Undefeated sides Brisbane Lions and Collingwood have named their teams for Thursday's Smithy's VFL clash at Brighton Homes Arena.
Oscar Steene’s ruck education will move into lesson No. 2 when he takes on a second AFL ruckman in a row.
Steene, 19, who was added to the Magpies’ list from West Adelaide in the supplementary selection period, was brave but outmuscled by former Sydney Swans big man Sam Naismith in the Magpies’ impressive win over Port Melbourne last week.
This week the man staring at him from across the centre circle will be Lions’ big man and Geelong’s 2021 VFL best-and-fairest winner Darcy Fort, who will be desperate to make a statement after being omitted from the AFL team for the Easter Thursday showdown at the Gabba.
Fort returns to the Lions’ VFL team alongside young midfielder Noah Answerth, who was also omitted from the AFL, with Jaxon Prior promoted to the top grade and VFL-listed defender Tahj Abberley falling out of the 23 for a second week in a row.
Abberley will be favoured to replaced the AFL substitute.
The Magpies have also made two changes, with Reef McInnes recalled to the AFL and the luckless Will Kelly injured again from the win over the Borough.
VFL great Tom Wilson returns after being a late withdrawal last week and Ben Silvagni earning a recall.
All matches in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.
Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will show one weekly game live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7Plus nationally.
Casey Radio will also broadcast Williamstown vs Port Melbourne and Casey Demons vs Frankston.
BRISBANE LIONS vs COLLINGWOOD
Thursday 6 April, 1:05pm, Brighton Homes Arena
BRISBANE LIONS
B: W. Buzza (59), L. Rayner (57), H. Arnold (60)
HB: R. Lester (35), J. Madden (14), N. Answerth (43)
C: J. Fletcher (28), R. Mathieson (36), C. Ah Chee (4)
HF: B. Coleman (13), N. Cockatoo (12), K. Lohmann (1)
F: D. McDowell-White (50), T. Fullarton (21), S. Brain (34)
R: D. Fort (32), D. Robertson (2), J. Lyons (17)
INT: H. Sharp (22), J. Tunstill (29), K. Lane (45), K. Dunkley (53), O. Collins (61)*
EMG: B. Gordon (47), T. Abberley (48), B. Reville (49), J. Budarick (52), W. Barry (54), J. Hille (55)
IN: N. Answerth, D. Fort
OUT: J. Prior (AFL), T. Abberley (omit)
COLLINGWOOD
B: J. Ryan (24), K. Schreiber (52), T. Ruscoe (21)
HB: N. Jetta (54), J. Booth (53), C. Maxted (66)
C: T. Bianco (8), E. Allan (16), C. Murley (27)
HF: J. Richards (29), J. Ginnivan (33), H. Harrison (36)
F: L. Purcell (65), T. Wilson (12), S. Glover (50)
R: O. Steene (44), F. Macrae (18), J. Carmichael (45)
INT: B. Silvagni (60), C. Hustwaite (55), T. Wilson (56), J.
EMG: E. Delany (63), V. Blackmore-Moore (49), C. Mulvogue (68), J. Tomasiello (61), Y. Ashwin (70)
IN: J. Booth, C. Maxted, B. Silvagni, T. Wilson
OUT: O. Markov, R. McInnes (AFL), W. Kelly (injured), L. Tardrew
UMPIRES
FIELD: 11.Cameron Manthey, 34.Joel Clamp, 42.Samuel Somerville. BOUNDARY: Ryan Hickey, William Morris, Adrian Pretorius. GOAL: Zach Mabb, Belinda Stewart
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Lions 1-0. At BHO: Never Met. Streak: Lions 1 (never lost)