AFL community series teams: Geelong and Essendon name squads as Bailey Smith out

The official practice matches are here with Geelong taking on Essendon, but there will be no Bailey Smith. Plus, a host of Bombers have returned. See the full squads here.

Bailey Smith is out. Picture: Michael Klein

Boom Geelong recruit Bailey Smith has been left out of the Cats’ final dress rehearsal against Essendon at GMHBA Stadium on Tuesday night with minor knee soreness as four potential Bombers debutants will press for spots.

Smith, who was managed until the Christmas break following his knee reconstruction in late 2023, shone in his first game in 547 days last week against Hawthorn in limited gametime.

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But the former Bulldog is not part of Geelong’s 26-man line-up after experiencing soreness on the opposite knee to his ACL rupture, with the Cats remaining confident he will feature in their season-opener against Brisbane next Thursday.

The Cats have also resisted the urge to play fellow recruit Jack Martin after the former Blue and Sun completed some of a VFL intra-club last week. He has instead been named in the Cats’ VFL squad for their curtain raiser against Essendon VFL.

With Tanner Bruhn also out of the side, pre-season standout Mitch Knevitt and third-year Cat Jhye Clark will be part of a new-look Geelong midfield with Sam De Koning in the ruck.

Sam De Koning has been named in the ruck. Picture: Michael Klein

The Bombers have included recent supplemental selection period pick-up Tom Edwards, whose four-goal second half against the Western Bulldogs last week earnt him a spot on their list.

Uncapped key defender Lewis Hayes has been named at centre half back alongside another SSP signing in former Lion Jaxon Prior, while excitement machine Isaac Kako has been selected up forward.

Essendon has also included a host of players who missed their win over the Bulldogs last week in Jordan Ridley, Ben McKay, Sam Durham and Jade Gresham.

Livewire small forward Tyson Stengle and breakout defender Lawson Humphries are back for the Cats after both caught the eye for the Indigenous All-Stars against Fremantle.

Ruck duo Sam Draper and Nick Bryan have been preferred over 36-year-old ruckman Todd Golstein and fellow veteran Rhys Stanley, who the Cats opted to play in last year’s semi-final over De Koning, has been named as an emergency.

Small forward Jye Menzie has been named as an emergency along with mature-age playmaker Saad El-Hawli, with both named in Essendon’s VFL squad along with Goldstein.

Young Cats key defender Connor O’Sullivan and veteran stopper Jed Bews are also part of the Cats’ VFL squad.

The opening game of the community series kicks off at 7:20pm on Tuesday after the VFL curtain-raiser.

GEELONG

B: L. Humphries 17, T. Stewart 44, C. O’Sullivan 14

HB: Z. Guthrie 39, J. Henry 38, M. Blicavs 46

C: J. Clark 13, M. Holmes 9, O. Dempsey 28

HF: P. Dangerfield 35, B. Close 45, T. Stengle 18

F: G. Miers 32, S. Neale 33, J. Cameron 5

Foll: S. De Koning 16, T. Atkins 30, M. Knevitt 10

I/C: T. Clohesy 40, M. Duncan 22, J. Bews 24, M. O’Connor 42, O. Mullin 34, J. Bowes 12, J. Kolodjashnij 8, O. Henry 36

Emerg: R. Stanley 1, G. Stevens 15, J. Polkinghorne 2, O. Wiltshire 21

AFL PLAYERS NAMED IN VFL SQUAD: Rhys Stanley, Jay Polkinghorne, Connor O’Sullivan, George Stevens, Jack Martin, Oli Wiltshire, Jed Bews, Patrick Retschko, Joe Pike

ESSENDON

B: J. Ridley 14, Z. Reid 31, B. McKay 32

HB: A. McGrath 1, L. Hayes 18, J. Prior 25

C: X. Duursma 28, J. Gresham 11, A. Roberts 21

HF: K. Langford 4, A. Perkins 16, N. Martin 37

F: S. Durham 22, N. Caddy 30, I. Kako 10

Foll: S. Draper 2, Z. Merrett 7, J. Caldwell 6

I/C: W. Setterfield 12, B. Hobbs 8, P. Wright 20, E. Tsatas 5, D. Shiel 9, H. Jones 23, N. Bryan 24, T. Edwards 44

Emerg: A. Clarke 36, S. El-Hawli 41, J. Menzie 29, R. Unwin 38

AFL PLAYERS NAMED IN VFL SQUAD: Will Setterfield, Todd Golstein, Kayle Gerreryn, Peter Wright, Jye Menzie, Luomon Lual, Angus Clarke, Rhys Unwin, Vigo Visentini, Saad El-Hawli, Tom Edwards,

Originally published as AFL community series teams: Geelong and Essendon name squads as Bailey Smith out