The teams for Round 7 of the rebel VFLW season have been announced.

Essendon has named Ellyse Gamble for its second rebel VFLW Grand Final rematch against Southern Saints at NEC Hangar on Sunday.

Gamble, 25, a foundation AFLW player of the Western Bulldogs who achieved the same honour when she switched to the Bombers ahead of their debut in AFLW Season 7, is a 180cm key defender from Tasmania’s Burnie Dockers.

She played six games at the top level in Essendon’s inaugural season for a total of 30.

Essendon, which has won its past three games after picking up only two points in its first three, including a loss to the Saints in Round 2, has also included stars Amelia Radford and Sophie Molan, plus Reese Sutton and Manaia Huta.

However, the Bombers have suffered a major blow with best-and-fairest winner Eloise Ashley-Cooper ruled out for virtually the rest of the season with a serious hamstring injury, while Amber Clarke and Joanne Doonan have been rested.

The Saints have also gone for experience, recalling Tayla Kearns, Bec Neaves and Madi Capsalis alongside Kim Ebb, Maggie Kershaw and Michelle Podnecky, with six players dropped, including the surprise omissions of No.1 ruck Sarah Black and the experienced Nicki Cormack.

Ladder-leader Geelong made three changes for its home game against fellow flag fancy Collingwood, with Liv Fuller, Abbey McDonald and Jane McMeel coming in, while Molly Walton gets a rest and the Cats’ own No.1 ruck Kalani Scoullar has been left out.

The Magpies have two debutants, with Oakleigh Chargers young gun Lara Hausegger and Beaumaris’ Ella Southgate to play their first games, while Tricia Cowan, Nyakoat Dojiok and Georgia Ricardo all return.

There are also two debutants for the Western Bulldogs in their Western Derby showdown against Williamstown, with Western Jets midfielder Kiera Whiley and West Preston-Lakeside’s Ashleigh Snow to play for the first time, while the Seagulls regain star midfielder Aleisha Newman but lose Alana Sarec to injury.

Casey Demons have done the same as they attempt to stay in touch with the top six after a four-game slump, with Gippsland Power’s Siena Lane and Eastern Rangers’ Kasey Phillips in for their debuts against Carlton at IKON Park as the Blues unveil South Australian AFLW recruit Jess Good, who was drafted from Sturt, while recalling Mia Cowan and Tayla Kolevski.

High-flying Port Melbourne welcomes back captain Claire Dyett, hard nut Courtney Bromage, Bella Stutt, Keeley Byrne and Ruby Dale as it chases a sixth-consecutive win against North Melbourne under the Saturday night lights at ETU Stadium, but the Borough has lost Maggie McKellar with a knee injury.

The Kangaroos have boosted their line-up with Jen Guy making a welcome return from a knee reconstruction suffered in Round 3 last season alongside Ciara Fitzgerald, Daria Edward, Annaleise Xanthos and Mara McSweeney, but Felicity Theodore is unwell and Ruby Tripodi and Taylah Gatt have been rested.

Darebin brings back key player Ashleigh Gunn for its home game against the Hawks on Saturday, who have named four 17-year-old debutants from the Eastern Ranges, with Vermont's Ava Campbell and Jess Vukic, Rowville-Bayswater’s Alyssia Pisano and South Belgrave-Lysterfield’s Laura Stone all getting their chance to shine.

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.

Casey Radio will also broadcast Carlton vs Casey Demons as part of a double-header at IKON Park.

DAREBIN FALCONS vs BOX HILL HAWKS

Saturday May 6, 10:30am, Preston City Oval
Head-to-head: Box Hill Hawks 5-2. At Preston City Oval: Never Met. Streak: Box Hill Hawks 5

DAREBIN FALCONS
B: R. Goring (12), P. Kearney (28)
HB: S. Normington-Dickens (29), K. McNiece (5), G. Wake (37)
C: S. Simpson (17), A. Gogos (1), V. Smiljanic (58)
HF: P. Louey (3), S. Du Parquet (50), E. Mackay (39)
F: Z. Larkins (21), S. Egan (34)
R: A. Misfud (9), L. Jatczak (48), M. Plunkett (18)
INT: T. Mills (43), M. Shone (60), E. Lee (35), S. Lynch (24), A. Gunn (11)
EMG: J. Phung (4), S. Kenna (15), A. White (46), M. Giannopoulus (54)

IN: A. Gunn
OUT: V. Blackwood

BOX HILL HAWKS

B: E. McLinden (57), C. Davidson (68)
HB: M. Van Berkel (81), L. Elliot (20), H. Fosbrooke (83)
C: C. Hammans (75), J. Baird (2), N. Garner (64)
HF: J. Trend (63), E. Woods (52), D. Ryan (93)
F: G. McRae (88), A. Peterson (89)
R: M. Boyd (77), M. Kendall (66), A. Muir (59)
INT: J. Vukic (65), A. Pisano (85), L. Stone (84), A. Campbell (71), C. Thorne (78)
EMG: B. Gray (62), S. Wilson (79), H. McLaughlin (67)

IN: A. Campbell, J. Vukic, A. Pisano, D. Ryan, L. Stone, C. Thorne
OUT: G. Matser (injured), C. Perera (injured), N. von Bertouch (injured), E. Everist, S. Locke, J. Mifsud (managed)
NEW: Ava Campbell, 17, Vermont/Eastern Ranges; Alyssia Pisano, 17, Rowville-Bayswater/Eastern Ranges; Laura Stone, 17, South Belgrave-Lysterfield/Eastern Ranges; Jess Vukic, 17, Vermont/Eastern Ranges

GEELONG CATS vs COLLINGWOOD

Saturday May 6, 10:30am, Deakin University
Head-to-head: Collingwood 4-3-1. At Deakin University: Collingwood 1-0. Streak: Geelong 2

GEELONG CATS
B: A. McKee (43), C. Leonard (37)
HB: B. Beckley (28), G. Rankin (10), Ab. McDonald (39)
C: E. Firth (48), C. Simpson (51), E. Ramsay (33)
HF: O. Cicolini (53), C. de Groot (40), R. Garing (12)
F: S. Degiacomi (30), M. Bragg (44)
R: O. Fuller (13), D. Stewart (27), I. Houtsma (31)
INT: E. Worpel (49), A. Favell (42), J. McMeel (38), S. O'Dea (47), B. Pratt (36)
EMG: M. Fuller (66), O. Stewart (34), R. Bowers (54), E. Wilson-Macdonald (57)

IN: O. Fuller, Ab. McDonald, J. McMeel
OUT: M. Walton (managed), K. Scoullar, E. Wilson-Macdonald

COLLINGWOOD
B: N. Weston (66), R. Busch (67)
HB: O. Storer (73), R. Christgoergl (56), L. Hausegger (74)
C: M. Jarvis (48), J. Bates (50), E. Jackson (65)
HF: T. Cowan (54), M. DeMatteo (44), A. Kane (57)
F: E. Shepherd (49), E. Southgate (53)
R: S. King (46), C. Bunker (55), M. Zander (51)
INT: N. Dojiok (61), R. Caris (68), C. Van der Vlies (69), S. Hosking (47), G. Ricardo (63)
EMG: T. Hurst (45), T. McCafferty (71), A. Weston (58), A. Twomey (59), A. Smith (42)

IN: T. Cowan, N. Dojiok, L. Hausegger, S. Hosking, G. Ricardo, E. Southgate
OUT: J. Tweddle-O’Donnell (concussion), I. Evans, E. James, E. Morris (managed), T. Hurst, A. Weston
NEW: Lara Hausegger, 17, Yarra Old Grammarians/Oakleigh Chargers; Ella Southgate, 20, Beaumaris

CARLTON vs CASEY DEMONS

Saturday May 6, 2:15pm, IKON Park
Head-to-head: Casey Demons 4-1. At IKON Park: Casey Demons 2-0. Streak: Casey Demons 1

CARLTON
B: M. Hendrie (14), T. Kolevski (28)
HB: L. Hosking (3), G. Lawson-Tavan (10), B. Gurr (9)
C: M. Anthony (38), K. Sherar (32), K. Skepper (30)
HF: A. Thorneycroft (27), R. Watts (35), E. Wood (11)
F: M. Cowan (26), J. Good (19)
R: E. Hurley (18), A. Klingbeil (1), M. Di Cosmo (20)
INT: O. Di Donato (31), I. Khoury (5), C. Wrigley (34), I. Milford (39), G. Tait (29)
EMG: M. Runting (8), K. Lennox, B. Unthank

IN: M. Cowan, J. Good, T. Kolevski, G. Tait, R. Watts
OUT: M. Austin (injured), C. Bain (concussion), T. Nicolaou (hand), L. Beatty, K. Lennox
NEW: Jess Good, 28, Sturt

CASEY DEMONS
B: B. Woolcock (16), K. Phillips (31)
HB: M. Hogg (45), M. Neal (7), G. Fowler (13)
C: J. Rigoni (34), A. Kirkwood (6), T. Burn (4)
HF: N. O'Neill (19), C. Keohane (40), I. Lehman (11)
F: I. Makai (1), T. Williams (36)
R: L. Swain (50), S. Fairchild (8), S. Danckhert (25)
INT: S. Rummel (28), A. Kinnane (49), D. Smith (3), S. Sheerin (5), B. Smith (43)
EMG: G. Proy (32), T. Quinn (46)

IN: D. Smith, K. Phillips
OUT: G. Gall, B. Lyne
NEW: Kasey Phillips, 19, Vermont/Eastern Ranges.

PORT MELBOURNE vs NORTH MELBOURNE

Saturday May 6, 7:00pm, ETU Stadium
Head-to-head: Port Melbourne 2-1. At ETU Stadium: 1-1. Streak: North Melbourne 1

PORT MELBOURNE
B: K. Byrne (25), S. Taylor (49)
HB: L. Caruso (5), O. Barton (1), J. Livingstone (3)
C: C. Dyett (15), C. Bromage (4), T. Watson (23)
HF: B. Wilson (16), C. Slater (13), I. Hartog (42)
F: S. Williams (44), F. Frew (28)
R: K. Dudley (2), J. Williams (26), E. Robins (40)
INT: K. Adams (7), M. Shaw (11), L. Hart (39), I. Stutt (29), R. Dale (41)
EMG: B. Mueck (31), L. Wright (19), J. Farrugia (22), M. Mottram (24), M. Denahy Maloney (35), G. Alomes (32), T. Farrell (37), K. Whitehead (8)

IN: C. Bromage, K. Byrne, R. Dale, C. Dyett, I. Stutt
OUT: M. McKellar (knee), K. O'Keefe (injured), A. Campbell, M. Denahy-Maloney, S. Reid

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: T. Bradley (33), R. Hicks (12)
HB: M. McDonald (5), Z. Flanigan (16), C. Mailer (40)
C: C. Fitzgerald (10), M. Klaumanns-Moller (14), J. Mourney (2)
HF: G. Nicholas (9), K. Peake (31), E. Macdonald (24)
F: G. Clark (38), E. Paterno (21)
R: J. Jones (17), A. Scott (23), A. Rhodes (4)
INT: M. McSweeney (22), G. White (37), A. Xanthos (29), D. Edward (3), J. Guy (8)
EMG: K. Delia (20), A. Melnikas (18), M. Purcell (28), J. Nursey (26)

IN: D. Edward, C. Fitzgerald, J. Guy, M. McSweeney, A. Xanthos
OUT: F. Theodore (illness), T. Gatt, R. Tripodi (managed), K. Delia, J. Hillas

WESTERN BULLDOGS vs WILLIAMSTOWN

Sunday May 7, 10:30am, ETU Stadium
Head-to-head: Western Bulldogs 3-2. At ETU Stadium: Never Met. Streak: Williamstown 2

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: R. Beuzeville (50), T. Delgado (69)
HB: F. Taylor (48), C. Pickett (59), M. Freeman (28)
C: T. Skenderis (34), T. Meier (42), E. Greet (52)
HF: D. Carbone (54), I. Cameron (32), T. Pulcino (36)
F: I. Robson (60), M. Sandral (39)
R: J. Borg (64), A. Ling (29), S. Skinner (62)
INT: A. Snow (58), S. Asciak (26), J. Tabb (63), K. Whiley (24), K. Tracey (44)
EMG: P. Amber (61), I. Barker (56), E. Nekrep (41)

IN: A. Snow, K. Whiley
OUT: I. Barker, E. Nekrep
NEW: Ashleigh Snow, 20, West Preston-Lakeside; Kiera Whiley, 18, Caroline Springs/Western Jets

WILLIAMSTOWN
B: T. Brett (20), Z. Day (34)
HB: B. Gray (44), S. Whiting (25), M. Edwards (17)
C: B. Kennedy (2), N. Julian (35), P. King (3)
HF: E. Cleland (5), S. Dunell (21), S. Cameron (43)
F: A. Newman (17), J. Kawa (23)
R: L. Stepnell (4), E. Straford (18), E. Eaves (6)
INT: E. Freeman (33), T. Wright (7), S. Bridgewater (12), D. Pedersen (15), M. Willamson (24)
EMG: D. Di Santo (8), T. Moss (42), C. Linssen (11)

IN: B. Gray, A. Newman
OUT: A. Sarec (injured), C. Tyrrell

ESSENDON vs SOUTHERN SAINTS

Sunday May 7, 11:00am, NEC Hangar
Head-to-head: Southern Saints 4-2-1. At NEC Hangar: Southern Saints 1-0-1. Streak: Southern Saints 1

ESSENDON
B: D. Marshall (6), B. Clarke (45)
HB: G. Clarke (17), E. Gamble (14), C. Ugle (41)
C: T. Davidge (77), A. Radford (22), S. Van De Heuvel (27)
HF: E. Chaston (61), M. Ryan (76), M. Wilson (66)
F: M. Clifford (47), O. Manfre (43)
R: S. Wales (30), A. Van Loon (26), G. Dicker (44)
INT: T. Crook (49), M. Huta (56), S. Molan (73), R. Sutton (72), C. Prpic (58)
EMG: Z. Hurrell (53), E. Cornish (55), J. Richardson (52)

IN: E. Gamble, M. Huta, S. Molan, A. Radford, R. Sutton
OUT: E. Ashley-Cooper (hamstring), L. Spargo (calf), A. Clarke, J. Doonan (managed), K. Heil (illness)
NEW: Ellyse Gamble, 25, Western Bulldogs AFLW

SOUTHERN SAINTS
B: C. Matthews (44), G. Foran (37)
HB: J. Moore (15), A. Hynes (16), T. Boyd (21)
C: W. Laing (9), M. Podnecky (10), C. Ryan (11)
HF: E. Stuber (7), T. Kearns (23), A. Tregellis (42)
F: G. De Angelis (39), L. Burke (28)
R: M. Kershaw (3), J. Wrigley (18), M. Capsalis (5)
INT: B. Enno (26), O. Robinson (33), D. Jolliffe (4), K. Ebb (53), R. Neaves (25)
EMG: N. Cormack (12), M. Fogas (29), J. Webster (32), S. Black (22)

IN: M. Capsalis, K. Ebb, T. Kearns, M. Kershaw, R. Neaves, M. Podnecky
OUT: S. Black, N. Cormack, M. Fogas, G. Hodder, C. Murphy, M. Williamson

UMPIRES

Darebin Falcons vs Box Hill Hawks
FIELD: Ian Herman, Ryan Mann, Harry Warmington. BOUNDARY: Ashlee Ball, Lachlan Bezzina, Benjamin Myatt. GOAL: Joe Dorrat-Thorpe, Jenna Green.

Geelong Cats vs Collingwood
FIELD: Genevieve Devenish, Samantha Ritchie, Jacob Stuckey. BOUNDARY: Madeleine Lum, Benjamin Merrick, Jonathon Peck. GOAL: Bridget Saftenberger, Courtney Stelling.

Carlton vs Casey Demons
FIELD: Lisa Compton-Robins, Ben Lefebvre, Michael Whelan. BOUNDARY: Nicholas Bahr, Luke Gonis, Luke Myatt. GOAL: Bradley Hefernan-Benfield, Joshua James.

Port Melbourne vs North Melbourne
FIELD: Arron Knezevic, James Meek, Jai Smith. BOUNDARY: Olivia Grcic, Mitch Lea, Daniel Mortlock. GOAL: Nathan Dugdale, Alex Tomada.

Western Bulldogs vs Williamstown
FIELD: Campbell Hymans, Hayden Pearson, Sophia Tozer. BOUNDARY: Jack Buller, Daniel Molino. GOAL: Ben Geleit, Brady Gutbier.