THE big guns are being rolled out for this weekend’s opening to the Smithy’s VFL finals series, with Casey Demons, Brisbane Lions and Collingwood all recalling important players from injury to press their claims for AFL finals selection.

The Demons have named 202-AFL game swingman Tom McDonald in the forward pocket to play his first game since suffering an ankle injury against North Melbourne in Round 10, the Lions have selected Callum Ah Chee after two weeks off with concussion, the Magpies have called on young key forward Nathan Kreuger, who seriously hurt his shoulder in the AFL Anzac Day clash against Essendon and Sydney gets back key defender Lewis Melican after three weeks out with a hamstring issue.

SMITHY’s VFL TEAMS, QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION FINALS, click here

Casey has also regained star midfielder Jimmy Munro (ankle), young Melbourne defender Fraser Rosman (hamstring) and VFL-listed small forward George Grey for its qualifying final against Sydney at Casey Fields on Saturday.

James Jordan is ineligible and young ruckman Jack Bell was dropped with Casey coach Mark Corrigan opting to use Sam Weideman and possibly even McDonald in the ruck against the strong Swans’ ruck division of Peter Ladhams, Callum Sinclair, Lachlan McAndrew and Joel Amartey.

Melican acted as runner for Sydney against Box Hill last week, while Sam Wicks returns from his role as medisub in the AFL win over St Kilda, meaning the Swans will field 18 AFL-listed players to the Demons’ 17.

Ah Chee joins Blake Coleman and Ely Smith among five inclusions in the Lions’ team to face Southport at Moreton Bay on Saturday, with former Sandringham player Jackson Hille selected for just his third appearance of the season, but the Lions will be without a host of stars, including Mitch Robinson, Ryan Lester, Deven Robertson, Darcy Wilmot and Kalin Lane, meaning they will run out with 15 AFL-listers.

The Sharks have suffered an injury blow of their own, with gun goalkicker Billy Gowers to miss with a knee injury and Fraser Thurlow still out with his hamstring problem, although former Demon Jay Lockhart and ex-Sun Aiden Fyfe return.

Kreuger will audition for an AFL recall in Collingwood’s mouthwatering sudden-death suburban showdown against Carlton, with Ollie Henry, Finlay Macrae and the underrated Campbell Lane also coming in for the Magpies, who have hugely strengthened for the rematch, with 16 AFL-listers to take the field against the Blues’ 10.

Star Carlton defender Liam Stocker, ruckman Alex Mirkov, centreman Will Setterfield and forward Jesse Motlop are all back for the Blues, replacing the ineligible Tom De Koning, Lachie Plowman and Josh Honey.

SMITHY’s VFL INJURY LIST, QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION FINALS, click here

Gold Coast has also stocked up for its first VFL final, recalling centre half-back Mac Andrew, young midfielders Elijah Hollands and Sam Flanders, experienced forward Alex Sexton and Papua New Guinean livewire Hewago Paul Oea to take on Box Hill, but prolific ballwinner Brayden Fiorini will not be among the Suns’ 21 AFL-listed players.

The Hawks regain top midfielders Dan Howe and James Parsons, young key forward Jack Saunders from his AFL debut last week, key defender James Blanck and wingman Ned Long in place of Sam Butler and a quartet of young VFL-listed players for their trip to Queensland.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

1^ST QUALIFYING FINAL
1.CASEY DEMONS (17-1) v 4.SYDNEY (13-5)

Saturday, August 27, 1.10pm @ Casey Fields
(Channel 7, www.7plus.com.au, www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App 1pm; Casey Radio 97.7FM, www.caseyradio.com.au, 12.40pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Casey Demons 2-0. At Casey Fields: Casey Demons 1-0. Streak: Casey Demons 2.

CASEY DEMONS
IN: G. Grey, T. McDonald, J. Munro, F. Rosman
OUT: J. Jordan (ineligible), R. Baldi, J. Bell, R. Koo (omit)

SYDNEY SWANS
IN: L. Melican, S. Wicks
OUT: D. Cordell, M. Geddes (omit)

Prediction: Casey Demons by 14

2^ND QUALIFYING FINAL
2.BRISBANE LIONS (14-4) v 3.SOUTHPORT (12-5)

Saturday, August 27, 1.35pm @ Red Rooster Park, Moreton Bay Sports Complex
(www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App, 1.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Brisbane Lions 9-8. At Moreton Bay: Brisbane Lions 1-0. Streak: Southport 3 (last loss 2019 NEAFL Grand Final, September 15, 2019)

BRISBANE LIONS
IN: C. Ah Chee, B. Coleman, R. Greene, J. Hille, B. Reville, E. Smith
OUT: M. Robinson (ineligible), K. Lane, R. Lester, D. Robertson, D.Wilmot (managed), J. Manly (omit)

SOUTHPORT SHARKS
IN: A. Fyfe, J. Lockhart, C. Searle
OUT: B. Gowers (knee), J. Hall, M. Selsby (omit)

Prediction: Brisbane Lions by 9

2^ND ELIMINATION FINAL
6.COLLINGWOOD (11-7) v 7.CARLTON (11-7)

Sunday, August 28, 1.10pm @ Victoria Park
Channel 7, www.7plus.com.au, www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App, 1pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Collingwood 9-6. At Victoria Park: Collingwood 6-3. Streak: Carlton 2 (last loss March 26, 2000)

COLLINGWOOD
IN: O. Henry, N. Kreuger, C. Lane, F. Macrae, C. Maxted
OUT: V. Blackmore-Moore (hip), N. Bradshaw (Murray Bushrangers), Z. Molloy, C. Mulvogue, T. Roberts (omit)

CARLTON
IN: A. Mirkov, J. Motlop, W. Setterfield, L. Stocker
OUT: T. De Koning, J. Honey, L. Plowman (ineligible), O. Sanders (omit)

Prediction: Collingwood by 21

1^ST ELIMINATION FINAL
5.GOLD COAST (12-6) v 8.BOX HILL HAWKS (11-7)

Sunday, August 28, 6.05pm @ Metricon Stadium
(3WBC 94.1FM, www.3wbc.org.au, 5.30pm; www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App, 6pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Box Hill 3-0. At Metricon Stadium: Box Hill 1-0. Streak: Box Hill 3

GOLD COAST SUNS
IN: M. Andrew, S. Flanders, E. Hollands, H. Oea, A. Sexton
OUT: B. Fiorini (ineligible), F. Brown, J. Frawley, C. Harrington, B. Little (omit)

BOX HILL HAWKS
IN: J. Blanck, D. Howe, N. Long, J. Parsons, J. Saunders
OUT: S. Butler (managed), L. Coghlan, L. D'Angelo, M. Sruk, M. Walton (omit)

Prediction: Box Hill Hawks by 12

Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 7. Season: 138/189

To thank football fans for their outstanding support throughout the 2022 season, the AFL is pleased to announce that entry to all matches in Week One of the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series is free.

Seven matches in the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network via Channel 7 and 7plus, including the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final. Viewers outside of Victoria can tune in to Seven’s Smithy’s VFL coverage via 7plus.

This week's Seven Network broadcast matches will be Casey Demons vs. Sydney Swans on Saturday and Collingwood vs. Carlton on Sunday. The match between Casey Demons and Sydney Swans will be broadcast on 7mate in Sydney.

All finals, including the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.