The Smithy’s VFL teams for Round 5.

2023 Norm Smith Medal winner Bobby Hill will play his first game of the 2026 season when Collingwood hosts Essendon at the KGM Centre on Friday.

The premiership forward last played in the Magpies’ AFL loss to the Brisbane Lions in Round 22 last year.

He is one of five changes for Collingwood, coming in alongside fellow AFL-listed teammates Ed Allan, Jai Saxena and Zac McCarthy.

The Bombers have named young forward Hussien El Achkar and emerging ruck Boston Dowling, who has attracted attention as an AFL Mid-Season Draft prospect after trialling for an SSP spot with Richmond over the summer.

He replaces injured ruck Nick Bryan, while promising midfielder Dyson Sharp has been promoted to the AFL team.

The Western Bulldogs’ AFL injury issues have had an impact on Footscray’s team for its VFL clash with Sydney at Mission Whitten Oval, with five players promoted, including Adam Treloar after picking up 41 disposals in the win over Geelong last week.

The Swans regain Corey Warner and Joel Hamling among five changes, with Billy Cootee and Will Edwards rewarded with their AFL debut after impressing in last week’s VFL win over the GWS Giants.

Frankston has lost Tomoya Owens to injury for its clash with Coburg under lights at Kinetic Stadium. The Lions have made three changes for the must-win contest, which includes losing the suspended Kyle Weightman.

Teams for all other Round 5 matches will be announced on Friday.

BROADCAST: ABC – Sandringham vs Box Hill Hawks; Kayo Sports – Brisbane Lions vs Port Melbourne; Seven Network – Tasmania vs Carlton

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.

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs SYDNEY SWANS

Friday 24 April, 11:05am, Mission Whitten Oval

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
B: J. Gilbee (69), N. Coffield (17), L. Cleary (36)
HB: L. Carmichael (2), Z. Walker (41), F. Valpied (53)
C: L. McNeil (30), D. Orgill (50), H. Gallagher (12)
HF: J. Billings (51), L. Vandermeer (23), S. Phipps-Parsons (58)
F: C. Smith (55), J. Croft (16), W. Darcy (15)
R: B. Young (67), L. Kennedy (35), C. Craig-Peters (61)
INT: L. Muratore (56), L. Ramshaw (60), T. Maple (65), C. Hargraves (52), X. Kardachi (66)
23rd Player: X. Kardachi (66)
EMG: G. Saunders (79), G. Delimitrou (59), D. Johnstone (62), K. Sexton (71)

IN: J. Croft, H. Gallagher, J. Gilbee, X. Kardachi, S. Phipps-Parsons, B. Young
OUT: J. Busslinger, J. Dolan, R. Gardner, L. Smith, A. Treloar (AFL), G. Saunders (omitted)
NEW: Stirling Phipps-Parsons, 23, 180cm, Carlton VFL/Old Xaverians

SYDNEY SWANS
B: L. Melican (43), J. Hamling (29), T. Forrest (72)
HB: M. Geddes (61), L. Giacometti (51), P. Snell (41)
C: N. Chamberlain (42), N. Shipley (52), J. Harrison (65)
HF: J. Phillipou (18), C. Warner (37), T. Hanily (40)
F: J. Longmire (56), J. Dattoli (9), H. McLean (2)
R: P. Ladhams (19), H. Kyle (32), C. Cleary (33)
INT: K. Gibbs (70), M. Mellis (50), C. Peters (53), J. Callegari (59), T. Ryan (64)
23rd Player: T. Forrest (72)                
EMG: J. Tidemann (57), N. Andreacchio (67), J. Ellwood (58)

IN: T. Forrest, M. Geddes, J. Hamling, J. Longmire, C. Warner
OUT: B. Cootee, W. Edwards (AFL), L. Hetherton (injured), N. Andreacchio, J. Tidemann (omitted)

Head-to-head: Sydney 12-6-1; At Mission Whitten Oval: Sydney 5-3-1; Streak: Footscray 2; Last time: Sydney Swans 8.11 (59) def by Footscray Bulldogs 10.13 (73) – Round 14, 2025, Tramway Oval

COLLINGWOOD vs ESSENDON

Friday 24 April, 2:05pm, KGM Centre

COLLINGWOOD
B: Z. McCarthy (37), R. McInnes (26), J. Ryan (24)
HB: J. Cochran (27), N. Howes (40), T. Jiath (19)
C: S. Swadling (32), B. Grey (55), T. Prindable (18)
HF: C. West (29), J. Buller (34), B. Teakle (50)
F: B. Hill (23), H. Harrison (36), T. Woewodin (59)
R: I. Smit (20), E. Allan (16), L. Sullivan (33)
INT: J. Saxena (43), Z. Maher (52), O. Faulkhead (54), J. Browne (57), L. Quaynor (78)
23rd Player: L. Quaynor (78)
EMG: B. De Bolfo (51), H. Kennedy (53), C. McCartin (65), M. Mahoney (77), H. Collins (81), R. Varcoe (82)

IN: E. Allan, B. Hill, Z. Maher, Z. McCarthy, J. Saxena
OUT: W. Parker (AFL), B. De Bolfo, X. Laverty, H. Mahoney, M. Mahoney (omitted)

ESSENDON
B: W. Bella (77), K. Gerreyn (19), T. Sellers (75)
HB: Z. Johnson (40), X. O'Neill (55), M. Kondogiannis (29)
C: J. Binns (74), J. Hately (50), M. Guelfi (35)
HF: H. El Achkar (33), R. Unwin (38), J. Nguyen (42)
F: J. Eckersley (58), L. McMahon (48), N. Cox (13)
R: B. Dowling (73), W. Setterfield (12), A. Perkins (16)
INT: S. McKay (51), Z. Eckersley (68), K. Ferronato (80), C. Nyko (65), N. Scott (57)
23rd Player: Z. Eckersley (68)
EMG: R. Brodie (60), K. Gallagher (69), S. Clough (56), C. Naish (81)

IN: B. Dowling, H. El Achkar
OUT: D. Sharp (AFL), N. Bryan (injured)
NEW: Boston Dowling, 20, 207cm, Collingwood VFL/Old Trinity

Head-to-head: Essendon 12-11; At Victoria Park: Collingwood 7-5; Streak: Collingwood 1; Last time: Essendon 12.16 (88) def by Collingwood 18.11 (119) – Round 5, 2025, ETU Stadium

FRANKSTON vs COBURG

Friday 24 April, 7:35pm, Kinetic Stadium

FRANKSTON
B: T. Barlow (3), J. Lloyd (18), J. Voss (13)
HB: T. Milne (15), O. Lewis (5), W. Hamill (9)
C: P. Dozzi (25), G. Grey (6), B. O'Leary (10)
HF: B. Lambert (22), N. Gown (1), W. Papley (20)
F: T. O'Leary (29), C. Ellison (4), H. Jones (8)
R: H. Coe (16), D. Hipwell (14), T. Mynott (12)
INT: P. Cotter (26), W. Derrington (24), M. Gregory (38), T. Hofert (30), S. Quirk (11)
EMG: B. Lloyd (31), B. Fergusson (42), M. Nelson (32), O. Moran (32)

IN: O. Lewis, W. Papley
OUT: T. Owens (injured), C. Gay (omitted)
NEW: Oscar Lewis, 24, Red Hill/Sandringham VFL

COBURG
B: I. Dammersmith (15), R. Galvin (37), T. Barnett (22)
HB: W. Hoare (1), D. Toohey (33), J. Andrew (8)
C: L. Walker (25), M. Goodman (16), M. Kennedy (24)
HF: L. Tejones (44), M. Thompson (42), S. Murphy (21)
F: R. Valentine (3), J. Stephenson (35), M. Podhajski (10)
R: C. Keogh (29), J. Bytel (6), H. Ramshaw (7)
INT: H. Bromell (5), J. Furphy (34), B. Gillard (11), R. Sturgess (9), J. Trudgeon (18)
EMG: D. Payman (32), M. Allison (23), H. Allison (30), D. Kalpakis (38)

IN: J. Andrew, R. Galvin, M. Thompson
OUT: K. Weightman (suspended), M. Kiraly (injured), D. Kalpakis (omitted)

Head-to-head: Frankston 43-38; At Kinetic Stadium: Frankston 25-12; Streak: Frankston 5; Last time: Coburg 9.10 (64) def by Frankston 13.13 (91) – Round 14, 2025, Barry Plant Park

UMPIRES

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs SYDNEY SWANS
FIELD: Hayden Pearson (5), Campbell Hymans (17), Cameron Williams (19); BOUNDARY: Lewis Spiker, Ben Tingiri, Kyle Fisher; GOAL: Tayla Manning, Chris Doyle

COLLINGWOOD vs ESSENDON
FIELD: Jordyn Pearson (5), Jack Howard (18), Joseph O'Brien (41), Nicholas McGinness (42), Sam Morgan (43); BOUNDARY: Cooper Geall, Andew Van Keulen, Daniel Urbans; GOAL: Brad Kellett, Phillip Pettinella

FRANKSTON vs COBURG
FIELD: Connor Hawes (12), Samuel Ferguson (23), Jack Cannon (18); BOUNDARY: Kaitlin Barr, Daniel Mortlock, Greta Miller; GOAL: Callum Thornton, Chris Doyle