THE second son of Essendon champion James Hird will officially become a Bomber when Alex makes his debut in Monday’s Smithy’s VFL Anzac Day clash with Collingwood at Windy Hill.
Alex, 18, is a 178cm, 68kg youngster who has been playing for Old Melburnians in th VAFA and has earned his chance to join his older brother Tom, 21, who is showing promising signs in his second season in the Essendon reserves.
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View the Smithy’s VFL injury list HERE
The winless Bombers will go in as clear underdogs against the Magpies, with last week’s five-goal star Kaine Baldwin playing at the MCG and Harry Jones, Aaron Francis and Tex Wanganeen all being sidelined, although Devon Smith and Tom Cutler have been named after being dropped from the AFL team.
Collingwood responded to last week’s first loss of the season against GWS by making five changes, with Callum Brown, Mason Cox and Tom Wilson returning from the AFL, Aiden Begg returning from concussion and Pascoe Vale’s Jack Raines, 19, to play his first VFL game.
The Magpies dropped Campbell Lane, Callan Wellings, Cobi Maxted and Isaac Wallace, while Michael Hartley, who battled manfully as an undersized ruck against the Giants, will also miss.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD
Monday, April 25, 1.05pm @ Windy Hill
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 1pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Essendon 10-8. At Windy Hill: Essendon 3-2. Streak: Essendon 3 in a row. Last time: Essendon 12.14 86 def Collingwood 6.14 50 (Victoria Park, April 24, 2021)
ESSENDON
IN: A Hird (debut, 18, Old Melburnians), B Archard, T Cutler, D Smith, K Weightman
OUT: K Baldwin (AFL), A Francis, H Jones, T Wanganeen (all managed), M Hallows (omit)
COLLINGWOOD
IN: J Raines (debut, 19, Pascoe Vale), A Begg, C Brown, M Cox, T Wilson
OUT: M Hartley (managed), C Lane, C Maxted, I Wallace, C Wellings (all omit)
Prediction: Collingwood by 37
BYE: Geelong, Gold Coast, Northern Bullants, Sydney, Williamstown
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 4. Season: 29
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 station 3WBC 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)
