RICHMOND'S injury crisis has grown so much, the Tigers have been forced to field train-on player Shannon Danckert, who will coincidentally come up against her former team Gold Coast.

Danckert was delisted by the Suns after season seven, and spent the first half of 2023 playing VFLW with Casey Demons.

Meagan Kiely comes in for her first game of the season after a back injury, replacing Sarah Hosking (hamstring) and first-choice ruck Gab Seymour (managed).

Train-on Lauren Caruso (Port Melbourne VFLW) is also among the emergencies, after Amelia Peck (thigh) and Shelby Knoll (knee) suffered injuries at training.

Opponent Gold Coast has made three unforced changes, handing a debut to Tasmanian Elise Barwick while recalling rested young duo Darcie Davies and Alana Gee.

Recruit Jordan Membrey makes way, as does Wallis Randell and Ella Maurer.

Geelong veteran Shelley Scott will play for the first time this season after a five-week calf injury, with Rachel Kearns having recovered from knee soreness. Mel Bragg and Renee Garing have been omitted.

Essendon has suffered a double blow, losing both Brooke Brown and Jess Wuetschner to calf injuries, but will regain Sophie Van De Heuvel from concussion and has named Dani Marshall for her first game of the year.

Ebony Antonio is back for Fremantle after her late withdrawal due to knee soreness, replacing Sarah Wielstra in the forward line, with last week’s last-minute inclusion Roxy Roux holding her spot.

North Melbourne is unchanged, with Irish recruit Niamh Martin among the emergencies for the first time this season.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9

Essendon v Geelong at Reid Oval, Warrnambool, 1.05pm AEDT

ESSENDON

In: S.Van De Heuvel, M.Van Dyke, D.Marshall
Out: B.Brown (calf), M.Busch (omitted), J.Wuetschner (calf)

Milestone: Madison Prespakis - 50 games

GEELONG

In: S.Scott, R.Kearns
Out: M.Bragg (omitted), R.Garing (omitted)

Richmond v Gold Coast at Ikon Park, 3.05pm AEDT

RICHMOND

In: M.Kiely, S.Danckert
Out: S.Hosking (hamstring), G.Seymour (managed)

Debut: Shannon Danckert (club debut)

GOLD COAST

In: D.Davies, E.Barwick, A.Gee
Out: W.Randell (omitted), E.Maurer (omitted), J.Membrey (omitted)

Debut: Elise Barwick (AFLW debut)

Fremantle v North Melbourne at Fremantle Oval, 2.05pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: E.Antonio
Out: S.Wielstra (omitted)

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: Nil
Out: Nil