THE fruits of the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft will be on show when four new arrivals make their Smithy’s VFL debut in a Friday afternoon blockbuster between Footscray Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions at Mission Whitten Oval.
The Lions will unveil all three of their draftees, with No. 6 pick Will McLachlan, No. 17 selection Luke Beecken and No. 21 option Darcy Craven to all wear the maroon, blue and gold for the first time, while the Bulldogs will unleash No. 8 pick Kelsey Rypstra for the first time.
Colac medium forward McLachlan, 19, has been on a tear for the Geelong Falcons in the Coates Talent League this year, kicking 24 goals in five matches.
Beecken, 23, is a rebounding defender from Woodville South via Woodville-West Torrens with 54 SANFL games experience. He has averaged 22.7 disposals this year and had 25 touches and five marks in the State game win over the WAFL.
Craven, 19, is a penetrating left-footer from Bridgetown in WA’s south-west who has played four games for East Perth.
Beecken may be familiar with Rypstra, 20, a small forward from North Adelaide who played his junior footy with Adelaide powerhouse Payneham-Norwood Union, having played five SANFL games for the Roosters and kicked three goals.
The Bulldogs will have a second debutant in Chan Hargraves, 25, who has been rushed straight into the team after returning from injury to kick four goals in his first game of the season with Southern league club Port Melbourne Colts last week.
Footscray also regains Anthony Scott from concussion, but loses the promoted Buku Khamis and the injured Dom Bedendo, while the Lions get Brandon Ryan and Harry Sharp back from the AFL, with Evan Macpherson to miss running out against his old team due to suspension.
Richmond will unveil 208cm basketball convert Oliver Hayes-Brown in its Friday night clash with Port Melbourne at ETU Stadium.
Hayes-Brown, 24, has been learning his trade in the ruck with VAFA club Old Ivanhoe, having 22 disposals and 77 hitouts in a recent match to earn his call-up in place of the promoted Jacob Koschitzke, while Kaleb Smith returns from his AFL taste and Ry Cantwell also comes in with Nick Guiney sidelined for a week by a glute injury.
The Borough loses star midfielder Robbie McComb to injury, with former Southport star Matt Gahan coming in for his third game of the year.
All matches in the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.
Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will broadcast select matches live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7plus nationally. This week’s broadcast game will be Essendon vs Carlton.
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs BRISBANE LIONS
Friday 7 June, 3:05pm, Mission Whitten Oval
Head-to-Head: Brisbane Lions 2-0; At Mission Whitten Oval: Never Met; Streak: Brisbane Lions 2; Last Time: Brisbane Lions 14.9 (93) def Footscray Bulldogs 13.7 (85) – March 30, 2023, Marvel Stadium
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
B: D. Orgill (50), L. Smith (40), C. Craig-Peters (61)
HB: A. Scott (28), J. Croft (16), A. Jones (32)
C: C. Clarke (8), P. Spicer (63), K. Rypstra (41)
HF: J. Kellett (57), L. Cleary (36), C. Hargraves (72)
F: T. Bianco (58), A. Bade (68), C. Poulter (25)
R: J. Busslinger (5), O. Baker (13), J. Gilbee (69)
INT: S. Willoughby (53), E. Hunt (56), B. Crofts (54), W. Lewis (64), C. Watson (79)*
EMG: C. Dahms (59), K. Stretton (66), C. Smith (55), T. McRae (60)
IN: A. Bade, C. Hargraves, K. Rypstra, A. Scott
OUT: B. Khamis (AFL), D. Bedendo (injured), C. Dahms, K. Stretton
NEW: Chan Hargraves, 25, 194cm, Port Melbourne Colts; Kelsey Rypstra, 20, 173cm, North Adelaide
BRISBANE LIONS
B: D. Joyce (41), Z. Zakostelsky (21), L. Beecken (47)
HB: J. Madden (14), S. Brain (34), J. Prior (20)
C: D. Robertson (2), J. Tunstill (29), W. Martyn (55)
HF: J. Lyons (17), B. Ryan (24), L. Lloyd (19)
F: W. McLachlan (56), H. Smith (25), D. Craven (50)
R: D. Fort (32), H. Sharp (22), R. Torrent (36)
INT: T. Abberley (48), K. Dunkley (52), T. Meekin (57)*, K. Lane (45), J. Manly (62)
EMG: J. Budarick (51), J. Lohmann (49), R. Greene (53), Z. Derksen (56)
IN: L. Beecken, D. Craven, W. McLaughlan, B. Ryan, H. Sharp
OUT: E. Macpherson (suspended), D. Lloyd (managed), J. Budarick, Z. Derksen, J. Lohmann
NEW: Luke Beecken, 23, 185cm, Woodville South/Woodville-West Torrens; Darcy Craven, 19, 174cm, Bridgetown/East Perth; Will McLachlan, 19, 185cm, Colac/Geelong Falcons
PORT MELBOURNE vs RICHMOND
Friday 7 June, 7:35pm, ETU Stadium
Head-to-Head: Port Melbourne 29-25-3; At ETU Stadium: Port Melbourne 19-7-1; Streak: Richmond 5; Last Time: Richmond 10.12 (72) def Port Melbourne 7.9 (51) – August 12, 2023, ETU Stadium
PORT MELBOURNE
B: T. Watson (11), T. Highmore (35), L. Rankin (15)
HB: F. Rosman (3), B. Smith (22), H. Stubbings (12)
C: S. Philp (9), J. Green (14), T. Hird (4)
HF: A. Anastasio (19), J. Miller (23), A. Manton (16)
F: B. Gowers (10), H. Maguire (38), M. Signorello (17)
R: F. Flockart (27), H. Hooper (37), R. Smith (18)
INT: N. Stuhldreier (31), C. Wild (26), C. Walker (29), G. Barnes (25), M. Gahan (32)
EMG: K. Viccars (2), T. Hofert (21), S. Johnson (8), L. Coghlan (30), L. Modica (56), J. Johnston (20), C. Henness (7), A. Curry (13)
IN: M. Gahan
OUT: R. McComb (injured)
RICHMOND
B: J. Bauer (43), J. Blight (40), T. Brindley (61)
HB: J. Trezise (36), K. Smith (49), S. Banks (41)
C: M. Yassine (52), L. Wilson (82), C. Harris (54)
HF: M. Coulthard (26), S. Green (48), L. George (67)
F: A. May (71), C. Olden (58), C. Gray (46)
R: O. Hayes-Brown (47), J. Garner (53), H. Scott (74)*
INT: T. McCarthy (76), S. Davidson (73), N. Collier (81), J. Pollocks (79), R. Cantwell (68)
EMG: J. Feneley (64), H. White (56), L. Teal (66)
IN: R. Cantwell, O. Hayes-Brown, K. Smith
OUT: J. Koschitzke (AFL), N. Guiney (glute), J. Feneley
NEW: Oliver Hayes-Brown, 24, 208cm, basketball
UMPIRES
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs BRISBANE LIONS
FIELD: 2. Lachlan Coyne, 18. Jack Howard, 19. Cameron Williams. BOUNDARY: Mitch Dorling, Luke Myatt, Lachlan Wright. GOAL: Josh Hickman, Nelson Tucker.
PORT MELBOURNE vs RICHMOND
FIELD: 24. Matt Mahoney, 33. Kyle van Raay, 41. Tom Lyon. BOUNDARY: John Cooper, Lachlan Menara, Zach Mousaco. GOAL: Chris Doyle, Callum Thornton.
