IT'S celebration time for three clubs in the rebel VFLW competition this week, with Southern Saints, North Melbourne and Essendon all having players marking their 50th appearances in the competition.
The Saints will enjoy a triple treat in their clash with Carlton at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday, with Olivia Flanagan, Georgia McLean and Ebony Nixon all playing their 50th matches, the Kangaroos have double the party with Molly Eastman and Annabel Scott raising the bat against Williamstown on Saturday, while former Bombers captain Courtney Ugle against Hawthorn in the minor premiership showdown on Sunday makes six milestone women across the weekend.
Four rebel VFLW clubs have turned to NAB League Girls talent to boost their teams in Round 12, with Port Melbourne naming three debutants including 16-year-old Eastern Ranges' prodigy Ava Campbell and Casey Demons selecting boom Dandenong Stingrays youngster Amber Clarke, while highly-rated Murray Bushranger Keeley Skepper will play for Collingwood.
rebel VFLW ROUND 12 TEAMS, click here
rebel VFLW ROUND 12 INJURY LIST, click here
Geelong and Williamstown have wrapped star midfielders up in cotton wool for the season, with the Cats resting ball magnet Laura Gardiner plus Georgie Rankin, while Seagulls star Aimee Whelan has been withdrawn by AFLW newcomer Sydney.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
6.COLLINGWOOD (5-6) v 12.WESTERN BULLDOGS (0-11)
Saturday, May 14, 10am @ AIA Centre
(https://vflw.tv, 9.55am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Collingwood 5-1. At Olympic Park: Collingwood 1-0. Streak: Collingwood 3 (last loss 2019 2nd Semi Final). Last time: Collingwood 11.6 72 def Western Bulldogs 1.2 8 (Olympic Park, June 19, 2021)
COLLINGWOOD
IN: G Matser, K Skepper, C Van Der Vlies
OUT: J Membrey (unavailable), T Cowan, G Ricardo (omit)
DEBUT: Keeley Skepper, 18, Murray Bushrangers; Charlotte Van Der Vlies, 18, Oakleigh Chargers
WESTERN BULLDOGS
IN: M Marks, T Meier, E Vale, J Woods
OUT: L Bibby (hamstring), I Barker, T Skenderis, A Xanthos (omit)
Prediction: Collingwood by 46
7.DAREBIN (5-6) v 5.GEELONG (7-4)
Saturday, May 14, 11.05am @ Genis Steel Oval, Preston
(www.afl.com.au, 11am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: 2-2. At Preston City Oval: Darebin 1-0. Streak: Geelong 1 (last loss 2019). Last time: Geelong 11.9 75 def Darebin 1.5 11 (Bill Lawry Oval, April 24, 2021)
DAREBIN
IN: A Caddy, K Hazlett, M Meyer, S Normington-Dickens, V Smiljanic
OUT: V Blackwood, E Buckley, M Haas, M Huta, C Weston-Sirett (omit)
GEELONG
IN: E Coventry, C Leonard, P Scott, K Scoullar (debut), P Sheppard, C Simpson (debut)
OUT: L Gardiner, G Rankin (managed), M Boyd (unavailable), K Hardingham, A McKeegan, K Stacey (omit)
DEBUT: Kalani Scoullar, 18, GWV Rebels; Charlotte Simpson, 18, Geelong Falcons
Prediction: Geelong by 25
10.WILLIAMSTOWN (2-8-1) v 8.NORTH MELBOURNE (4-7)
Saturday, May 14, 2pm @ Williamstown
(www.warfradio.com.au, 1pm; https://vflw.tv, 1.55pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: North Melbourne 2-0. At Williamstown: Never Met. Streak: North Melbourne 2. Last time: North Melbourne 6.8 44 def Williamstown 1.4 10 (Arden St, March 13, 2022)
WILLIAMSTOWN
IN: S Hosking, L King, S McCarthy, C McWilliam
OUT: E Mangan (finger), A Price (hip), A Whelan (Sydney Swans), I Young (omit)
NORTH MELBOURNE
IN: C Fitzgerald, L Loughnane, T Moss
OUT: E Maurer (illness), G Alomes, L Wright (omit)
Prediction: North Melbourne by 9
11.PORT MELBOURNE (2-9) v 3.CASEY DEMONS (9-2)
Saturday, May 14, 2pm @ ETU Stadium
(https://vflw.tv, 10.55am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Casey Demons 2-1. At North Port: Casey Demons 1-0. Streak: Casey Demons 1 (last loss 2021). Last time: Casey Demons 5.5 35 def Port Melbourne 4.1 25 (Casey Fields, February 12, 2021)
PORT MELBOURNE
IN: N Borg, A Campbell, C Dyett, K James, J Joyce, C Mailer, A Peterson
OUT: E Harley (broken arm), I Stutt (health and safety protocols), F Taylor (unavailable), M Kennedy, C Locke, G Wilson, B Winbanks (omit)
DEBUT: Ava Campbell, 16, Eastern Ranges; Keely James, 19, Oakleigh Chargers; Cassidy Mailer, 18, Murray Bushrangers
CASEY DEMONS
IN: K Angelis, M Chaplin, A Clarke, T Fellows, S Rummel, C Selleck
OUT: C McCrossan (foot), B Smith (quad), K Angelis, C Conroy, Y Duursma, I Makai (omit)
DEBUT: Amber Clarke, 17, Dandenong Stingrays
Prediction: Casey Demons by 37
2.HAWTHORN (10-1) v 1.ESSENDON (10-0-1)
Sunday, May 15, 9.30am @ Box Hill City Oval
(www.warfradio.com.au, 8.30am; https://vflw.tv, 9.25am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Hawthorn 3-2. At Box Hill: 1-1. Streak: Essendon 2 (last loss 2019). Last time: Essendon 4.5 29 def Hawthorn 1.10 16 (Box Hill, April 10, 2021)
HAWTHORN
IN: K Hay, J Hutchinson, O Meagher, N von Bertouch
OUT: T Cunningham (managed), J Trend (achilles), L Guastella, E Shannon (omit)
ESSENDON
IN: M Anthony, I Ayre, E Hosking, A Morcom
OUT: L Caruso, E Cornish, O Manfre, T Williams (omit)
Prediction: Hawthorn by 1
4.SOUTHERN SAINTS (7-3-1) v 9.CARLTON (3-7-1)
Sunday, May 15, 11am @ Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval
(https://vflw.tv, 10.55am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: 2-2. At Trevor Barker: Never Met. Streak: Carlton 1 (last loss 2021). Last time: Carlton 5.3 33 def Southern Saints 3.7 25 (Ikon Park, February 19, 2022)
SOUTHERN SAINTS
IN: G Buchan, A Peck, C Slater
OUT: O Flanagan (hip), C Ryan, P Staltari (omit)
CARLTON
IN: S Gibbs, E Honybun, L Suleiman, R Wilcox
OUT: E Wood (concussion), M Jarvis, L Robertson, E Smallacombe (omit)
Prediction: Southern Saints by 19
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 4.5. Season: 51.5
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
In a first for VFLW, all matches in 2022 are 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 on demand via https://vflw.tv. Multiple matches are also broadcast at WARFRadio.com.au.
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 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)
