BRISBANE Lions have pulled a major selection surprise ahead of their sudden-death Smithy's VFL semi-final against Carlton at Moreton Bay Sports Complex on Saturday, with Jarryd Lyons being named to line up against the Blues.

Lyons was listed as being out of the Lions’ AFL team that pipped Richmond in a thriller on Thursday night with groin soreness but has been selected on the bench for the VFL team, with the extra two days giving him more time to recover.

The star midfielder played all 22 AFL home-and-away games, averaging 22.1 disposals, four marks and 5.1 tackles and will be a huge factor if he can recover in time to line up.

But the Lions have asked young ruck/forward Henry Smith to step up to the No.1 role with Darcy Fort being rested to play it safe ahead of next week’s AFL semi-final due to the potential concussion suffered by big man Oscar McInerney in the early stages of Thursday night’s Gabba triumph.

SMITHY’s VFL TEAMS, SEMI-FINALS, click here

Centre half-back Ryan Lester also returns to the VFL team to face the Blues alongside Wilson Barry, with Callum Ah Chee having played on Thursday night and Jackson Hille omitted.

Smith will face a significant challenge from developing Carlton ruckman Alex Mirkov, who returns to the Blues team alongside Archie Stevens and captain Matt Shannon, who will play just his fourth game of the season and his first since Round 9.

The Blues have lost David Handley (hamstring) and Zavier Maher (shoulder) to season-ending injuries from their elimination final win over Collingwood, while late inclusion Josh Cripps has been omitted.

Jake Bartholomaeus of the Swans in action during the 2022 VFL Round 11 match between the Casey Demons and Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 04, 2022. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Sydney also sprung a surprise by not naming former captain and 2019 NEAFL MVP Jake Bartholomaeus for its semi-final against Gold Coast at Blacktown International Sports Park on Sunday.

The experienced half-back injured his back against GWS in Round 19 and has been named as an emergency despite being fit to return, although he would be considered most likely to come in should the Swans’ AFL medi-sub be required on Friday night.

SMITHY’s VFL INJURY LIST, SEMI-FINALS, click here

The Swans regained Lewis Taylor and Hayden McLean from injury, but will again be without full-back Lewis Melican, who reinjured his hamstring late against Casey Demons, while ruck/forward Peter Ladhams’ VFL season is over due to a three-match suspension from the same game.

Academy graduates Angus Anderson and Darcy Cordell also come into the Sydney team in place of omitted compatriots Max Geddes and Christian Webster.

Gold Coast made one big change, with prolific midfielder Jeremy Sharp returning to the fray to replace damaging half-back Oleg Markov, who suffered a facial fracture in the Suns’ win over Box Hill Hawks last week.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

Kyle Veerhuis of the Giants (L) and Alex Mirkov of Carlton compete for the ball during the round 18 VFL match between Carlton Blues and GWS Giants at Ikon Park on July 23, 2022. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

2ND SEMI FINAL
BRISBANE LIONS (14-5) v CARLTON (12-7)

Saturday, September 3, 12.05pm @ Moreton Bay Sports Complex
(Channel 7, 7plus, www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App, 12pm)

BRISBANE LIONS
IN: W. Barry, R. Lester, J. Lyons
OUT: C. Ah Chee (AFL), D. Fort (managed), J. Hille (omit)

CARLTON
IN: A. Mirkov, M. Shannon, A. Stevens
OUT: D. Handley (hamstring), Z. Maher (shoulder), J. Cripps (omit)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Carlton 2-0. At Moreton Bay: Never Met. Streak: Carlton 2

THIS SEASON

Round 1, March 25, 2022
Carlton     1.4    4.7    8.12  11.18         84
Brisbane Lions  0.3    1.7    3.11  5.12  42
Goals: CARLTON: B. Crocker, W. Hayes 2, N. Cahill, M. Cottrell, P. Dow, J. Glass-McCasker, Z. Maher, J. Newnes, J. Trudgeon. BRISBANE LIONS: K. Lohmann 2, T. Fullarton, B. Reville, D. Robertson.
Disposals: CARLTON: W. Hayes 33, P. Dow 32, J. Newnes 30, M. Cottrell 25, L. Young 21, J. Trudgeon 20. BRISBANE LIONS: R. Lester 28, R. Mathieson 24, D. Robertson 22, C. Michael 19, K. Lohmann 17.
Marks: CARLTON: L. Young 10, J. Newnes 9, S. Radovanovic 8, M. Cottrell, L. Parks 7, B. Crocker, J. Motlop, T. Williamson 6. BRISBANE LIONS: R. Lester 8, J. Madden 7, H. Arnold, K. Lohmann 6.
Clearances: CARLTON: P. Dow 7, W. Hayes 6. BRISBANE LIONS: R. Mathieson 6, J. Tunstill 5.
Tackles: CARLTON: T. Williamson 9, J. Trudgeon 7, W. Hayes, C. Hirst, M. Lewis 6. BRISBANE LIONS: T. Triffett 8, W. Buzza 7.
Hitouts: CARLTON: A. Mirkov 30, J. Glass-McCasker 10. BRISBANE LIONS: K. Lane 16.
Coaches Votes: P. Dow 10, W. Hayes 6, L. Young 6, J. Newnes 4. BRISBANE LIONS: R. Lester 4.

Prediction: Brisbane Lions by 22

Jeremy Sharp of the Suns in action during the 2022 AFL Round 21 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Gold Coast Suns at UTAS Stadium on August 6, 2022. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

1ST SEMI FINAL
SYDNEY (13-6) v GOLD COAST (13-6)

Sunday, September 4, 1.05pm @ Blacktown International Sports Park
(Channel 7, 7plus, www.afl.com.au, AFL Live Official App, 1pm)

SYDNEY SWANS
IN: A. Anderson, D. Cordell, H. McLean, L. Taylor
OUT: P. Ladhams (suspended), L. Melican (hamstring), M. Geddes, C. Webster (omit)
DEBUT: to come
NEW: to come

GOLD COAST SUNS
IN: J. Sharp
OUT: O. Markov (facial fracture)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sydney 22-10. At Blacktown International Sports Park: Sydney 4-2 (Suns 2 in a row). Streak: Gold Coast 5 (last loss May 25, 2019)

THIS SEASON

Round 2, April 1, 2022, at Blacktown
Gold Coast        3.4    7.9    11.10         15.13         103
Sydney     4.2    7.2    14.9  15.11         101
Goals: GOLD COAST: S. Day, M. Rosas 4, C. Burgess, J. Tsitas 2, C. Budarick, M. Dumas, J. McLennan. SYDNEY: L. McDonald 4, L. McAndrew 3, B. Ronke 2, P. Ladhams, S. Reid, M. Sheather, A. Sheldrick, C. Sinclair, L. Taylor.
Disposals: GOLD COAST: J. Tsitas 25, E. Hollands 22, C. Constable 20, N. Moyle 19, M. Rosas, J. Farrar, D. Macpherson 18. SYDNEY: R. Clarke 33, M. Roberts 31, J. Bell 29, A. Sheldrick 23, L. Taylor 22.
Marks: GOLD COAST: C. Burgess 7, S. Day, N. Moyle, P. Murtagh 5. SYDNEY: L. McDonald 8, S. Reid 6, L. Taylor 5.
Clearances: GOLD COAST: C. Constable, N. Moyle 6. SYDNEY: R. Clarke 11, P. Ladhams 8.
Tackles: GOLD COAST: C. Constable 14, J. Tsitas 9, J. McLennan, D. Macpherson 8, J. Farrar 7, S. Flanders 6. SYDNEY: N. Shipley 8, A. Sheldrick 7.
Hitouts: GOLD COAST: N. Moyle 32, M. Conroy 12. SYDNEY: P. Ladhams 24, C. Sinclair 19.
Coaches Votes: GOLD COAST: M. Rosas 9, N. Moyle 3, J. Tsitas 3. SYDNEY: R. Clarke 7, M. Roberts 7, L. McDonald 1.

Prediction: Sydney by 1

Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 1. Season: 139/193

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

For the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free.

All remaining 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 weekend’s match between Brisbane Lions and Carlton will also be available on 7mate for viewers in Brisbane.

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