FRANKSTON has regained classy forward Bailey Lambert and ruckman Jack Berry for its danger game against Port Melbourne at Skybus Stadium under the Friday night lights.
Lambert has played just five of the Dolphins’ nine games this season and has only featured once since round four – the win over Northern Bullants in round 10 where he kicked two goals - and will add some strength to a forward line that kicked a wonky 9.18 in its win over Sydney on Sunday.
Berry also missed the win over the Swans but returns to take on young Borough big man Josh Hotchkin, while former Sydney-listed player Gus Styles and forward Tylar Young also come back into the team, with last week’s debutants Austin Johnson and Liam Reidy dropped alongside Bill McCormack and Al Richards, while Blake O’Leary also misses out as the Dolphins drop from 23 players to the usual 22.
Port Melbourne sprung a surprise by dropping Isaac Conway as it strives to break a five-match losing streak, while leading goalkicker Matt Signorello and Mack Rivett are also out among five changes.
North Melbourne’s 2019 captain Chris Jansen finally returns from injury to make his Borough debut, while Mat Arnot and Callum Searle are also back, Eastern Ranges youngster Marcus Kane will make his VFL debut and Sandringham Dragon ruck-forward Felix Flockart has also won a call-up after debuting as a fill-in for Gold Coast last week.
The Borough will be confident of springing an upset, given it has won the past seven and 15 of the past 16 games against Frankston, with the Dolphins having not tasted victory since 2013, but this is simply a must-win contest for the home team if they hope to make the finals for the first time in 13 years.
FRANKSTON v PORT MELBOURNE
Friday, July 9, 7.30pm @ Skybus Stadium (RPPFM 98.7, www.rppfm.com.au or RPPFM Peninsula Footy on Facebook)
FRANKSTON
B: 11. A. Brolic, 39. H. Loughnan, 13. A. Styles
HB: 25. J. Lloyd, 14. L. Hiscock, 4. M. Williams
C: 26. W. Arthurson, 2. J. Newman, 21. M. Cox
HF: 12. A. Krakauer, 17. B. Lambert, 22. C. Riley
F: 3. J. Mentha, 27. T. Young, 42. J. Stern
R: 23. J. Berry, 9. N. Freeman, 1. J. Begley
Inter: 31. W. Mackay, 28. B. McLaughlin, 16. J. Rendell, 43. J. Voss
Emerg: 47. A. Johnson, 30. B. McCormack, 40. L. Reidy, 37. A. Richards
In: Berry, Lambert, Styles, Young
Out: Johnson, McCormack, B. O'Leary, Reidy, Richards
PORT MELBOURNE
B: 37. H. Hooper, 30. E. Phillips, 34. K. Reid
HB: 21. B. Jolley, 20. D. Watson, 6. F. Roberts
C: 11. C. Jansen, 10. M. Arnot, 32. P. Lewis-Smith
HF: 19. A. Anastasio, 38. J. O'Sullivan, 18. M. Wooffindin
F: 4. T. O'Sullivan, 15. P. Kerr, 29. C. Walker
R: 36. J. Hotchkin, 3. E. Templeton, 13. C. Wagner
Inter: 39. F. Flockart, 14. N. Holmes, 42. M. Kane, 16. C. Searle
Emerg: 5. I. Conway, 9. C. Hodges, 28. J. May, 31. N. Stathopoulos
In: Arnot, Flockart, Jansen, Kane, Searle
Out: Conway, May, M. Rivett, M. Signorello, Stathopoulos
Prediction: Frankston by 4
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Week: 6. Season: 62.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
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