NEW Box Hill Hawks captain Hugh Beasley and his key defensive partner Kyle Hartigan will play their 50th VFL games when the Hawks aim to bounce back from last week’s thrilling loss to Collingwood against Carlton at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday.
Beasley, who was promoted into the role to replace Damian Mascitti this season, will be chasing his first win as captain in his milestone game after the Hawks lost a 35-goal classic, and it would be good symmetry if it also coincided with the 600th VFA/VFL victory they will achieve with success in this game.
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Hartigan played 48 games for Werribee from 2010-12 before being drafted by Adelaide and spent last season in the Hawthorn team after being traded home at the end of 2020, meaning last week’s 49th game was nine years after his previous one.
Box Hill has lost Mascitti (concussion) and star recruit Ben Cavarra (health and safety protocols), but Jarman Impey has been named to make his comeback from a knee reconstruction, while Tom Phillips also comes in and draftee Sam Butler could debut after being named on a 13-man extended bench.
Sandringham’s Darragh Joyce will also play his 50th VFL match against Richmond on Sunday if he isn’t called out of St Kilda’s emergencies after exactly that occurred last week.
GWS will be seeking its 100th NEAFL/VFL win when it takes on Frankston at Skybus Stadium on Saturday night.
The Giants were too good for Port Melbourne at Blacktown last week, but this will be a bigger challenge as the Dolphins try to get on the board after a first-round home loss to Werribee, and they have lost one of last week’s stars in Alex Smout to Covid, while Brayden Preuss was called into the AFL and will be replaced by Matt Flynn.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE SMITHY’S VFL TEAMS FOR ROUND 2
Full forward Jake Riccardi will also play against the Dolphins after being omitted and will be a handful for the Frankston defence, with the home team suffering a growing injury list that had key defender Taylin Duman (concussion) added to it last week.
The Dolphins suffered another major blow with Bailey Lambert ruled out for eight weeks with appendicitis, while none of James Rendell (hamstring), Brodie McLaughlin (Shoulder), Kai Owens (ankle), Lachlan Riley (ankle) and Lochlan Jenkins (hip) are due back before the end of this month.
Essendon has left legend Ben Jolley out of its team to take on Casey Demons at Casey Fields in what will be its 100th away match in the VFL era, but its team will feature exciting goalsneak Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti on the comeback trail.
Coburg recruit Sam McLarty will miss his new team’s season-opening clash with Port Melbourne with a shoulder injury in a match that marks star midfielder Marcus Lentini’s return to Piranha Park after he and the Lions parted ways in the off-season.
Sydney has lost former captain Adam Gulden to a broken collarbone for five weeks, Port Melbourne is without Mack Rivett (foot, TBC), Southport recruit Boyd Woodcock will miss a week with a cork, Williamstown forward Corey Rich is out with a cut foot, joining Nick Mellington (broken wrist), Harry Macreadie (hamstring) and Lachlan Stapleton (concussion) on the sidelines.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE SMITHY’S VFL TEAMS FOR ROUND 2
All Smithy’s VFL matches in 2022 except the Channel 7 game (Sandringham v Richmond) can be livestreamed through the below website or the VFL app.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
SYDNEY v GOLD COAST
Friday, April 1, 7.05pm @ Blacktown International Sports Park
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 6.50pm)
Prediction: Sydney by 21
COBURG v PORT MELBOURNE
Saturday, April 2, 1.05pm @ Piranha Park
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.50pm)
Prediction: Coburg by 17
BRISBANE LIONS v NORTH MELBOURNE
Saturday, April 2, 1.05pm local @ Moreton Bay Sports Complex
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.50pm local, 1.50pm AEDT)
Prediction: Brisbane Lions by 11
SOUTHPORT v WILLIAMSTOWN
Saturday, April 2, 1.05pm local @ Fankhauser Reserve
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.50pm local, 1.50pm AEDT)
Prediction: Southport by 21
COLLINGWOOD v GEELONG
Saturday, April 2, 2.05pm @ AIA Centre
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 1.50pm)
Prediction: Collingwood by 12
CASEY DEMONS v ESSENDON
Saturday, April 2, 3.05pm @ Casey Fields
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 2.50pm)
Prediction: Casey Demons by 35
FRANKSTON v GWS
Saturday, April 2, 7.05pm @ Skybus Stadium
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 6.50pm)
Prediction: Frankston by 1
SANDRINGHAM v RICHMOND
Sunday, April 3, 12pm @ Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Oval
(Channel 7 and https://7plus.com.au, 12pm)
Prediction: Richmond by 25
BOX HILL HAWKS v CARLTON
Sunday, April 3, 3.05pm @ Box Hill City Oval
(www.3wbc.org.au, 2pm; https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 2.50pm)
Prediction: Box Hill Hawks by 19
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 7. Season: 7.
All Smithy’s VFL matches in 2022 can be viewed live and free. The VFL Match of the Round will be screened each week on Channel 7, with all other matches to be livestreamed via vfl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. Radio stations Casey Radio, 3WBC and RPPFM will also again be broadcasting regular matches.
To access live scores, results, ladder, stats and to link to live streams/replays, download the VFL/W Official App from the Apple or Google Play app stores.
Keep track of your Smithy’s VFL team via our VFL Match Centre, which features live scores, team and player stats, match timeline, events summary and Fantasy points. Check it out here (https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/fixture)
