Ayre out 
7 changes for hawthorn. I’ll await @theDJR’s wrap-up of the changes, but that seems… extreme.
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A backline of Clarke Marshall Crook Everist Ayre is not that balanced (even if Marshall gets pulled out to ruck).
LUNCH BREAK STARTED.
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Only two injuries listed for Essendon are Nicole Julian, Calf, out for 3 weeks, and Eleanor Cornish, hamstring, 2 weeks.
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Since the last time we met, five changes for us. I’ve roughly tried to pair them up here, and I’m not mad about any of the changes.
Hawks do have a few bruiser forwards, which Ayre may have matched well against. EDIT: but they’ve dropped Tamara Luke!!!
| OUT | IN |
|---|---|
| Julian | Heil |
| Bella | Bella |
| Ryan | Zanchetta |
| G.L.O.R.I.A | Tierney |
| Davies | CBomb |
Hawks have made EIGHT changes since they played us (including Trend; with Holmes returning after missing the last H&A round).
5 of their 8 ins are 18-20 years old. They’ve removed ALL three of their AFLW upgrades (Luke, their captain/FF/ruck; Porter, who last time topped the disposals running vs Nanscawen; and Kemp, who was third for disposals in that previous game).
IN:
21. Jessica Trend ← ex-captain/AFLW/EFC, reaches 100 VWFL/VFLW games
12. Sky Wilson
46. Alisha Molesworth
44. Leesa Guastella
37. Grace Walsh
19. Lauren Camilleri ← 32yo
13. Mietta Kendall ← ex-AFLW (never played)
24. Sophie Bolding ← 26yo
OUT:
22. Tamara Luke ← captain, added to their AFLW team
26. Jade Hutchinson
3. Isabella Porter ← added to their AFLW team
36. Olivia Meagher ← ex-AFLW
42. Tahlia Meyer ← announced as a new Saint today!
5. Emma Humphries ← announced as a new Eagle today!
6. Kristen Hay
9. Ainslie Kemp ← added to their AFLW team
Hawthorn don’t even try to explain their changes (Tamara Luke not mentioned!)
We better bloody win now.
Hawthorn will play in a VFLW final for the first time since 2018 when it takes on Essendon at Windy Hill on Saturday morning.
Last time these two teams met, the match ended in a thrilling draw following a spirited Hawthorn fightback at Box Hill.
Even though the Hawks will be in enemy territory this time, experienced heads Abbey Holmes, Sophie Bolding and Nadia von Bertouch, Hawks AFLW recruit Jenna Richardson and NAB League Girls duo Charli Granville and Leesa Guastella’s inclusions will boost the side.
Nic Garner, who has played every game this season, will captain the Hawks in the Qualifying Final.
It’s also a big occasion for 2021 Hawthorn VFLW captain Jess Trend, who will be playing her 100th VWFL/ VFLW game following a myriad of injury setbacks.
If the Hawks beat the Bombers, they will go on to face the higher-ranked winner from the Elimination Finals next week.
If they were to lose, they would then clash with the lower-ranked winner from the Elimination Finals.
Update/explanation for one of the Hawk changes has just been announced:
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By Brendan Rhodes
…
QUALIFYING FINAL
1.ESSENDON (12-0-2) v 2.HAWTHORN (12-1-1)
Saturday, June 11, 11.05am @ Windy Hill
( www.warfradio.com.au , 10am; www.afl.com.au , 11am)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Hawthorn 3-2-1. At Windy Hill: Hawthorn 2-0. Streak: Essendon 2½ (last loss 2019). This season: Hawthorn 4.7 31 drew Essendon 4.7 31 (Box Hill City Oval, May 15, 2022)
Brendan Rhodes’ says
Huge ins for the Bombers with reigning best-and-fairest winner Eloise Ashley-Cooper and star veteran Cecilia McIntosh returning from injury, while the Hawks have changed a third of the team that beat Williamstown, bulking up with Nadia von Bertouch, Abbey Holmes and Jenna Richardson but losing AFLW-elevated trio Emma Humphries, Ainslie Kemp and Isabelle Porter. Undefeated Essendon controlled last month’s meeting for 3½ quarters but was powerless to stop the Hawthorn comeback in the dying stages, setting up a cracking contest here. Hard to split them, but the home ground advantage and the first 70 minutes of that previous game tips the scales slightly in favour of the Bombers.
Prediction: Essendon by 3
…
GEELONG
IN: M. Boyd, K. Hardingham, M. Maguire
OUT: R. Caris (AFLW delisted), P. Sheppard (AFLW elevated), A. McKeegan (omit)
SOUTHERN SAINTS IN: C. Keohane, W. Laing, C. Ryan
OUT: B. Enno, O. Robinson, A. Woodward (omit)
Prediction: Southern Saints by 14
…
CASEY DEMONS
IN: B. Borchard, A. Dowler, R. Grant, Z. Mitchell, C. Selleck, L. Wales
OUT: A. Brown, C. Conroy, M. Fitzsimon, S. Heath, S. Johnson, A. Laing
COLLINGWOOD
IN: T. Cowan, K. Lee, N. O’Connor, A. Smith, E. Wroe
OUT: M. Zander (hand), G. Matser, A. McCulloch, N. Weston, E. Woodford (omit)
Prediction: Casey Demons by 5
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I assume Hawthorn just failed to provide any information, and not that they are perfectly injury and circumstance free.
| First Name: | Surname: | Club: | Injury / Unavailable | Weeks Out: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ella | Dempster | Casey Demons | Foot | Season |
| Samantha | Johnson | Casey Demons | Calf | 2-3 Weeks |
| Jen | Macdonald | Casey Demons | Unavailable | 3-4 Weeks |
| Steph | Rummel | Casey Demons | Ankle | 2-3 Weeks |
| Emily | Shepherd | Casey Demons | Appendix | 1-3 Weeks |
| Brooke | Smith | Casey Demons | Quad | 3-4 Weeks |
| Kelly | Thompson | Casey Demons | Foot | Season |
| Caitlin | Bunker | Collingwood | Shoulder | Season |
| Aliesha | Newman | Collingwood | Back | Season |
| Danica | Pederson | Collingwood | Knee | Season |
| Matilda | Zander | Collingwood | Hand | Season |
| Eleanor | Cornish | Essendon | Hamstring | 2 Weeks |
| Nicole | Julian | Essendon | Calf | 3 Weeks |
| Renee | Caris | Geelong | Unavailable | Indefinite |
| Paige | Sheppard | Geelong | AFLW Elevated | Season |
| Tamara | Smith | Geelong | AFLW Elevated | Season |
| Melanie | Bertuna | Southern Saints | Ankle | 2-3 Weeks |
| T essa | Boyd | Southern Saints | Shoulder | T est |
| Grace | Buchan | Southern Saints | Back | T est |
| Hannah | Dyson | Southern Saints | Knee | Season |
| Claire | Keohane | Southern Saints | Calf | T est |
| Pia | Staltari | Southern Saints | Illness | T est |
| Nicki | W allace | Southern Saints | Knee | TBC |
It’s a bit disconcerting for us going into a game as the team with the most AFLW players (albeit with a total of zero recent games between them all).
Another ANNOUCEMENT after the Hawks team came out.
So that’s likely why she’s an OUT.
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What reason @theDJR do you think Hawthorn omitted their AFLW upgraded players? I can’t think why they would omit them.
Different priorities?
AFLW pre-season officially starts next week (even though the draft is still the best part of 3 weeks away).
They’ve won a VFLW premiership before, and we have not.
And you couldn’t write a better script for us to rise from a one-win season to a (potentially) undefeated premiership to close our first women’s chapter, and launch chapter two with the AFLW team.
It’s still only a few players difference, but certainly significant ones.
But the Hawks haven’t provided any injury/availability info, so it could just be coincidence (on top of getting double-poached today!)
GAME DAY.
Let’s go get that shiny thing.
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What better development can vflw players get than playing finals? That’s my view, anyway…
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We have 4 more weeks with this squad. A special group. If you can, come to Windy hill today and soak up every moment. This season has been something else, and there’s only 4 more weeks to appreciate it!
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La Presidenta taking it four weeks at a time (the fourth, of course, being the week of celebration after the Grand Final in 3 weeks and maybe a day).
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