. V Smiljanic

In: Callinan, Reibelt, Shone, Weston-Sirett
Out: A Mifsud (back), Harris, Hibbert, M Huta
VFLW Debut: Chloe Weston-Sirett, 19, Western Jets 

HAWTHORN
B: 9. A Kemp, 28. N Von Bertouch
HB: 6. K Hay, 19. L Camilleri, 4. N Garner
C: 17. K Cox, 3. L Szigeti, 33. E Shannon
HF: 13. M Kendall, 23. S Cameron, 5. E Humphries
F: 34. D Carbone, 22. T Luke
R: 29. S Perrott, 41. K Stratton, 46. A Whelan
Inter: 14. G McRae, 20. J Williams, 28. E McLinden, 32. J Mifsud, 40. M Beruldsen
Emerg: 24. S Bolding, 35. J Wise, 43. A Francis

In: Cameron, Camilleri, Cox
Out: J Anthony (Dandenong Stingrays), T Cunningham, J Richardson
VFLW Debut: Sarah Cameron, 23, St Kevin’s

Prediction: Hawthorn by 26

GEELONG v PORT MELBOURNE

Saturday, February 26, 11am @ Deakin University (www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 10.55am)

GEELONG
B: 42. E Coventry, 38. M Boyd
HB: 25. S Williams, 29. C Remmos, 58. B Beckley
C: 20. Z Friswell, 40. T Smith, 33. E Ramsay
HF: 2. D Higgins, 26. C Gunjaca, 34. M Skinner
F: 17. G Clarke, 1. R Caris
R: 13. O Fuller, 37. C Leonard, 55. P Sheppard
Inter: 35. I Hill, 36. S De Giacomi, 43. S Dineen, 44. M Bragg, 54. B Wells
Emerg: 31. J Woollett, 39. A Haigh, 46. T Nelson, 47. B Pratt, 49. A McKeegan, 50. L Ryan, 62. L Al-Huneidi
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Caris, Friswell, Williams
Out: L Gardiner, M Maguire (AFLW), Pratt 

PORT MELBOURNE
B: 23. Z McWhinney, 1. O Barton
HB: 3. L De Gleria Cade, 6. L Davie, 14. L Grocock
C: 32. K Adams, 24. J Joyce, 22. A Peterson
HF: 16. B Wilson, 48. S Reid, 59. S Dargan
F: 33. C Locke, 27. E Harley
R: 2. K Dudley, 12. N Borg, 10. S Locke
Inter: 17. B Winbanks, 5. H Fosbrooke, 18. K O’Keefe, 19. C Ryan, 35. S Navarro
Emerg: 7. R Niclasen, 30. M Briedis, 44. L Atkinson
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Davie, C Locke, B Wilson
Out: S Molan (AFLW), M Shaw (health and safety protocols), Atkinson

Prediction: Geelong by 17 

CASEY DEMONS v NORTH MELBOURNE

Saturday, February 26, 1pm @ Casey Fields
(www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 12.45pm with WARF Radio)

CASEY DEMONS
B: 26. E Horne, 12. A Brown
HB: 13. S Notman, 20. B Tarrant, 4. L Magee
C: 18. E O’Connor, 33. A Dowler, 38. A Kirkwood
HF: 31. T Fellows, 37. B Borchard, 15. C McCrossan
F: 52. K Petrevski, 36. G Campbell
R: 46. M Caris, 24. M Fitzsimon, 14. M Chaplin
Inter: 6. S Johnson, 16. B Woolcock, 23. Z Mitchell, 27. A Laing, 45. M Hogg
Emerg: 7. C Selleck, 62. G Byrne
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Brown, Fitzsimon, Johnson, Magee, Petrevski
Out: R Grant (unavailable), T Reiter (foot), Byrne, B Lenarcic, Selleck

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: 49. D Taylor, 10. C Fitzgerald
HB: 23. A Scott, 5. M McDonald, 17. J Jones
C: 2. J Mourney, 1. M Eastman, 4. A Rhodes
HF: 28. P King, 16. G Nicholas, 21. E Paterno
F: 31. D Bateman, 29. T Moss
R: 22. E McGrath, 15. S Skinner, 8. J Guy
Inter: 24. E Macdonald, 25. L Loughnane, 34. A Hamilton, 42. E Maurer, 44. B Gibson
Emerg: 11. R Burton, 13. K Murrihy, 19. L Wright, 20. K Delia, 32. A Vine, 33. T Bradley
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Bateman, Gibson, A Hamilton, P King, Maurer, Paterno
Out: H Ibrahim, B Slaney (unavailable), Bradley, J Hillas, Vine, Wright

Prediction: Casey Demons by 23 

WESTERN BULLDOGS v SOUTHERN SAINTS

Sunday, February 27, 9.45am @ VU Whitten Oval
(www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=11 9.30am)

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: 54. M Freeman, 22. H Scott
HB: 53. E Vale, 35. A Strahan, 55. L Schneider
C: 40. E Morrison, 48. K Betts, 42. M Purcell
HF: 21. B Hunt, 28. J Woods, 46. B Hards
F: 39. M Sandral, 32. M Lister
R: 29. A Ling, 38. J Morrow, 45. M Barnes
Inter: 31. N Wright, 43. J Webster, 49. L Bibby, 59. M McSweeney, 61. A Xanthos
Emerg: 58. B Kinghorn, 63. K Bays, 64. E. Collard
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Hunt, Morrison, Scott
Out: R Christgoergl (calf), L Clymo (ankle), E Huggard

SOUTHERN SAINTS
B: 35. I Gentile, 26. C Saultry
HB: 8. E Nixon, 16. A Hynes, 32. G Buchan
C: 9. W Laing, 12. N Cormack, 25. R Neaves
HF: 21. T Boyd, 23. T Kearns, 24. K Ripari
F: 39. G De Angelis, 31. A Peck
R: 51. L Cutting, 11. H Stuart, 4. D Jolliffe
Inter:, 6. G McLean, 7. N Wallace, 47. T Meyer, 56. E Stuber, 57. A Woodward
Emerg: 1. C Slater, 17. H Smith, 18. C Leighton, 22. S Black, 34. C Keohane, 48. S Nolan
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Cutting, Meyer, Stuber, Woodward
Out: M Bertuna (health and safety protocols), M Capsalis (illness), O Flanagan (ankle), Black

Prediction: Southern Saints by 39 

COLLINGWOOD v WILLIAMSTOWN

Sunday, February 27, 9.45am @ Victoria Park
(www.warfradio.com 9am; www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 9.40am)

COLLINGWOOD
B: 88. N O’Connor, 72. K Lee
HB: 63. G Ricardo, 5. N Hales, 76. I Purcell
C: 55. C Bunker, 65. E Jackson, 56. M Neal
HF: 32. E Chaston, 50. E O’Dea, 77. I Barnett
F: 53. D Pedersen, 19. B Smith
R: 92. S King, 99. M Emond, 51. M Zacamnder
Inter: 35. H Bowey, 41. T Cowan, 60. G Matser, 74. E Wroe, 91. D Hallett
Emerg: 24. R Busch, 58. K Colborne-Veel, 64. S Camelleri
*Also named in AFLW squad

In: Chaston, O’Dea, Pedersen, Smith
Out: S Frederick, A Moloney (AFLW), Camelleri, O Storer

WILLIAMSTOWN
B: 15. L King, 35. E Baxter
HB: 16. M Hunter, 19. E Meade, 6. S Whiting
C: 21. S Dunell, 9. R Tripodi, 3. G Biedenweg-Webster
HF: 18. E Straford, 13. S McCarthy, 5. E Cleland
F: 31. L Stepnell, 29. E Mangan
R: 32. A Sarec, 25. B Kennedy, 36. T Dinuccio
Inter: 7. T Wright, 12. S Bridgewater, 14. S Georgas, 23. J Kawa, 28. A Price
Emerg: 2. S Long, 8. D Di Santo, 10. R Barnes, 33. A Doherty, 40. O Purcell

In: Cleland, Hunter
Out: S Hosking (Dandenong Stingrays), Doherty
AFLW Debut: Ellie Cleland, 22, Caulfield Grammarians

Prediction: Collingwood by 28

CARLTON v ESSENDON

Sunday, February 27, 2pm @ Ikon Park
(www.warfradio.com 1pm; www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 1.55pm)

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: 14. T Zampaglione, 40. I Milford
R: 18. J Borg, 2. L Goss, 27. A Thorneycroft
Inter: 3. S Lawrence, 17. N Moore, 20. M Di Cosmo, 21. V Murphy, 22. T Nicolaou
Emerg: 4. O Madden, 10. C Linssen, 12. S Ingram, 13. M Jarvis, 24. M Wilson, 26. M Cowan, 28. T Kolevski
*Also in AFLW squad

In: Moore, Zampaglione
Out: P Schaap (AFLW), Cowan

ESSENDON
B: 16. T Crook, 21. A Morcom
HB: 8. E Ashley-Cooper, 13. E Hosking, 19. N Julian
C: 42. J Zanchetta, 1. C Ugle, 18. K Heil
HF: 7. J Davies, 20. C McIntosh, 24. R Tierney
F: 17. F Frew, 4. M. Clifford
R: 30. S Nalder, 3. S Ford, 5. G Nanscawen
Inter: 9. M Anthony, 10. E Cornish, 14. D Marshall, 23. A Radford, 44. G Dicker
Emerg: 2. M Trethowan, 12. I Currenti, 15. L Caruso, 22. N MacDonald, 45. B Clarke, 46. G Elarmaly

In: Davies, Dicker
Out: O Manfre (Calder Cannons), MacDonald

Prediction: Essendon by 27 

Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 4. Season: 9.