CARLTON has made 11 changes to its VFLW side ahead of the Round 11 clash, with a strong AFLW contingent set to take the field.
Mia Austin, Yasmin Duursma, Lila Keck, Lou Lou Field, Keeley Skepper, Darcy Vescio, Meg Robertson, Brooke Vickers and Eliza Wood all return to the line-up, while recruits Tara Bohanna, Siofra O’Connell and Aisling Reidy will make their debuts in Navy.
It marks Wood’s first VFLW appearance since earning an AFLW list spot, having previously captained the side.
Bohanna, the former Gold Coast Suns captain, arrived at IKON Park during the off-season trade period. O’Connell and Reidy – both hailing from County Clare, Ireland – touched down in Melbourne just weeks ago.
With a dramatically reshaped squad, the Blues will look to build cohesion between their AFLW and VFLW talent against a strong Collingwood outfit - currently sitting fifth on the ladder - and get some game time into the AFLW-listed players just weeks out from the season opener.
The game will kick off at 10:05am (AEST) at Victoria Park.
IN: M. Austin, T. Bohanna, Y. Duursma, L. Field, L. Keck, S. O'Connell, A. Reidy, K. Skepper, D. Vescio, B. Vickers, E. Wood
OUT: N. von Bertouch (hamstring), M. Connell, D. Di Santo, G. Drage, P. Duffy, E. Horne, E. Lee, R. Maslin, S. McCarthy, S. Pearce, T. Plunkett (omitted)
