Tom Hickey (with Western Bulldogs' Bailey Smith) has been selected to play in the VFL for Sydney against Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

SYDNEY ruckman Tom Hickey is a surprise inclusion in the Swans' team to take on Werribee in a crucial Smithy's VFL clash at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.

Hickey, who is on the comeback trail from a knee injury suffered in Sydney's AFL Round 3 loss to Western Bulldogs, was considered a strong chance to play against Gold Coast in Saturday's AFL clash, but was instead named to have a run in the VFL with Peter Ladhams in strong form.

He is one of 19 AFL-listed Swans picked to travel south, with Sam Reid, Joel Amartey, James Bell, Robbie Fox and Lachlan McAndrew all named to face a Tigers team fighting to stay in touch with the top bracket of teams they were expected to be part of, although at least one of those will remain in Sydney as the AFL medical substitute or held-over emergencies.

Werribee has recalled experienced midfielder Joe Maishman for his first appearance of the season after several weeks as an emergency, with forward Sam Paea returning from injury and former Geelong Falcon Matthew Keast, who played two games for the Swans last year as a top-up to make his Tigers debut.

View the Smithy’s VFL teams HERE

View the Smithy’s VFL injury list HERE

Gold Coast has named an even stronger team to meet Williamstown at Williamstown on Saturday, with 22 AFL-listed players selected before the medi-sub and any held-over emergencies come out of the team.

The additions to the team that edged Werribee last week include Oleg Markov, Darcy Macpherson and Alex Davies, with the promoted Rory Thompson the only AFL-listed player dropping out of the team.

The Seagulls have lost skipper Cam Polson to injury for the second time in three weeks, while James Cousins and Billy Myers will also miss, but Joel Ottavi and Jordan Gallucci are among the inclusions.

Richmond has also been bolstered significantly for its match with Port Melbourne at ETU Stadium, with Robbie Tarrant, Jack Ross, Riley Collier-Dawkins, Noah Cumberland, Thomson Dow and Tom Brown all named as inclusions to give the Tigers 15 AFL-listers, with the promoted Maurice Rioli and rested Samson Ryan going out.

Port Melbourne captain Tom O'Sullivan returns from a hamstring injury to face the Tigers, but Corey Wagner is out with his own hamstring problem.

North Melbourne regains Charlie Comben and Dom Tyson but loses Jed Anderson, Kyron Hayden, Will Phillips and Josh Goater to meet Geelong on Saturday, with the Cats including Esava Ratugolea, Luke Dahlhaus and Oliver Dempsey in place of AFL debutant Cooper Stephens and fellow promotion Francis Evans, plus Ryan Abbott and Nick Stevens.

Essendon has named Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Aaron Francis, Kaine Baldwin and Tex Wanganeen but loses the promoted Nick Bryan and Nick Hind to face Box Hill Hawks on Sunday, with the Hawks regaining Liam Shiels, Connor Downie and Tyler Brockman in place of hamstrung captain Hugh Beasley, surprise omission Fergus Greene and rookie Lachie Wynd.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

BRISBANE LIONS v COBURG

Saturday, May 7, 12.35pm @ Moreton Bay Sports Complex
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Coburg 1-0. At Moreton Bay: Never Met. Streak: Coburg 1. Last time: Coburg 9.19 73 def Brisbane Lions 8.7 55 (South Pine, May 2, 2021)

BRISBANE LIONS
IN: H Arnold, J Hille, J Madden
OUT: R Lester, J Payne (AFL), H Smith (managed)
NEW: Jackson Hille (23, Sandringham)

COBURG
IN: N Boucher, D Guccione, S Lowson, A Lukic
OUT: H Nolan (hamstring), H Andronaco, D Thomas, L Walker (omit)
DEBUT: Alex Lukic (19, Oakleigh Chargers/Old Scotch)
NEW: Daniel Guccione (26, Pascoe Vale)

Prediction: Brisbane Lions by 41

PORT MELBOURNE v RICHMOND

Saturday, May 7, 12.35pm @ ETU Stadium
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Port Melbourne 29-23-3. At ETU Stadium: Port Melbourne 19-6-1. Streak: Richmond 3 (last loss 2017 Grand Final). Last time: Richmond 14.15 99 def Port Melbourne 10.13 73 (North Port, 2019 Preliminary Final, September 14)

PORT MELBOURNE
IN: J Gasper, J May, T O'Sullivan, C Walker
OUT: C Wagner (hamstring), J Briskey, J Johnston, D Koenen (omit)

RICHMOND
IN: T Brindley, T Brown, R Collier-Dawkins, N Cumberland, T Dow, L Johnson, M Parker, J Ross, R Tarrant
OUT: M Rioli (AFL), S Ryan (managed), J Bowne, J Davies, M Faimalo, A Hicks, C Olden, J Sexton, S Tucker (omit)
DEBUT: Tom Brindley, 23, Greensborough
NEW: Lachlan Johnson, 21, Essendon

Prediction: Richmond by 25

WERRIBEE v SYDNEY

Saturday, May 7, 1.05pm @ Avalon Airport Oval
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 1pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Never Met

WERRIBEE
IN: M Keast, J Maishman, S Paea
OUT: E Jackson, A Lual (omit), N Gribble

SYDNEY
IN: J Amartey, J Bell, R Fox, T Hickey, L McAndrew, S Reid
OUT: A Anderson, D Cordell, W Edwards, M Geddes, I Hughes, K Pfrengle (omit)

Prediction: Sydney by 10

SANDRINGHAM v NORTHERN BULLANTS

Saturday, May 7, 2.05pm @ Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 2pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Bullants 75-63-1. At Trevor Barker Oval: Bullants 34-33-1. Streak: Sandringham 2 (last loss 2018). Last time: Sandringham 16.18 114 def Northern Blues 10.1 61 (Preston, August 25, 2019)

SANDRINGHAM
IN: T Campbell, H Clark, J Kyle, J Lienert, C Sharman
OUT: Z Jones (AFL), R Byrnes, D Joyce (AFL emerg), M Heath (managed), J McHale (omit)
DEBUT: Jarrod Lienert (27, Port Adelaide)

NORTHERN BULLANTS
IN: P Gentile, T Mills, W Mitchell
OUT: M Day (concussion), T Jones (concussion), B Hurley (omit)

Prediction: Sandringham by 22

WILLIAMSTOWN v GOLD COAST

Saturday, May 7, 2.05pm @ Williamstown
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 2pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Williamstown 1-0. At Williamstown: Never Met. Streak: Williamstown 1. Last time: Williamstown 16.17 113 def Gold Coast 11.11 77 (Merrimac, April 17, 2010)

WILLIAMSTOWN
IN: N Gadsby, J Galluci, J Ottavi
OUT: J Cousins, B Myers, C Polson (all injured)

GOLD COAST
IN: M Conroy, A Davies, L Macnab, D Macpherson, O Markov
OUT: R Thompson (AFL), W Bella, F Brown, M Dumas, J Lockett (omit)

Prediction: Gold Coast by 16

NORTH MELBOURNE v GEELONG

Saturday, May 7, 3.05pm @ Aegis Park
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 3pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Geelong 31-4-8. At Arden St: 1-1-3. Streak: Geelong 2 (last loss 2019). Last time: Geelong 18.15 123 def North Melbourne 6.8 44 (GMHBA, April 18, 2021)

NORTH MELBOURNE
IN: C. Comben, M. Mitchell-Russell, C Smith, D Tyson, C Weightman
OUT: J Anderson (AFL), K Hayden (AFL emerg), J Goater, W Phillips (managed), C Hinkley (omit)

GEELONG
IN: W Christie, L Dahlhaus, O Dempsey, D Schilder, E Ratugolea, D Weigl
OUT: F Evans, C Stephens (AFL), R Abbott (calf), A Byrne (concussion), N Stevens (injured), L McCarthy (omit)
DEBUT: Will Christie (21, Bell Park), Darby Schilder (Modewarre), Dan Weigl (28, Lara)

Prediction: Geelong by 11

FRANKSTON v CARLTON

Saturday, May 7, 7.05pm @ Skybus Stadium
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 7pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Carlton 3-1. At Frankston Park: Carlton 2-0. Streak: Frankston 1 (last loss 2002). Last time: Frankston 11.9 75 def Carlton 8.14 62 (Princes Park, August 8, 2002)

FRANKSTON
IN: L Hiscock, K Jacobson (debut), B Welsh (debut)
OUT: P Roseby (managed), W Walker (knee), J Stern (omit)
DEBUT: Khyal Jacobson (22, Pines); Bayleigh Welsh (20, Mt Eliza)

CARLTON
IN: D Handley, C Marchbank, W Setterfield, C Stephens
OUT: L Plowman (AFL), T Leiu, Z Maher (Young Guns), C Hirst (omit)

Prediction: Frankston by 1

CASEY DEMONS v SOUTHPORT

Sunday, May 8, 12.35pm @ Casey Fields
https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Never Met

CASEY DEMONS
IN: T Bedford, L Dunstan, C Ellison, T McRae, J Melksham, D Turner, S Weideman
OUT: Z Andrewartha, R Baldi, J Bell, L Goonan, M Johnson, B Milford, H Neocleous (omit)
DEBUT: Tommy McRae (Xavier College)

SOUTHPORT
IN: B Crossley, S Tape, J Williams
OUT: M Doran (knee), R Gilmore, T Miller (omit)

Prediction: Casey Demons by 21

ESSENDON v BOX HILL HAWKS

Sunday, May 8, 2.10pm @ Windy Hill
(3WBC 94.1FM, www.3wbc.org.au, 1pm; (Channel 7 and https://7plus.com.au, 2pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Essendon 7-5. At Windy Hill: 4-4. Streak: Box Hill 1 (last loss 2019). Last time: Box Hill Hawks 15.12 102 def Essendon 7.9 51 (Windy Hill, June 20, 2021)

ESSENDON
IN: C Anderson, K Baldwin, P Bannister, A Francis, A Hird, A McDonald-Tipungwuti, T Wanganeen
OUT: N Bryan, N Hind (AFL), L Godden, J Iacobaccio, D Landt, C McLeod, P Pascu (all omit)

BOX HILL HAWKS
IN: T. Brockman, C. Downie, L. Shiels
OUT: H. Beasley (hamstring), F. Greene, L. Wynd (both omit)

Prediction: Box Hill Hawks by 25

BYE: Collingwood, Footscray, GWS

Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 7. Season: 42.5

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 Box Hill Hawks 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)