THE Casey Demons take their turn to celebrate a milestone when they play their 50th rebel VFLW match in a crunch clash against Collingwood at AIA Centre on Saturday morning.
The Demons, who joined the competition in 2018 by taking over Cranbourne’s licence, have come of age in the past two seasons, making the finals last year and sitting on top of the ladder this season with a perfect 6-0 record, putting them in front overall at 25-24.
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But the challenge to knock off last year’s unbeaten team will be a bit bigger with five quality players dropping out of the team that thrashed Southern Saints last week with captain Samantha Johnson ill and Eliza West, Sarah Lampard, Maddi Gay and Tahlia Gillard back into the Melbourne AFLW team for the preliminary final, with Tara Reiter, Steph Rummel, Brooke Borchard, Monica Harasimiuk and Lucy Wales taking their places.
In contrast, the Magpies have strengthened their team with AFLW-listed Bella Smith, Jordan Membrey, Olivia Meagher, Eloise Chaston and Joanna Lin, plus the experienced Danica Pedersen, into the team that lost to Carlton, replacing six VFLW-listed players including last week’s three debutants.
Essendon has another two milestones to celebrate when it takes on North Melbourne at Aegis Park on Sunday morning.
Full back Alex Morcom and ruck Simone Nalder will make their 50th rebel VFLW appearances as the Bombers (5-0-1) look to remain undefeated against the Kangaroos (1-5), who will have just four AFLW-listed players on the field.
Hawthorn will be without key players Kristy Stratton, Katelyn Cox (both concussion) and Tegan Cunningham (unavailable), plus Eliza Shannon and Ainslie Kemp (health and safety protocols) for its clash with Carlton, which lost Lily Goss to a coccyx injury, while Geelong has rested a host of AFLW players for its game against the Western Bulldogs.
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Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
COLLINGWOOD v CASEY DEMONS
Saturday, April 2, 10am @ AIA Centre
(www.warfradio.com.au, 9.45am; www.youtube.com/user/AFLVictoria 9.45am)
Prediction: Collingwood by 2
SOUTHERN SAINTS v PORT MELBOURNE
Saturday, April 2, 12pm @ Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval
(www.youtube.com/user/AFLVictoria 11.45am)
Prediction: Southern Saints by 28
WILLIAMSTOWN v DAREBIN
Saturday, April 2, 2pm @ Williamstown Football Ground
(www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 1.45pm)
Prediction: Darebin by 6
NORTH MELBOURNE v ESSENDON
Sunday, April 3, 10.05am @ Aegis Park
(www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=11 9.50am)
Prediction: Essendon by 46
WESTERN BULLDOGS v GEELONG
Sunday, April 3, 11am @ Victoria University Whitten Oval
(www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 10.45am)
Prediction: Geelong by 67
HAWTHORN v CARLTON
Sunday, March 27, 12.35pm @ Box Hill City Oval
(www.youtube.com.au/user/AFLVictoria 12.20pm)
Prediction: Hawthorn by 15
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 4. Season: 26
In a first for VFLW, all matches in 2022 will be live streamed free. One VFLW feature match per week can be watched live via afl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. All remaining games will be streamed live and available on demand via the VFL/W YouTube channel (youtube.com/AFLVictoria).
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 app stores.
Keep track of your VFLW team via our VFLW 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)
