SANDRINGHAM chief executive and Brisbane Lions great Marcus Ashcroft will have mixed emotions when his prodigiously talented elder son Will returns to the Lions’ Smithy’s VFL team for Saturday’s vital clash at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
Will Ashcroft, 18, has been in dominant form for the Sandringham Dragons in the NAB League, averaging a remarkable 35.6 disposals from nine matches, including games of 51, 42, 38, 38, 36, 36, 34, 27 and 18.
It will be his third appearance at VFL level after he gave Lions fans a taste of what is to come when he arrives at the Gabba as a father-son selection in this year’s NAB AFL Draft, picking up a stunning 24 touches on debut against Sydney in Round 6 before stepping it up even further with 32 possessions and a goal against Coburg a week later.
The Lions will also unveil another father-son in basketballer Darryl McDowell-White, 25, whose dad Darryl Snr played alongside Marcus Ashcroft in the premiership threepeat of 2001-03, and whose brother William suits up for the NZ Breakers in the NBL.
SMITHY’s VFL TEAMS, ROUND 21, click here
Casey Demons have sprung a major surprise for captain Mitch White’s 100th VFL game against a strengthened Carlton at Casey Fields on Sunday, with former AFL ruckman Jake Spencer coming out of State league retirement to lend a hand to developing big man Jack Bell.
Spencer, 32, who has been playing for Doncaster in the Eastern league for the past two years, hasn’t run out at State league level since 2019, when he retired after 39 NEAFL matches in two seasons for Aspley following 63 games for Sandringham and Casey while on Melbourne’s list (38 AFL appearances) from 2008-17.
But he has been in training at Casey Fields since Majak Daw’s untimely retirement earlier this season and would have played sooner but for a calf injury suffered at the Eastern league Sharks, coming into the Casey team alongside James Harmes, Deakyn Smith, Sam Weideman and Judd McVee among eight changes, with Kade Chandler, Toby Bedford and Andy Moniz-Wakefield the key outs.
SMITHY’s VFL INJURY LIST, ROUND 21, click here
Carlton has beefed up its team for the challenge against the unbeaten Demons, with ruck-forward Tom De Koning, wingman Will Setterfield and midfielder Paddy Dow all included after being omitted from the AFL team, while key defender Lachie Plowman, onballer Will Hayes and improving utility Joel Trudgeon also return, although they will be without the promoted Liam Stocker, Caleb Marchbank and Jack Martin.
North Melbourne’s line-up will see heavily publicised young stars Jason Horne-Francis and Tarryn Thomas run out alongside each other in its clash with Coburg at Piranha Park, with Flynn Perez, Kayne Turner, Josh Walker and Tom Williamson also included in place of good news story Ben Cunnington and AFL travelling emergency Atu Bosenavulagi.
The Lions will be looking to send retiring co-captain Peter McEvoy out a winner in his last VFL match in Victoria, given they are travelling to Southport in Round, with star mid-forward Sam Lowson back after kicking 15 goals at local level last week on return from a hamstring injury alongside Corey Ellis, although they do lose Lachlan Walker.
And Port Melbourne and Frankston have each been hit by big outs for their clash at ETU Stadium on Saturday, with the Borough losing Eli Templeton to his shocking head injury suffered at Balwyn last week, as well as Marcus Lentini, Nick Burke, Angus Hanrahan, Jack Johnston and Oskar Manton, with Archi Manton overcoming an ankle injury to return and Nathan Noblett to debut, while the Dolphins have lost midfielders Connor Riley and Billy Mackay and defender Will Arthurson, with debuts handed to Finn Ryan and Kye Turner.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
13.SANDRINGHAM (7-8-1) v 3.BRISBANE LIONS (12-4)
Saturday, August 13, 11.05am @ Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 11am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Never Met
SANDRINGHAM
IN: L. Hayes, Z. Jones, O. Lewis, G. Lok, A. McLennan, V. Zagari
OUT: J. Lienert, N. Wanganeen-Milera (AFL), S. Dunell, T. Highmore (managed), N. Hodgson, J. McHale (omit)
BRISBANE LIONS
IN: W. Ashcroft, C. Bowes, D. McDowell-White (debut), D. Robertson
OUT: J. Payne, J. Prior (AFL), C. McFadyen (knee), S. Brain (omit)
DEBUT: Darryl McDowell-White, 25, 183cm, 75kg, Masters University, Santa Clarita, California
Prediction: Brisbane Lions by 20
9.GOLD COAST (10-6) v 2.SOUTHPORT (12-4)
Saturday, August 13, 12.35pm @ Metricon Stadium
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Gold Coast 12-3. At Carrara: Gold Coast 4-1. Streak: Southport 1 (last loss June 15, 2019 – Gold Coast won previous 8). Last Time: Southport 17.14 116 def Gold Coast 5.3 33 (May 21, 2021, Fankhauser Reserve)
GOLD COAST
IN: R. Atkins, M. Corbett, C. Harrington, B. Little, O. Markov, H. Oea, J. Sharp
OUT: S. Day, S. Flanders (AFL), A. Davies (managed), J. Eckersley, J. Foggo, J. Semmler (omit)
SOUTHPORT
IN: R. Davis, M. Selsby, M. Spencer
OUT: R. Bowman, M. Doran, C. Searle (omit)
Prediction: Southport by 12
18.COBURG (4-12) v 20.NORTH MELBOURNE (3-13)
Saturday, August 13, 12.35pm @ Piranha Park
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: North Melbourne 4-0. At Coburg City Oval: North Melbourne 2-0. Streak: North Melbourne 4 (never lost). Last Time: North Melbourne 11.11 77 def Coburg 11.8 74 (June 19, 2021, Arden St)
COBURG
IN: C. Ellis, S. Lowson, B. Overman, M. Thompson
OUT: L. Walker (knee), J. Watson (collarbone), H. Andronaco, J. Baddeley-Kelly (omit)
NORTH MELBOURNE
IN: P. Cross, J. Horne-Francis, F. Perez, K. Turner, J. Walker, T. Williamson
OUT: B. Cunnington (AFL), A. Bosenavulagi (AFL emerg), N. Beattie, Z. Monkhorst, B. Stevens (omit)
DEBUT: Paddy Cross, 19, 183cm, 70kg, Nar Nar Goon/Gippsland Power
Prediction: Coburg by 9
17.PORT MELBOURNE (6-10) v 16.FRANKSTON (6-10)
Saturday, August 13, 2.05pm @ ETU Stadium
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Port Melbourne 40-26. At North Port: Port Melbourne 21-9. Streak: Frankston 1 (last loss August 10, 2019 – Port won previous 7). Last Time: Frankston 18.14 122 def Port Melbourne 4.3 27 (July 9, 2021, Frankston Park)
PORT MELBOURNE
IN: J. Briskey, D. Koenen, M. Lewis, A. Manton, N. Noblett, C. Stackelberg
OUT: A. Hanrahan (hamstring), M. Lentini (shoulder), E. Templeton (head), N. Burke, J. Johnston, O. Manton (omit)
DEBUT: Nathan Noblett, 20, 183cm, 82kg, Morwell
FRANKSTON
IN: S. Fletcher, F. Ryan, K. Turner
OUT: C. Riley (groin), W. Arthurson, W. Mackay (managed)
DEBUT: Finn Ryan, 21, Cheltenham; Kye Turner, 20, 193cm, 78kg, Old Haileybury
Prediction: Port Melbourne by 1
7.BOX HILL HAWKS (10-6) v 14.GEELONG (7-9)
Saturday, August 13, 2.05pm @ Box Hill City Oval
(3WBC 94.1FM, www.3wbc.org.au, 1.30pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Box Hill 19-10. At Box Hill: Box Hill 8-2 (last loss June 4, 2011). Streak: Box Hill 5 (last loss June 19, 2016). Last Time: Box Hill 13.7 85 def Geelong 11.9 75 (Box Hill, July 6, 2019)
BOX HILL HAWKS
IN: S. Butler, M. De Wit, B. Grey, K. Hartigan, M. Lynch, C. Macdonald
OUT: L. Shiels (AFL), S. Horner (health and safety protocols), F. O'Hara, T. Phillips (managed), D. Brinker-Ritchie, K. Windsor (omit)
GEELONG
IN: A. Byrne, T. Clohesy, T. Feely, S. Neale
OUT: J. Ceglar (concussion), O. Dempsey (managed), O. Riccardi, Z. Zdybel (omit)
DEBUT: Ted Clohesy, 18, 184cm, 75kg, St Josephs/Geelong Falcons
Prediction: Box Hill Hawks by 21
4.SYDNEY (11-5) v 5.COLLINGWOOD (11-5)
Sunday, August 14, 11.35am @ SCG
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 11.30am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sydney 6-3-1. At SCG: Sydney 1-0. Streak: Sydney 1 (last loss October 3, 1896, East Melbourne). Last Time: Sydney 12.14 86 def Collingwood 8.5 53 (May 21, 2021, SCG)
SYDNEY
IN: A. Anderson, J. Endemann, B. Ronke, L. Taylor
OUT: J. Kennedy (hamstring), L. Melican (hamstring), K. Bradtke (Corowa-Rutherglen), C. Webster (omit)
COLLINGWOOD
IN: A. Begg, T. Bianco, M. Hartley, C. Mulvogue
OUT: H. Harrison (managed), S. Glover, Z. Molloy, L. Purcell (omit)
Prediction: Sydney by 7
1.CASEY DEMONS (16-0) v 6.CARLTON (10-6)
Sunday, August 14, 12.01pm @ Casey Fields
(Casey Radio 97.7FM, www.caseyradio.com.au, 11.45am; Channel 7 and www.7plus.com.au, 12pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: 2-2. At Casey Fields: Never Met. Streak: Springvale 1 (last loss August 18, 2001). Last Time: Springvale 12.8 80 def Carlton 10.8 68 (Princes Park, July 20, 2002)
CASEY DEMONS
IN: J. Bell, K. George, J. Harmes, J. McVee, D. Smith, J. Spencer, R. Steele, S. Weideman
OUT: A. Moniz-Wakefield (groin), T. Bedford, K. Chandler (managed), R. Baldi, A. Quigley, M. Shepherd, Josh Smith, R. Valentine (omit)
NEW: Jake Spencer, 32, 203cm, 105kg, Doncaster
CARLTON
IN: T. De Koning, W. Hayes, L. Plowman, W. Setterfield, J. Trudgeon
OUT: C. Marchbank, J. Martin, L. Stocker (AFL), P. Dozzi, D. Handley, A. Stevens (omit)
Prediction: Casey Demons by 36
15.ESSENDON (7-10) v 11.WERRIBEE (8-8)
Sunday, August 14, 12.05pm @ Windy Hill
(https://www.afl.com.au/fixture?Competition=7, 12pm)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Werribee 8-5. At Windy Hill: Werribee 2-0. Streak: Essendon 2 (last loss July 14, 2018). Last Time: Essendon 8.7 55 def Werribee 7.10 52 (Windy Hill, 1st Semi Final, September 8, 2021)
ESSENDON
IN: A. Davey, H. Jones
OUT: N. Bryan (AFL), E. Mackinlay (Holbrook)
DEBUT: Alwyn Davey Jnr, 18, 181cm, 74kg, Ashburton/Oakleigh Chargers
WERRIBEE
IN: L. Smart, H. Stubbings
OUT: M. Brennan, S. El-Hawli (omit)
Prediction: Werribee by 13
BYE: Footscray, GWS, Northern Bullants, Richmond, Williamstown
Brendan Rhodes’ winners: Last Round: 7. Season: 126/171
All Smithy’s VFL matches in 2022 can be viewed live and free. The VFL Match of the Round will be televised each week on Channel 7, with all other matches livestreamed via afl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. Radio stations 3WBC and Casey Radio are also broadcasting 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 at (https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/fixture)
