The Smithy’s VFL teams for Round 1.

Calsher Dear has been named at centre half forward for the Box Hill Hawks’ season-opener against the Sydney Swans at Kennedy Community Centre on Friday afternoon.

Dear has had a limited pre-season and will be joined in the Hawks team by SSP signing Flynn Perez, along with draftees Jack Dalton, Ollie Greeves, Cameron Nairn and Aidan Schubert.

Tyler Brown will play his first game since sustaining an Achilles injury in Round 19, 2024.

Taylor Adams has been named for Sydney, alongside 2025 draft crop Noah Chamberlain, Liam Hetheron, Harry Kyle and Jevan Phillipou.

Geelong has named Jack Bowes for its clash with Essendon at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night, as he continues his push for AFL selection.

Will White will play his first game after signing with the Cats following his delisting from Carlton, while youngsters Hunter Holmes, Jesse Mellor and Nick Driscoll will play their first games since being drafted last year.

Essendon will unveil top 10 draft picks Sullivan Robey and Jacob Farrow, while Jaxon Binns will play his first game in red and black.

Frankston will unveil a new on-ball division in its clash with Williamstown under the Kinetic Stadium Friday night lights, with recruits Tom Hofert, Will Papley and Will Derrington all set to make their club debut.

Williamstown will also take some new faces into the clash, including former AFL ruckman Braydon Preuss, David Cuningham, Josh D'Intinosante and Angus Seivers.

Kallan Dawson will make his club return after rejoining the Seagulls following three seasons with North Melbourne.

Tasmania skipper Robbie Fox will miss the club's inaugural game with a calf injury, however former AFL names Jye Menzie, Georgie Payne, Hugh Dixon and Caleb Mitchell will play for the Devils.

Their opponent Coburg have selected Jaidyn Stephenson for his first game since signing late in the off-season, along with former Carlton skipper Heath Ramshaw.

Josh Gibcus and Campbell Gray will hold down key defensive posts for Richmond in its clash with Southport at Kinetic Stadium after both were omitted from the Tigers AFL side.

Sam Lowson makes his return from a knee reconstruction for the Sharks, alongside boom recruits Ryan Burton, Sam Day and Tom Berry.

St Kilda will take only eight AFL listed players into its return match to the VFL competition when it travels to Tom Wills Oval to take on the GWS Giants.

The home side has included big-name signings James Bell and Harvey Hooper for skipper Ryan Hebron's 100th VFL game.

Adam Treloar will line up for Footscray when its unfurls its premiership flag against Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval. The star midfielder is one of a dozen premiership players who will take the field for the Bulldogs, alongside new signing Jack Billings.

Last year's No. 11 pick Xavier Taylor will play his first game in the red and blue, with Casey also selecting midfield recruit Ethan Stanley.

The Gold Coast Suns have named a powerful forward line for their clash with Werribee at People First Stadium on Sunday, with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Jed Walter both selected. The Suns have also included No. 4 draft pick Dylan Patterson.

Werribee's side will feature a host of new signings, including Charlie Lazzarro, Lachie Charleson, Massimo Raso, Ajang Kuol Mon and Will Elliott.

Sandringham has named Kynan Brown as its sole former AFL player in its return game under standalone status when it hosts Port Melbourne at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

Former Essendon midfielder Ben Hobbs will make his Borough debut, alongside Oli Sestan and Connor Downie.

STREAMING: All matches in the 2026 Smithy’s VFL season will be live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.

BROADCAST: ABC – Footscray Bulldogs vs Casey Demons; Kayo Sports – Richmond vs Southport Sharks and Gold Coast Suns vs Werribee; Seven Tasmania and 7plus – Tasmania vs Coburg

BOX HILL HAWKS vs SYDNEY SWANS

Friday 20 March, 12:35pm, Kennedy Community Centre

BOX HILL HAWKS
B: L. Ward (54), N. Mraz (21), B. Ryan (26)
HB: S. Horner (62), H. Morrison (1), B. Macdonald (42)
C: F. Perez (39), J. Dalton (34), C. Nairn (22)
HF: M. Hill (41), C. Dear (13), O. Greeves (35)
F: K. Declase (53), A. Schubert (29), W. McCabe (27)
R: M. Ramsden (38), F. Maginness (20), C. Anderson (32)
INT: T. Bianco (58), J. Uhr-Henry (43), W. Pewtress (79), T. Farrer (76), T. Brown (66)
23rd Player: T. Farrer (76)
EMG: B. Tennant (56), B. Simondson (74), J. Baldwin (72), G. Julian (52), W. Kellar (78), A. Lukic (60)

SYDNEY SWANS
B: P. Snell (41), J. Hamling (29), W. Edwards (28)
HB: M. Geddes (61), H. Kyle (32), H. Cunningham (7)
C: N. Chamberlain (42), C. Peters (53), K. Gibbs (68)
HF: T. Hanily (40), J. Harrison (65), J. Phillipou (18)
F: J. Longmire (72), K. Harbour (66), H. McLean (2)
R: P. Ladhams (19), T. Adams (3), N. Shipley (52)
INT: H. Cameron (69), L. Giacometti (51), J. Tidemann (57), J. Dattoli (9), L. Hetherton (39)
23rd Player: H. Cameron (69)                         
EMG: J. Ellwood (58), H. Podmore-Taylor (62), J. Callegari (59)

Head-to-head: Box Hill Hawks 2-1; At Kennedy Community Centre: Never met; Streak: Box Hill Hawks 2; Last time: Box Hill Hawks 15.12 (102) def Sydney Swans 11.9 (75) – Round 5, 2024, Box Hill City Oval

GEELONG CATS vs ESSENDON

Friday 20 March, 7:05pm, GMHBA Stadium

GEELONG CATS
B: M. Herbert (62), J. Kolodjashnij (8), N. Driscoll (27)
HB: C. Burke (41), D. Capiron (50), H. Holmes (22)
C: J. Bowes (12), L. Hofmann (23), O. Henry (36)
HF: W. White (52), J. Polkinghorne (2), O. Wiltshire (21)
F: J. Pike (37), M. Knevitt (10), J. Mellor (25)
R: R. Stanley (1), G. Stevens (15), J. Bews (24)
INT: J. Hart (48), M. Williams (54), J. Rantall (55), K. Annand (59), P. Kelly (74)
23rd Player: M. Williams (54)
EMG: J. Henderson (47), R. Gunsser (49), J. Costello (51), D. Edmends (53), J. Ballantyne (57), K. George (67), T. Bond (73), C. Green (84)

ESSENDON
B: T. Sellers (75), K. Gerreyn (19), D. Akuei (64)
HB: X. O'Neill (55), J. Farrow (2), S. El-Hawli (41)
C: J. Binns (74), J. Hately (50), N. Cox (13)
HF: A. Day-Wicks (44), R. Unwin (38), H. Jones (23)
F: W. Bella (77), L. McMahon (48), M. Guelfi (35)
R: V. Visentini (17), E. Tsatas (5), S. Robey (9)
INT: S. McKay (51), T. Kitchell (67), K. Ferronato (80), N. Scott (57), C. Nyko (65)
23rd Player: T. Kitchell (67)
EMG: J. Eckersley (58), C. Naish (81), K. Gallagher (69)

Head-to-head: Geelong 29-20-6; At GMHBA Stadium: Geelong 9-2; Streak: Geelong 1; Last time: Geelong 10.13 (73) def Essendon 9.5 (59) – Round 20, 2025, GMHBA Stadium

FRANKSTON vs WILLIAMSTOWN

Friday 20 March, 7:35pm, Kinetic Stadium

FRANKSTON
B: T. Milne (15), T. Barlow (3), P. Cotter (26)
HB: W. Hamill (9), A. Grant (19), T. O'Leary (29)
C: J. Voss (13), S. Quirk (11), T. Mynott (12)
HF: P. Dozzi (25), C. Ellison (4), D. Hipwell (14)
F: B. Lloyd (31), H. Coe (16), N. Gown (1)
R: T. Hofert (30), W. Papley (20), W. Derrington (24)
INT: O. Moran (28), K. De La Rue (33), L. Sharp (36), L. Reidy (2), B. Lambert (22)
EMG: H. Jones (8), B. Fergusson (42), H. Hayes (43), M. Gregory (38), J. Noble (37)

WILLIAMSTOWN
B: N. Pendergast (32), A. Bonar (25), L. Parks (22)
HB: M. Hollier (3), A. Seivers (45), H. Hall-Kahan (6)
C: M. Philpot (19), D. Cuningham (2), J. McHale (1)
HF: M. Stobie (28), J. D'Intinosante (30), H. Ollington (15)
F: B. Kennedy (23), T. Fullarton (16), K. Dawson (13)
R: B. Preuss (11), T. Triffett (7), J. Toner (14)
INT: H. Minton-Connell (4), J. Fitzgerald (8), K. Turner (27), D. Hollow (12), M. Zipf (50)
EMG: D. Moloney (9), J. Hamilton (21), C. Willis (26), A. Mirkov (49)

Head-to-head: Williamstown 47-25-1; At Kinetic Stadium: Williamstown 20-14-1; Streak: Williamstown 3; Last time: Williamstown 10.11 (71) def Frankston 8.12 (60) – Round 3, 2025, DSV Stadium

RICHMOND vs SOUTHPORT SHARKS

Saturday 21 March, 10:00am, Kinetic Stadium

RICHMOND
B: M. El Nour (57), C. Gray (50), L. Trainor (11)
HB: N. Collier (63), J. Gibcus (18), K. Smith (49)
C: A. Johnson (51), L. Street (55), P. Retschko (33)
HF: Z. Peucker (26), T. Burton (45), N. Roberts-Thomson (27)
F: S. Toner (68), J. Alger (29), L. Fawcett (43)
R: O. Hayes-Brown (47), H. Scott (54), S. Philp (64)
INT: T. Ferguson (73), L. George (67), L. Connolly (58), N. Renfree (74), O. Hotton (61)
23rd Player: N. Renfree (74)
EMG: M. Yassine (52), Z. Lockwood (59), R. Hanson (72), A. Sharkie (78)   

SOUTHPORT SHARKS
B: M. Spencer (6), M. McGuinness (14), C. MacDonald (38)
HB: E. Reardon (26), R. Burton (12), J. Joyce (25)
C: M. Manteit (4), J. Dawson (3), N. Gadsby (13)
HF: C. Lake (33), T. Dawson (24), M. Pescud (42)
F: S. Lowson (18), S. Day (15), F. Hay (39)
R: B. Crossley (20), T. Berry (16), Z. Foot (2)
INT: J. Butler (34), J. Larkins (21), B. Aston (11), B. Woodcock (1), N. Casalini (27)
EMG: L. Coombes (17), C. Webster (22), C. Rowe (40), R. Bowman (7), O. Wood (23)

Head-to-head: Richmond 2-1; At Kinetic Stadium: Southport 1-0; Streak: Southport 1; Last time: Richmond 12.5 (77) def by Southport Sharks 15.15 (105) – Round 16, 2025, Kinetic Stadium

GWS GIANTS vs ST KILDA

Saturday 21 March, 11:05am, Tom Wills Oval

GWS GIANTS
B: K. Pfrengle (56), N. Kelly (49), L. Aleer (21)
HB: L. Montgomery (50), O. Taylor (34), J. Leake (30)
C: C. Stone (18), J. Ough (28), T. McMullin (31)
HF: R. Hamilton (43), O. Hannaford (13), L. Grubb (52)
F: R. Hebron (47), I. Hughes (54), R. Dillon (60)
R: N. Madden (41), J. Bell (48), H. Hooper (51)
INT: S. McMeeken (62), T. Moraschi (67), J. Butson (66), J. East (68), D. Fitzgerald (64)
23rd Player: D. Fitzgerald (64)
EMG: T. Hitchens (63), E. Roberts (61), J. Lawrence (57), M. Belbasis (65)

ST KILDA
B: C. Banfield (36), I. Keeler (17), B. Chambers (58)
HB: N. Maginess (52), C. Algeri (77), J. Hartman (62)
C: E. Armstrong (46), T. Travaglia (5), J. Campigli (64)
HF: J. Davey (69), K. Fincher (37), B. Galimberti (50)
F: B. McKenzie (53), D. Howard (29), J. Barrat (28)
R: A. Dodson (30), D. Butler (39), P. Said (33)
INT: T. Nagel (68), B. Richardson (51), J. Clarke (59), L. Gunson (57), O. Wilson (72)
23rd Player: O. Wilson (72)
EMG: I. Baldwin (55), M. Szonyi (65), J. Behnk (56)

Head-to-head: Never met

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs CASEY DEMONS

Saturday 21 March, 12:05pm, Mission Whitten Oval

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
B: J. Busslinger (5), R. Gardner (43), N. Coffield (17)
HB: L. Cleary (36), L. Emmett (25), L. Carmichael (2)
C: H. Gallagher (12), A. Treloar (1), H. Hewitt (72)
HF: J. Dolan (26), L. McNeil (30), A. Jones (32)
F: C. Smith (55), W. Darcy (15), W. Lewis (28)
R: L. Smith (40), L. Kennedy (35), D. Orgill (50)
INT: F. Valpied (53), C. Craig-Peters (61), B. Crofts (54), J. Billings (51), G. Saunders (79)
23rd Player: G. Saunders (79)
EMG: C. Hargraves (52), L. Muratore (56), L. Ramshaw (60), B. Young (67)

CASEY DEMONS
B: W. Lual (74), J. Adams (26), A. Moniz-Wakefield (45)
HB: R. Mentha Jnr (39), X. Taylor (19), L. Lual (58)
C: T. Sinnema (61), L. D'Angelo (56), E. Stanley (64)
HF: J. Henderson (43), R. Onley (40), P. Cross (41)
F: T. Matthews (20), B. Bowden (78), J. Melksham (18)
R: M. Heath (27), R. Bonner (52), B. Laurie (16)
INT: J. Craven (75), L. Cheffers (72), N. Pipicelli (70), T. Sruk (53), O. Berry (38)
23rd Player: L. Cheffers (72)
EMG: J. Gatt (76), J. Scapin (66), B. Laplanche (68)

Head-to-head: Footscray 11-5; At Mission Whitten Oval: Footscray 4-1; Streak: Footscray 4; Last time: Footscray 12.8 (80) def Casey Demons 9.8 (62) – Round 7, 2025, Mission Whitten Oval

TASMANIA vs COBURG

Saturday 21 March, 12:05pm, North Hobart Oval

TASMANIA
B: N. Williams (10), A. Wilkinson (16), J. Chaplin (41)
HB: M. Roney (20), B. Norton (21), J. Artemis (24)
C: B. Cox-Goodyer (9), J. Menzie (1), Z. Adams (33)
HF: B. Leary (8), S. Siggins (3), L. Hay (39)
F: J. Hagan (2), H. Dixon (29), G. Payne (7)
R: M. Mapley (38), H. Elmer (26), C. Mitchell (4)
INT: J. Callinan (18), N. Sulzberger (13), B. Boag (11), D. Gardner (25), K. Cameron (32)
EMG: W. Splann (28), R. Wright (15), D. Cooney (12), J. Wolfe (31)

COBURG
B: I. Dammersmith (15), D. Kalpakis (38), T. Barnett (22)
HB: J. Andrew (8), D. Toohey (33), M. Kiraly (20)
C: L. Walker (25), H. Bromell (5), M. Kennedy (24)
HF: J. Corigliano (2), F. Gentile (4), B. Gillard (11)
F: R. Valentine (3), J. Stephenson (35), M. Podhajski (10)
R: C. Keogh (29), J. Bytel (6), H. Ramshaw (7)
INT: J. Trudgeon (18), K. Weightman (26), S. Murphy (21), R. Sturgess (9), M. Allison (23)
EMG: J. Furphy (34), M. Thompson (42), M. Goodman (16), R. Galvin (37), M. Foley (13), D. Payman (32), T. Legudi (36)

Head-to-head: Never met

GOLD COAST SUNS vs WERRIBEE

Sunday 22 March, 11:00am, People First Stadium

GOLD COAST SUNS
B: C. Bell (31), C. Graham (46), O. Adams (48)
HB: A. Thomas (41), A. Eastham (42), D. Patterson (30)
C: B. Jepson (44), N. Holman (7), K. Coulson (43)
HF: L. Gulbin (39), Z. Evans (36), A. Sexton (13)
F: J. Walter (4), J. Ugle-Hagan (9), J. Farrar (50)
R: N. Moyle (21), T. Bennett (62), L. Cramp (51)
INT: H. Heathcote (59), D. Swallow (24), M. Knobel (37), C. Collins (61), J. Harris (63)
23rd Player: T. Bennett (62)
EMG: G. Turner (64), H. Gray (58), M. Hoy (47), N. Francis (55), L. Snowball (54), R. Gilmore (60), M. Enders (52)

WERRIBEE
B: L. Pinnuck (9), R. Eyers (10), J. Pavlidis (34)
HB: J. Clark (27), S. Azzi (19), J. Kellett (57)
C: J. Smith (35), S. Donegan (12), T. Simpson (26)
HF: J. Dahlhaus (24), B. Wright (28), J. Riding (33)
F: N. Tullio (5), W. Elliott (6), L. Charleson (32)
R: A. Kuol Mun (20), D. Brew (29), C. Lazzaro (1)
INT: E. Jeka (25), M. Raso (13), W. Kliszewski (39), M. Cousins (14), J. Busuttil (3)
EMG: N. Newton (49), H. Maguire (17), M. McCluggage (15), X. Ivisic (8), F. Gardiner (52)

Head-to-head: Gold Coast 3-2-1; At People First Stadium: Werribee 1-0; Streak: Werribee 1; Last time: Gold Coast Suns 11.7 (73) def by Werribee 13.12 (90) – Round 10, 2024, People First Stadium

SANDRINGHAM vs PORT MELBOURNE

Sunday 22 March, 2:05pm, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval

SANDRINGHAM
B: M. Ryan (4), L. Purcell (21), T. O’Rourke (5)
HB: N. Philactides (15), O. Bater (41), A. Cole (12)
C: J. Peckett (33), D. Chirgwin (17), B. Stephenson (11)
HF: L. Alao (18), J. Hutchings (25), Z. Greeves (32)
F: A. Stefanakis (13), D. Pinter (31), N. Yze (44)
R: B. Findlay (30), B. Atkins (34), K. Brown (9)
INT: J. Ferraro (43), W. Reidy (48), E. Williams (2), B. Hopkins (3), J. Gedi (42)
EMG: F. Gregor (40), J. Wadeisha (19), L. Coghlan (23), B. Seers (35)

PORT MELBOURNE
B: F. Rosman (3), T. Graham (28), J. Johnston (20)
HB: O. Sestan (29), K. Baldwin (11), J. Sparkman (43)
C: C. Downie (13), C. Clarke (7), H. Stubbings (12)
HF: R. Polkinghorne (24), T. Highmore (35), J. O'Sullivan (19)
F: D. Bedendo (2), J. Van Es (6), M. Rider (21)
R: S. Grant (38), T. Hird (4), B. Hobbs (8)
INT: M. Rudd (36), J. Tovey (10), J. Green (14), L. Rankin (15), R. George (34)
EMG: P. Farrant (22), M. Gahan (32), F. Penry (33)

Head-to-head: Port Melbourne 109-59-1; At Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval: Port Melbourne 44-32; Streak: Sandringham 1; Last time: Sandringham 11.14 (80) def Port Melbourne 8.11 (59)

UMPIRES

BOX HILL HAWKS vs SYDNEY SWANS
FIELD: Jack Cannon (18), Emiel Morvell (3), Chris Menara (37), Thomas Lyon (41); BOUNDARY: Ben Rofe, Solomon Miesen, Corey Malcolm; GOAL: Brad Kellett, Adam Steger

GEELONG CATS vs ESSENDON
FIELD: Lachlan Coyne (2), Ned Welsh (6), Nicholas Scott (8), Campbell Hymans (17); BOUNDARY: Kyle Fisher, Cody Tuder, Lachlan Perdon; GOAL: Jack Stammers, Connor Petrie

FRANKSTON vs WILLIAMSTOWN
FIELD: Cooper Marriott (9), Connor Hawes (12), Cameron Williams (19); BOUNDARY: Bailey Wilson, Lachlan Wright, Jake D'Angelo, Mitch Dorling; GOAL: Callum Thornton, Chris Doyle

RICHMOND vs SOUTHPORT SHARKS
FIELD: Jordyn Pearson (5), Tom Bryce (24), Paul Rebeschini (31), Jordan Fry (39), Sam Morgan (43); BOUNDARY: Kaitlin Barr, Melissa Sambrooks, Lewis Spiker; GOAL: James Rizio, Georgie Henderson

GWS GIANTS vs ST KILDA
FIELD: Jordan Lee (21), Flynn Kelly (28), Bradley Stewart (48); BOUNDARY: Harrison Hansford, Nathan Wrigley, Ben Duce; GOAL: Nic Ford, Alex Strassberg

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs CASEY DEMONS
FIELD: Andrew Talbot (1), Samuel Ferguson (23), Genevieve Devenish (10), Scott Simpson (15); BOUNDARY: Wade Anderson, Daniel Mortlock, Mitch O'Neill, Josh Mather; GOAL: Josh Hickman, John Varker

TASMANIA vs COBURG
FIELD: Tomas McIntee (13), Ollie Pye (16), Sam Hurford (44); BOUNDARY: Dominic Schiliro, Brodie Laing, Tom Groom, Patrick Lord; GOAL: Will Robertson, Mark Holmes

GOLD COAST SUNS vs WERRIBEE
FIELD: Samuel Whetton (4), Cameron Manthey (11), Sam Bridges (22), Jake Edgar (54); BOUNDARY: Cooper Ranie, Ronin Mahony, Grace Wilkin, Jack Boyce; GOAL: Zac Mabb, Matt Bridges

SANDRINGHAM vs PORT MELBOURNE
FIELD: Robert O'Gorman (10), Eleni Tee (34), Peter Bailes (35), Harry Birch (40); BOUNDARY: Greta Miller, Josh Blain, Madeleine Lum, Michael Marantelli; GOAL: Tayla Manning, Josh Dudman Doyle