FREMANTLE spearhead Aine Tighe will make her return from an ACL injury and Collingwood will regain captain Ruby Schleicher for important round nine fixtures, while St Kilda has copped a big blow.
Tighe, who injured her knee in week four last season against Melbourne, will notably come back against the same side, significantly bolstering the Dockers’ attack.
Sarah Verrier also comes back into the side, with Gabby O’Sullivan (foot) and Holly Ifould (omitted) to miss.
Important midfielder Jaimee Lambert will miss St Kilda’s round nine fixture with a calf injury, alongside Nicola Barr (knee), Bianca Jakobsson (leg), and Darcy Guttridge (managed).
Former Sun Alana Gee will make her Saints debut, coming back from an ACL injury that has kept her on the sidelines since she was given a reprieve by St Kilda in 2023, and J’Noemi Anderson returns from a nasty ankle injury.
Schleicher was a late out for Collingwood’s date with West Coast last week due to a corked thigh, but will be back on Sunday, alongside defender Annie Lee and young winger Violet Patterson.
Unfortunately Carly Remmos will be sidelined with a chest injury, and both Muireann Atkinson and Mikayla Hyde have been dropped.
The Swans have lost classy midfielder Sofia Hurley to injury for the second time this season, with Darcy Moloney earning a return for a must-win clash with Carlton. First-year players Sarah Steele-Park and Amelia Martin have both been omitted, while Ash Van Loon and Ruby Sargent-Wilson return.
In Tara Bohanna‘s absence, Mia Austin will take her place in the Blues’ attack once again. Yasmin Duursma also makes her return to the side following a collarbone injury sustained in round four, and Aisling Reidy has earned a recall. Mimi Hill (calf) and Meg Robertson (omitted) make way for the pair.
Denby Taylor will play her first game of the season, coming into Melbourne’s side alongside Jemma Rigoni and Grace Campbell in the absence of Shelley Heath (finger), Alyssia Pisano (omitted), and Maggie Mahony (managed) as the Demons aim to consolidate their second spot on the ladder.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12
Sydney v Carlton at Henson Park, 1.05pm AEDT
SYDNEY
In: A.Van Loon, R.Sargent-Wilson, D.Moloney
Out: S.Hurley (injured), S.Steele-Park (omitted), A.Martin (omitted)
CARLTON
In: A.Reidy, M.Austin, Y.Duursma
Out: T.Bohanna (foot), M.Hill (calf), M.Robertson (omitted)
St Kilda v Collingwood at RSEA Park, 3.05pm AEDT
ST KILDA
In: A.Gee, J.Anderson, K.Forbes, H.Stuart
Out: N.Barr (knee), B.Jakobsson (leg), J.Lambert (calf), D.Guttridge (managed)
COLLINGWOOD
In: R.Schleicher, A.Lee, V.Patterson
Out: C.Remmos (injured), M.Atkinson (omitted), M.Hyde (omitted)
Fremantle v Melbourne at Fremantle Oval, 2.05pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: S.Verrier, A.Tighe
Out: G.O’Sullivan (foot), H.Ifould (omitted)
MELBOURNE
In: J.Rigoni, D.Taylor, G.Campbell
Out: S.Heath (finger), A.Pisano (omitted), M.Mahony (managed)
