AFLW 2021: Expert tips and teams for Round 1

No fewer than six debutantes will step out for St Kilda in its season-opening AFLW clash with Western Bulldogs. See the teams and who our experts are tipping.

Ellie Blackburn and Rhiannon Watt will lead their teams into battle on Friday night. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

It’s finally time for the new AFLW season to kick off.

After the pandemic ruined last year’s Grand Final, every team kicks off with a clean slate.

We’ll have the team line-ups as they drop, as well as tips and margins from our expert tipsters.

SCROLL DOWN FOR ROUND 1 AFLW TIPS

St Kilda will field six debutants while the Western Bulldogs are also set to unveil a new-look side when the two teams do battle in Friday night’s clash.

Saints draftees Alice Burke, Tyanna Smith, Jacqui Vogt and Renee Saulitis are all set to line up for their first AFLW matches along with free agent pick up Tahlia Meyer, while Jayde Van Dyk will play her first game for the club after playing 10 games for Carlton.

Burke is the daughter of Saints legend and Western Bulldogs AFLW coach Nathan Burke, who has selected a youthful Round 1 team for the clash at RSEA Park.

Former Collingwood player Katie Lynch will make her club debut after seven games in two seasons with the Magpies, while teenagers Jess Fitzgerald and Sarah Hartwig will both make their AFLW debuts for the Bulldogs.

ROUND 1 AFLW TEAMS

Friday, January 29

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, RSEA Park, 7.10pm AEDT

ST KILDA

B: H.Priest 14 T.White 29

HB: J.Van Dyk 36 C.Phillips 35 T.Lucas-Rodd 18

C: R.Saulitis 13 N.von Bertouch 28 C.Whitfort 4

HF: K.Shierlaw 12 K.McCarthy 9 C.Greiser 17

F: J.Vogt 10 D.Guttridge 5

Foll: R.Watt - C 7 G.Patrikios 21 R.Dillon 25

I/C: T.Smith 6 A.Brown 2 A.Burke 3 T.Meyer 34 N.Exon 15

Emerg: P.Kelly 16 I.Shannon 11

WESTERN BULLDOGS

B: A.Gogos 36 E.Brown 9

HB: S.Hartwig 15 I.Huntington 4 G.Newton 5

C: G.Lagioia 12 E.Blackburn - C 2 D.Berry 7

HF: J.Fitzgerald 23 K.Lamb 27 B.Lochland 1

F: B.Toogood 8 B.Hunt 21

Foll: C.Moody 13 E.Georgostathis 17 K.Lynch 10

I/C: N.Morris-Dalton 25 D.Marshall 26 B.Gutknecht 18 A.Guest 19 L.Spark 11

Emerg: I.Grant 3 N.Ferres 16

Collingwood’s Brianna Davey and Carlton co-captain Kerryn Harrington won’t be smiling on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Klein

Thursday, January 28

Carlton v Collingwood, Ikon Park, 7.15pm AEDT

CARLTON

B: B.Vernon 31 N.Plane 32

HB: V.Laloifi 8 C.Wilson 20 K.Harrington - C 9

C: L.Brazzale 12 E.O’Dea 46 K.Loynes 2

HF: M.Hill 10 T.Harris 7 D.Vescio 3

F: N.Stevens 21 J.Hosking 11

Foll: B.Moody 16 M.Prespakis 4 G.Gee 19

I/C: M.Guerin 18 A.Downie 30 A.McKay 5 G.Egan 1 C.Hammans 17

Emerg: J.Edwards 25 D.Walker 23

COLLINGWOOD

B: L.Butler 23 J.Allen 6

HB: R.Schleicher 18 S.Livingstone 12 A.Porter 9

C: S.Chiocci - C 17 J.Lambert 13 E.Fowler 15

HF: A.Velardo 5 B.Smith 19 A.Sheridan 14

F: C.Molloy 2 A.Newman 16

Foll: S.Norder 1 B.Davey 3 B.Bonnici 8

I/C: M.Cann 25 S.Alexander 24 S.Casey 22 E.O’Dea 50 T.Brown 26

Emerg: J.Lin 20 A.Moloney 40

ROUND 1 AFLW TIPS

Dan Andrews

Carlton 7

St Kilda 10

Melbourne 12

Adleaide 9

North Melbourne 3

Brisbane Lions 2

Fremantle 11

Ellie Blackburn

Carlton

Western Bulldogs

Melbourne

Adelaide

North Melbourne

Brisbane Lions

Fremantle

Chris Cavanagh

Carlton 6

Western Bulldogs 1

Melbourne 12

Adelaide 12

North Melbourne 12

Brisbane Lions 12

Fremantle 6

Sarah Jones

Carlton 5

Western Bulldogs 7

Gold Coast 3

West Coast 12

Geelong 9

Richmond 12

Fremantle 4

Ebony Marinoff

Carlton

St Kilda

Melbourne

Adelaide

North Melbourne

Brisbane Lions

Fremantle

Kate McCarthy

Collingwood

St Kilda

Melbourne

Adelaide

North Melbourne

Brisbane Lions

Fremantle

Glenn McFarlane

Carlton 1

St Kilda 5

Melbourne 10

Adelaide 17

North Melbourne 9

Brisbane Lions 12

Fremantle 11

Michael O’Brien

Carlton 10

St Kilda 5

Melbourne 11

West Coast 6

Geelong 16

Richmond 14

Fremantle 2

Mark Robinson

Carlton 18

Western Bulldogs 5

Gold Coast 12

Adelaide 11

North Melbourne 17

Brisbane Lions 21

Fremantle 12

Kate Salemme

Carlton 18

St Kilda 10

Melbourne 12

Adelaide 24

North Melbourne 17

Richmond 3

Fremantle 18

Matt Turner

Carlton 11

Western Bulldogs 7

Melbourne 15

Adelaide 20

North Melbourne 8

Brisbane Lions 19

Fremantle 6

Darcy Vescio

Carlton

Western Bulldogs

Melbourne

Adelaide

Geelong

Richmond

GWS Giants

Liz Walsh

Carlton 12

Western Bulldogs 10

Melbourne 6

Adelaide 24

North Melbourne 18

Brisbane Lions 12

Fremantle 30

Rebecca Williams

Carlton 5

Western Bulldogs 6

Melbourne 7

Adelaide 8

North Melbourne 8

Brisbane Lions 9

Fremantle 5

Kiss of Death

Collingwood 13

Western Bulldogs 13

Gold Coast 13

West Coast 13

Geelong 13

Richmond 13

GWS Giants 13