The Smithy’s VFL teams for the Wildcard Finals.

Five members of the Sydney Swans Academy will line-up for the Swans in their clash with Frankston at Blacktown International Sports Park in the First Wildcard Final.

The Swans have only six AFL-listed players in their side for the knockout final, with Harry Cunningham, Caiden Cleary, Angus Sheldrick and Tom Hanily promoted to the AFL team and Hayden McLean entering concussion protocols following last week’s defeat to Essendon.

In their place, the Swans have included five youngsters who have played a collective total of 14 VFL games, including debutants Will Morahan and Ben Pignatelli.

Frankston will also blood a first-gamer, with 19-year-old Lachlan Commons replacing Noah Gown, who suffered concussion in last week’s loss at Williamstown.

The Dolphins, who are aiming to win a final for the third year in a row, will also be without skipper Trent Mynott, George Grey, Bailey Lambert, Blake O’Leary and Ollie Moran, who all remain on the injury list.

Of that group, only Mynott and Grey remain a chance to play again this season if the Dolphins progress.

Williamstown has included two former Blues to take on Carlton in the Second Wildcard Final at DSV Stadium.

Former skipper Cam Polson and midfielder David Cuningham are both set to return for the Seagulls.

Polson has managed just seven matches this campaign, while Cuningham – who was a late exclusion last week – has been restricted to just six games in his first season with the club.

The Blues have made five changes to the side that beat reigning premier Footscray in Round 21 to secure a finals place for the first time since 2022.

Flynn Riley is the only AFL-listed inclusion, however former Essendon forward Alwyn Davey and Werribee premiership forward Sam Paea are handy additions.

Ollie Hollands has been called up to the Blues’ AFL team after a best on ground performance at Mission Whitten Oval last week, while ruck Liam Reidy will miss through injury.

BROADCAST AND STREAMING: ABC – Williamstown vs Carlton; 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.

SYDNEY SWANS vs FRANKSTON

Saturday 22 August, 11:05am, Blacktown International Sports Park

SYDNEY SWANS
B: R. Andrew (20), W. Morahan (55), A. Norris (46)
HB: N. Bowman (23), C. Warner (37), J. Harrison (65)
C: J. Tidemann (57), P. Snell (41), C. Peters (53)
HF: M. Rosas Jnr (10), H. Cameron (69), H. Meaney (68)
F: K. Gibbs (70), J. Phillipou (18), O. Clifton (72)
R: T. Ryan (64), J. Sutton (54), M. Mellis (50)
INT: B. Pignatelli (62), L. Giacometti (51), N. Andreacchio (67), J. Longmire (56), K. Harbour (66)
23rd Player: O. Clifton (72)
EMG: C. Blackwell-Smith (60), O. Davis (63), B. Laws (58)

IN: N. Andreacchio, H. Cameron, H. Meaney, W. Morahan, B. Pignatelli
OUT: C. Cleary, H. Cunningham, T. Hanily, A. Sheldrick (AFL), H. McLean (concussion)
NEW: Will Morahan, 19, 193cm, Sydney Swans Academy, North Shore Bombers; Ben Pignatelli, 18, 191cm, Sydney Swans Academy/UNSW-ES Bulldogs

FRANKSTON
B: P. Cotter (26), T. Milne (15), J. Lloyd (18)
HB: J. Noble (37), T. Barlow (3), T. O'Leary (29)
C: W. Hamill (9), J. Voss (13), M. Williames (48)
HF: L. Reidy (2), K. Foster (40), S. Quirk (11)
F: D. Hipwell (14), A. Grant (19), C. Ellison (4)
R: T. Hofert (30), T. Owens (7), W. Papley (20)
INT: M. Gregory (38), H. Jones (8), B. Lloyd (31), O. Lewis (5), L. Commons (41)
EMG: D. Andrew (39), H. Berrenger (35), H. Hayes (43), W. Derrrington (24), B. Fergusson (42)

IN: L. Commons
OUT: N. Gown (concussion)
NEW: Lachlan Commons, 19, 183cm, Mornington/Dandenong Stingrays

Head-to-head: Frankston 3-1; At Blacktown International Sports: Never met; Streak: Frankston 2; Last time: Frankston 9.11 (65) def Sydney Swans 7.8 (50) – Round 8, 2024, Kinetic Stadium

WILLIAMSTOWN vs CARLTON

Saturday 22 August, 11:05am, DSV Stadium

WILLIAMSTOWN
B: H. Ollington (15), N. Pendergast (32), A. Bonar (25)
HB: L. Parks (22), A. Seivers (45), D. Cuningham (2)
C: M. Philpot (19), L. Wilson (36), H. Minton-Connell (4)
HF: T. Triffett (7), J. D'Intinosante (30), J. Toner (14)
F: D. Hollow (12), N. Colenso (10), K. Dawson (13)
R: A. Mirkov (49), D. Moloney (9), R. Jacobs (37)
INT: K. Turner (27), T. Fullarton (16), J. Greiser (18), B. Ryan (47), C. Polson (5)
EMG: J. Hamilton (21), B. Preuss (11), T. Fry (24), M. Zipf (50)

IN: D. Cuningham, C. Polson
OUT: Z. Pritchard (eye), J. Hamilton (omitted)

CARLTON
B: S. Paea (66), D. Harvey (61), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), L. Prout (74)
C: J. Ison (30), D. Tucker (50), L. Camporeale (21)
HF: C. Walker (76), F. Young (45), A. Davey (57)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), L. Farrar (75)
R: F. Riley (38), B. Camporeale (16), L. Fogarty (8)
INT: J. Sammartino (58), W. Reinhold (60), O. Warburton (62), D. Hogg (70), W. Cookson (77)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: T. Logan (68), J. Rule (65), C. Cotter (72), T. Gresham (78), R. Corrigan (63), A. Stevens (64), J. O'Sullivan (82)

IN: W. Cookson, A. Davey, D. Hogg, S. Paea, F. Riley
OUT: O. Hollands (AFL), T. Howard (hamstring), L. Reidy (injured), R. Corrigan, T. Logan (omitted)

Head-to-head: Carlton 19-13. At DSV Stadium: Williamstown 8-4. Streak: Williamstown 5; Last time: Carlton 12.7 (79) def by Williamstown 12.12 (84) – Round 2, 2026, IKON Park

UMPIRES

SYDNEY SWANS vs FRANKSTON
FIELD: Emiel Morvell (3), Nicholas Scott (8), Liam Dye (24); Emergency: Lachlan Coyne (2); BOUNDARY: Scott Hansford, Daniel Urbans, Benjamin Rofe, Cody Tuder; GOAL: Kane Miller, Callum Thornton; Emergency: Nicholas Ford

WILLIAMSTOWN vs CARLTON
FIELD: Cameron Manthey (11), Flynn Kelly (28), Thomas Lyon (41); Emergency: Sam Hurford (44); BOUNDARY: Melissa Sambrooks, Rylan Bell, Joshua Blain, Lachlan Perdon; GOAL: Bradley Kellett, Jack Stammers; Emergency: Joshua Hickman