Collingwood regain key players, Carlton, Brisbane prepare for mini elimination final in AFLW Round 6

Collingwood will be desperate to avoid a winless season and have recalled two key players for its clash against North Melbourne while Carlton and Brisbane are preparing for a mini elimination final.

Sarah D'Arcy celebrates a goal.

Collingwood will be desperate to avoid a winless season when it faces North Melbourne on Saturday.

The Magpies have regained Sarah D’Arcy and Georgia Gourlay for the clash at Marvel Stadium with Sophie Alexander and Melissa Kuys missing out.

In the final round of the AFLW season, the Kangaroos sit second in Conference A behind Adelaide and ahead of Fremantle on percentage and must win to secure a place in the semi-finals.

FINALS: LIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CONFERENCES

CONCERN: WOMEN AT GREATER RISK OF CONCUSSION

CROWS: LOOK HOW FAR WE’VE COME

After rupturing her ACL in Round 1 last year while playing for the Western Bulldogs, Daria Bannister will play her first game of the 2019 season, while Taylor Mesiti has been handed her AFLW debut.

Hot on the Crows and Kangaroos’ heels, Fremantle have lost star forward Kellie Gibson for its must-win clash against Geelong after she suffered concussion in last week’s win over the Western Bulldogs.

Ashlee Atkins replaces Gibson while Evie Gooch also returns from injury.

Sarah D'Arcy in action for Collingwood.

Daria Bannister makes her return from a knee reconstruction. Picture: Richard Jupe

The Cats are in the box seat to make the semi-finals, sitting on top of Conference B, and have made one change with Maddie Boyd returning from suspension with Georgia Clarke omitted.

On Sunday Carlton and Brisbane face off in a mini elimination final with the Blues set to make at least two changes after dropping Jess Edwards and Emerson Woods for the clash at Ikon Park.

The Lions sit third in Conference B behind the Blues on percentage and have dropped Megan Hunt with both teams set to trim an extended bench on Friday.

GEELONG v FREMANTLE

Saturday, March 9 at GMHBA Stadium, 2.35pm (EDT)

CATS

B: A.Teague R.Goring M.McMahon

HB: M.Hickey M.McDonald D.Taylor

C: R.Cranston

HF: D.Orr K.Darby S.Van De Heuvel

F: M.Clifford P.McWilliams J.Ivey

Foll: E.Hoare R.Garing O.Purcell

I/C: R.Caris M.Keryk M.Boyd J.Crockett-Grills C.Blakeway

Emerg: G.Clarke G.Rankin

INS: M.Boyd

OUTS: G.Clarke

DOCKERS

B: L.Mascall T.Bresland A.Stannett

HB: A.Williams E.Antonio P.Seth

C: K.Bowers

HF: G.O’Sullivan A.Sharp H.Miller

F: K.Donnellan G.Houghton S.Duffy

Foll: P.Laurie D.Hooker S.Cain

I/C: E.Gooch A.Janz A.Atkins M.Sergeant M.Caulfield

Emerg: L.Pugh K.Grieve

INS: E.Gooch, A.Atkins

OUTS: K.Gibson (injured), L.Pugh

COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE

Saturday, March 9 at Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm (EDT)

MAGPIES

B: J.Allen S.Casey I.Ross

HB: E.Grant S.Livingstone A.Brazill

C: B.Bonnici

HF: D.Guttridge J.Membrey S.Dargan

F: S.Rowe S.D’Arcy K.Lynch

Foll: E.Hynes S.Chiocci J.Lambert

I/C: S.Layton K.Stratton R.Schleicher M.Shevlin G.Gourlay

Emerg: L.Butler M.Cann

INS: S.D’Arcy, G.Gourlay

OUTS: M.Kuys, S.Alexander

KANGAROOS

B: J.Grierson D.Hardiman J.Trend

HB: J.Duffin T.Randall B.Gibson

C: E.Kearney

HF: K.Gillespie-Jones J.Garner S.Abbatangelo

F: D.Bannister M.Hope K.Ashmore

Foll: E.King J.Stanton J.Bruton

I/C: T.Mesiti E.King A.Drennan D.Bateman B.Lynch

Emerg: C.Haines C.Munn

INS: D.Bannister, T.Mesiti

OUTS: C.Munn, E.Humphries

WESTERN BULLDOGS v MELBOURNE

Saturday, March 9 at Marvel Stadium, 7.10pm (EDT)

BULLDOGS

B: B.Toogood L.Spark S.Karlson

HB: L.Birch T.Ernst H.Scott

C: K.Lamb

HF: A.Utri E.Gamble B.Lochland

F: A.McCarthy K.Brennan I.Huntington

Foll: K.Rennie E.Blackburn M.Conti

I/C: N.Ferres N.Callinan A.Gogos E.Brown K.McLeod

Emerg: K.Bartlett E.Mackie

INS: B.Toogood, N.Callinan

OUTS: E.Mackie, D.Berry

DEMONS

B: M.Downie H.Cordner B.Patterson

HB: S.Lampard C.Phillips C.Emonson

C: E.O’Dea

HF: M.Gay K.Hore S.Scott

F: E.Zanker T.Cunningham A.Newman

Foll: L.Pearce L.Mithen K.Paxman

I/C: B.Jakobsson T.Hanks M.Guerin S.Heath K.Smith

Emerg: C.Sherriff A.Kemp

INS: S.Heath

OUTS: A.Guest

ADELAIDE v GWS GIANTS

Sunday, March 10 at Unley Oval, 2.05pm (EDT)

CROWS

B: M.Rajcic S.Allan J.Mules

HB: D.Cox C.Randall A.Foley

C: E.Phillips

HF: E.Jones C.Scheer S.Thompson

F: D.Varnhagen D.Ponter H.Martin

Foll: J.Foley E.Marinoff A.Hatchard

I/C (from): J.McCormick A.Considine S.Li S.Riley R.Forth N.Gore M.Nankivell

INS: N.Gore, M.Nankivell

OUTS: -

GIANTS

B: T.Hetherington P.Randall A.Farrugia

HB: E.Bennetts N.Barr E.Brush

C: R.Beeson

HF: Y.Bonner C.Bernardi A.Eva

F: C.Staunton J.Barclay J.Dal Pos

Foll: I.Nielsen C.Gum A.Parker

I/C (from): H.Zreika J.Hicks L.Whiteley P.Monahan B.Perry E.McKinnon L.Stephenson

INS: J.Hicks, L.Whiteley, P.Monahan, E.McKinnon

OUTS: T.Mackrill, T.Davies

CARLTON v BRISBANE

Sunday, March 10 at Ikon Park, 4.05pm (EDT)

BLUES

B: N.Stevens J.Van Dyk J.Hosking

HB: C.Wilson K.Harrington G.Pound

C: K.Loynes

HF: M.Prespakis T.Harris B.Moody

F: D.Vescio B.Davey G.Gee

Foll: A.Downie S.Hosking C.Dalton

I/C (from): B.Walker A.McKay T.Lucas-Rodd A.Mullane C.Webb S.Audley L.Brazzale

INS: T.Lucas-Rodd, C.Webb, S.Audley, L.Brazzale

OUTS: J.Edwards , E.Woods

LIONS

B: L.Kaslar S.Campbell K.Lutkins

HB: J.Ellenger S.Virgo E.Bates

C: B.Koenen

HF: L.Arnell E.Zielke N.Exon

F: J.Wuetschner S.Frederick-Traub S.Webb

Foll: J.Keeffe A.Anderson J.Zanchetta

I/C from: A.Clarke M.Dowrick N.Grider G.Collingwood J.Yorston K.McCarthy J.Tawhiao-Wardlaw

INS: J.Ellenger, S.Webb, N.Grider

OUTS: M.Hunt

Originally published as Collingwood regain key players, Carlton, Brisbane prepare for mini elimination final in AFLW Round 6