All the teams for the two Friday matches to kick off Round 19 in the Smithy’s VFL.

Footscray will have the services of a couple of big names for its Smithy’s VFL clash with Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval on Friday.

Star midfielder Jack Macrae again lost his spot in the Bulldogs’ AFL team last week and has been named to play in the early game alongside top 10 draft pick Ryley Sanders, and first-year player Joel Freijah, who were rested and omitted last week respectively.

James O’Donnell will have to face Casey to win his AFL position back following his concussion, with Caleb Daniel and Riley Garcia promoted to the AFL team to take on Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

The Demons have also rung the changes, with Jack Billings and Bailey Laurie dropped by Melbourne, while Ben Brown, Shane McAdam and Jed Adams return from injury as Tom Sparrow and Blake Howes were elevated.

Both teams have also named a debutant, with Footscray selecting North Ballarat defender Josh Sparkman on the back of a strong season that included being named in the best in the Ballarat league’s representative game.

Casey has given an opportunity to Tooradin-Dalmore and Gippsland Power livewire Jesse Craven.

Josh Green returns from a shoulder injury to play his 50th NEAFL/VFL game in Port Melbourne’s trip to Kinetic Stadium to take on Frankston on Friday night, a clash which will celebrate the 150th match of dual VFL premiership player Anthony Anastasio.

Green will be joined by Guy Barnes in boosting a Borough team that has the chance to put a dent in the Dolphins’ finals hopes, with Oscar Roberts and Baker Smith being omitted.

Frankston has recalled key forwards Josh Butland and Harry Coe in place of Lachie Sharp and Will Kennedy.

All matches in the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.

Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will broadcast select matches live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7plus nationally. This week’s broadcast match will be Williamstown vs North Melbourne

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs CASEY DEMONS
Friday 2 August, 3:05pm, Mission Whitten Oval
Head-to-Head: Footscray 9-5; At MWO: Footscray 2-1; Streak: Footscray 2; Last Time: Footscray 15.9 (99) def Casey Demons 12.13 (85) – March 30, 2024, Casey Fields

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
B: A. Jones (32), D. Bedendo (26), O. Baker (13)
HB: H. Gallagher (12), C. Hargraves (72), D. Orgill (50)
C: J. O'Donnell (18), C. Owen (62), L. Cleary (36)
HF: J. Macrae (11), A. Keath (42), J. Freijah (27)
F: E. Hunt (56), L. Smith (40), R. Sanders (9)
R: J. Busslinger (5), T. Bianco (58), C. Clarke (8)
INT: C. Craig-Peters (61), J. Kellett (57), J. Gilbee (69), C. Smith (55), J. Sparkman (51)*
EMG: B. Crofts (54), K. Stretton (66), T. Maple (65), A. Bade (68)

IN: J. Freijah, C. Hargraves, J. Macrae, J. O'Donnell, R. Sanders, J. Sparkman
OUT: C. Daniel, R. Garcia (AFL), L. McArthur (hamstring), A. Bade, B. Crofts, B. Young
NEW: Josh Sparkman, 20, 188cm, North Ballarat

CASEY DEMONS
B: J. Adams (26), A. Tomlinson (20), M. Hore (27)
HB: R. Steele (54), J. Schache (19), M. Gregory (57)
C: J. Billings (14), B. Laurie (16), L. Hunter (12)
HF: S. McAdam (23), M. Jefferson (21), K. Windsor (66)
F: L. Kentfield (44), B. Brown (50), O. Sestan (38)
R: T. Fullarton (33), M. White (52), K. Brown (41)
INT: N. Moodie (74), T. Edwards (58), J. Craven (55)*, R. George (71), W. Verrall (28)
EMG: J. Bell (73), H. Neocleous (75), C. Peters (63), K. Shipp (59)

IN: J. Adams, J. Billings, B. Brown, J. Craven, B. Laurie, S. McAdam
OUT: B. Howes, T. Sparrow (AFL), N. Yze (Oakleigh Chargers), J. Bell, H. Neocleous, C. Peters
NEW: Jesse Craven, 19, 177cm, Tooradin-Dalmore/Gippsland Power

FRANKSTON vs PORT MELBOURNE

Friday 2 August, 7:35pm, Kinetic Stadium
Head-to-Head: Port Melbourne 42-27; At Kinetic Stadium: Port Melbourne 19-17; Streak: Frankston 1; Last Time: Frankston 13.18 (96) def Port Melbourne 11.5 (71) – March 29, 2024, ETU Stadium

FRANKSTON
B: T. Milne (15), M. Williams (4), T. Barlow (3)
HB: J. Lloyd (18), J. Smith (25), B. O'Leary (10)
C: G. Grey (6), J. Newnes (14), N. Burke (17)
HF: T. Murphy (5), H. Coe (16), T. Mynott (12)
F: J. Butland (8), N. Gown (1), M. Johnson (24)
R: A. Grant (19), L. Riley (21), S. Quirk (11)
INT: J. Stern (33), O. Moran (28), J. Voss (13), T. Campbell-Farrell (26), L. Reidy (2)
EMG: R. Jacobs (23), L. Sharp (47), W. Kennedy (27), J. Burton (40), K. Stainthorpe (29)

IN: J. Butland, H. Coe
OUT: W. Kennedy, L. Sharp

PORT MELBOURNE
B: L. Coghlan (30), T. Highmore (35), H. Stubbings (12)
HB: F. Rosman (3), H. Maguire (38), T. Watson (11)
C: M. Gahan (32), T. Hird (4), N. Stuhldreier (31)
HF: L. Rankin (15), J. Miller (23), A. Manton (16)
F: B. Gowers (10), M. Signorello (17), A. Curry (13)
R: F. Flockart (27), J. Green (14), A. Anastasio (19)
INT: O. Mulady (5), K. Viccars (2), G. Barnes (25), K. Borg (39), Z. Walter (53)
EMG: L. Conlan (33), J. Conlan (34), T. Hofert (21), O. Roberts (41), K. Dimattina (40), S. Green (36), B. Smith (22), M. Moschetti (6)

IN: G. Barnes, J. Green
OUT: O. Roberts, B. Smith

*denotes 23rd player

 UMPIRES

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs CASEY DEMONS
FIELD: 2. Lachlan Coyne, 18. Jack Howard, 32. Michael Willcox. BOUNDARY: Trent Bowes, Greta Miller, Adrian Pretorius. GOAL: Adam Steger, Nelson Tucker.

FRANKSTON vs PORT MELBOURNE
FIELD: 13. Shamus Dundon, 34. Joel Clamp, 36. Andrew Adair, 40. Harry Birch. BOUNDARY: Mitch O’Neill, Dom Schiliro, Lewis Spiker. GOAL: Adam Gardner, Tom Gath.