The teams for Week One of the 2023 rebel VFLW Finals Series
Carlton has taken the rare luxury of naming an unchanged team for its rebel VFLW finals debut against fellow first-timer Williamstown in the first elimination final at DSV Stadium on Sunday.
It is extremely uncommon for any team in the VFLW or VFL competitions not to make a single change, but the Blues have gone for stability in sticking with the same 21 players who secured their finals position with a big win over Darebin last week. Only Mia Cowan (stress fracture) is out of the Blues’ team.
The Seagulls have recalled Phoebe Chisholm in place of Mikayla Meyer in the only change to its first finals team as it aims to secure a guaranteed double chance and two cracks at making a Grand Final.
Should Williamstown lose on Sunday, the double chance will go to the winner of Saturday’s second elimination final between Box Hill Hawks and Essendon at Box Hill City Oval, where both teams have suffered injury blows.
There are two for the Hawks, with experienced defender Jess Trend suffering a hamstring injury that is likely to keep her out until the Grand Final should they make it that far, while Akayla Peterson has been struck down by appendicitis.
However, the Hawks do regain veteran Chantella Perera alongside Chloe Bailey.
The Bombers have lost Tamsin Crook from their back six with a calf problem, turning to Madison Gray to fill the gap.
Port Melbourne has made four changes for its qualifying final against Collingwood at Victoria Park on Sunday, only two of which were forced.
Youngster Keely Byrne will miss with a finger injury and Richmond draftee Charley Ryan will also miss, with the Borough recalling midfielder Eliza Morrison, ruck Kate Dudley, Isobel Hartog and Bella Stutt.
The Magpies will be without Amy Kane (concussion), with Rhiannon Busch and Charlotte van der Vlies coming into the team.
All matches in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.
Casey Radio 97.7FM will be taking the Collingwood vs Port Melbourne and Williamstown vs Carlton games on Sunday.
SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL: BOX HILL HAWKS vs ESSENDON
Saturday July 8, 11:00am, Box Hill City Oval
Head-to-head: Essendon 4-3-2. At Box Hill City Oval: Essendon 2-1-1. Streak: Essendon 4 and 2 draws from past six meetings
BOX HILL HAWKS
B: E. Mclinden (57), G. Matser (60)
HB: C. Davidson (68), M. Simpson (50), J. Mifsud (54)
C: M. Kendall (66), J. Wise (56), N. Garner (64)
HF: N. von Bertouch (58), E. Woods (52), C. Thorne (78)
F: A. Holmes (74), C. Hammans (75)
R: B. Gray (62), C. Bailey (72), A. Muir (59)
INT: G. McRae (88), A. Tessari (80), C. Perera (55), G. Collingwood (61), M. Van Berkel (86)
EMG: D. Ryan (93), E. Woodford (53), M. Trusler (81), M. Gilmour (73)
IN: C. Bailey, C. Perera
OUT: A. Peterson (appendicitis), J. Trend (hamstring)
ESSENDON
B: B. Clarke (45), M. Ford (42)
HB: M. Pearson (64), S. Molan (73), Z. Hurrell (53)
C: K. Heil (78), R. Sutton (72), C. Ugle (41)
HF: T. Davidge (77), M. Ryan (76), O. Manfre (43)
F: M. Wilson (66), M. Clifford (47)
R: J. Morrow (60), E. Chaston (61), G. Dicker (44)
INT: M. Gray (48), M. Huta (56), C. Prpic (58), S. Orritt (68), J. Richardson (52)
EMG: L. Spargo (51), K. Russell (50), L. Bateman (63), E. Cornish (55)
IN: M. Gray
OUT: T. Crook (calf)
QUALIFYING FINAL: COLLINGWOOD vs PORT MELBOURNE
Sunday July 9, 11:00am, Victoria Park
Head-to-head: Collingwood 3-1. At Victoria Park: Collingwood 1-0. Streak: Port Melbourne 1
COLLINGWOOD
B: T. Hurst (45), K. Lee (72)
HB: N. Hales (52), R. Christgoergl (56), O. Storer (73)
C: J. Tweddle-O'Donnell (60), J. Bates (50), G. Ricardo (63)
HF: N. Dojiok (61), M. DeMatteo (44), M. Zander (51)
F: T. Cowan (54), C. Sargent (78)
R: R. Caris (68), C. Bunker (55), E. Nikolitsis (64)
INT: C. Van der Vlies (69), S. King (46), E. Jackson (65), S. Hosking (47), R. Busch (67)
EMG: A. Weston (58), N. Weston (66), E. Southgate (53), T. McCafferty (71)
IN: R. Busch, C. Van der Vlies
OUT: A. Kane (concussion), N. Weston
PORT MELBOURNE
B: O. Barton (1), K. Whitehead (8)
HB: L. Caruso (5), M. McKellar (14), C. Dyett (15)
C: I. Stutt (29), K. Adams (7), A. Campbell (20)
HF: F. Frew (28), C. Slater (13), N. Borg (12)
F: J. Williams (26), E. Harley (17)
R: B. Wilson (16), K. O'Keefe (18), C. Bromage (4)
INT: M. Shaw (11), I. Hartog (42), E. Morrison (10), M. Denahy Maloney (35), K. Dudley (2)
EMG: L. Wright (19), B. Mueck (31), M. Mottram (24), R. Dale (41), L. Hart (39), E. Robins (40), G. Alomes (32)
IN: K. Dudley, I. Hartog, E. Morrison, I. Stutt
OUT: K. Byrne (finger), L. Hart, B. Mueck, C. Ryan
FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL: WILLIAMSTOWN vs CARLTON
Sunday July 9, 4:30pm, DSV Stadium
Head-to-head: Carlton 3-2-1. At DSV Stadium: Level 1-1-1. Streak: Williamstown 2
WILLIAMSTOWN
B: E. Freeman (33), L. Suleiman (27)
HB: Z. Day (34), S. Whiting (25), N. Julian (35)
C: M. Williamson (24), M. Edwards (17), S. Dunell (21)
HF: E. Cleland (5), J. Kawa (23), E. Eaves (6)
F: D. Pederson (15), S. Cameron (43)
R: L. Stepnell (4), E. Straford (18), C. Tyrell (39)
INT: S. Thomas (28), T. Brett (20), S. Bridgewater (12), D. Di Santo (8), P. Chisholm (32)
EMG: S. Georgas (14), M. Meyer (26), T. Moss (42), R. Burton (16), S. Damon (13)
IN: P. Chisholm
OUT: M. Meyer
CARLTON
B: B. Gurr (9), K. Lennox (13)
HB: O. Di Donato (31), G. Lawson-Tavan (10), E. Hosking (3)
C: J. Joyce (25), I. Khoury (5), J. Dunne (39)
HF: A. Thorneycroft (27), E. Wood (11), E. Honybun (6)
F: C. Bernardi (40), E. Hurley (18)
R: C. Bain (4), A. Klingbeil (1), M. Di Cosmo (20)
INT: A. Bild (7), L. Robertson (16), T. Nicolaou (22), M. Katerelos (32), G. Tait (29)
EMG: R. Watts (35), V. Murphy (21), M. Runting (8), A. Malander (24), A. Eddy (19)
No change
UMPIRES
Box Hill Hawks vs Essendon
FIELD: Jon Clark, Doug Haworth, Harry Warmington, (emerg Lucinda Lopes). BOUNDARY: Jack Buller, Madeleine Lum. GOAL: Jenna Green, Sam Polden (emerg Jack Kennedy).
Collingwood vs Port Melbourne
FIELD: Genevieve Devenish, Campbell Hymans, Arron Knezevic (emerg Ned Welsh). BOUNDARY: Nick Bahr, Jon Peck. GOAL: Zak Kenny, James Rodwell (emerg Sam Rogers).
Williamstown vs Carlton
FIELD: Liam Dye, Chris Menara, Michael Whelan (emerg Will Ross). BOUNDARY: Lachlan Bezzina, Solomon Miesen. GOAL: Connor Petrie, Phillip Pettinella (emerg Brady Gutbier).