REIGNING AFLW Best and Fairest, Erin Phillips will pull on the Adelaide jumper for the first time in 2018, in a mouth-watering prospect for all footy lovers. The Adelaide captain missed the first two weeks of the season with a quad injury, but will be back to give her side the kick-start that it needs against a Bulldogs side without number one draft pick, Isabel Huntington.

Despite Brianna Davey’s season-ending knee injury, there is good news for Blues fans, as Katie-Jayne Grieve will make her debut at Ikon Park. Grieve comes from South Bunbury in Western Australia, and was given a chance to pull on the navy blue jumper, as her impressive endurace caught the eyes of Carlton recruiters.

A person who knows what it feels like to play in a navy blue jumper is Bella Ayre. She played six games for the Blues last year, but this time round, she will be a Lion. Ayre gets the opportunity to play against her old side on Saturday night in what could be a feisty encounter.

On Sunday, Collingwood’s pick 20 Sarah Dargan will get another chance to prove her worth in black and white, after a quiet season-opener from her.

Melbourne Uni’s Moana Hope will also return for the Pies, after being controversially dropped last week. She will be breathing a sigh of relief, as GWS has left key defender, Renee Tomkins, out of the side for this week meaning that Hope could use her improved fitness to run rampage in the forward line, and cause a heap of issues for the Giants.

One of the biggest inclusions of the round is Meg Hutchins, who returns to the Collingwood line-up after sitting out the first two rounds. Hutchins’ on-field leadership is second-to-none, and will be vital in trying to secure a victory for the winless Pies.

Ahead of its huge clash against the Dees, Fremantle has named two debutants for the clash at Fremantle Oval, both recruited from Swan Districts. Half-forward, Emily McGuire will have the opportunity to display her clever ball-use and goal sense, while Tayla McAuliffe will be counting her lucky stars. The 18 year-old came into the side as an injury replacement for Kirby Bentley, but will now get her chance to show what she’s made of against a strengthened Melbourne lineup.

The Dees welcome Harriet Cordner and Jasmine Grierson to the side for the first time in 2018, adding more experience and versatility to the already dangerous lineup. Expect Cordner to lay plenty of tackles, and Grierson to display some brilliant footy smarts in the backline.

Saturday, February 17

Adelaide v Western Bulldogs at Norwood Oval, 1.35pm ACDT

ADELAIDE

B: M.Rajcic 32, S.Allan 39, D.Cox 31

HB: S.Thompson 14, R.Killian 7, D.Varnhagen 9

C: E.Phillips 13

HF: A.Holmes 1, J.Hewett 20, J.McCormick 5

F: R.Wallace 15, S.Perkins 28, J.Sedunary 17

Foll: R.Metcalfe 11, C.Randall, 26, E.Marinoff 10

I/C: R.Lugg 45, J.Allan 25, G.Bevan 4, J.Mules 23, E.Jones 2

Emerg: A.Hatchard 33, S.Riley 8

In: M.Rajcic, R.Killian, E.Phillips

Out: S.Riley, T.Radan, A.Foley (suspension)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

B: L.Birch 18, L.Spark 11, N.Callinan 10

HB: H.Scott 22, B.Toogood 28, B.Lochland 1

C: E.Blackburn 2

HF: J.Bruton 35, K.Brennan 3, M.Conti 8

F: D.Berry 7, A.Utri 23, N.Ferres 16

Foll: A.O’Connor 4, E.Kearney 5, K.Lamb 27

I/C: T.Ernst 19, H.Wildes 17, J.Anderson 26, A.Gogos 36, B.Hunt 21

Emerg: E.Mackie 25, K.Rennie 24

In: J.Anderson

Out: I.Huntington (knee)

Carlton v Brisbane at Ikon Park, 7.45pm AEDT

CARLTON

B: R.Hicks 24, D.Hardiman 31, G.Pound 6

HB: K.Harrington 9, A.Downie 30, K.Gillespie-Jones 5

C: S.Li 35

HF: K.Shierlaw 25, T.Harris 22, N.Stevens 21

F: G.Gee 19, D.Vescio 3, K.Loynes 2

Foll: B.Moody 16, S.Hosking 10, M.Gay 8

I/C: L.Brazzale 12, T.Lucas-Rodd 18, K.Grieve 28, J.Hosking 11, S.Audley 26

Emerg: S.Last 7, N.Plane 32

In: K.Gillespie-Jones, K.Grieve

Out: B.Davey (knee), S.Last

BRISBANE

B: N.Hildebrand 22, K.Lutkins 13, J.Stanton 17

HB: K.Ashmore 10, L.Kaslar 11, S.Campbell 20

C: E.Bates 1

HF: N.Exon 15, T.Randall 16, E.Zielke 8

F: J.Wuetschner 23, S.Frederick-Traub 14, K.McCarthy 9

Foll: S.Webb 4, J.Zanchetta 7, A.Anderson 18

I/C: B.Koenen 3, A.Clarke 21, I.Ayre 2, S.Conway 12, B.Gibson 25

Emerg: M.Hunt 6, G.Collingwood 28

In: I.Ayre

Out: G.Collingwood

Sunday, February 18

Collingwood v Greater Western Sydney at Olympic Park Oval, 4.35pm AEDT

COLLINGWOOD

B: E.Grant 5, R.Schleicher 18, I.Ross 21

HB: C.Molloy 2, S.Casey 22, T.Morgan 26

C: C.McIntosh 20

HF: M.Kuys 9, J.Garner 43, S.Chiocci17

F: C.Edwards 1, L.Tesoriero 7, C.Bernardi 6

Foll: E.King 60, J.Lambert 13, A.Barden 38

I/C: B.Bonnici 8, B.White 33, H.Whitford 28, J.Duffin 27, M.Hutchins 25, S.Dargan 46, M.Hope 23

In: R.Schleicher, M.Hutchins, S.Dargan, M.Hope

Out: S.Livingstone (shoulder), E.Hynes

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

B: A.Farrugia 18, T.Hetherington 9, P.Randall 21

HB: N.Barr 8, L.Stephenson 12, E.Brush 10

C: A.Eva 2

HF: J.Dal Pos 7, P.McWilliams 3, J.Hicks 5

F: J.Barclay 34, A.Schmidt 11, R.Beeson 6

Foll: E.McKinnon 23, C.Gum 26, E.Swanson 17

I/C: P.Smyth 15 M.Collier 14 P.Monahan 28, C.Staunton 13 E.Bennetts 22, B.Tully 16, R.Forth 27

In: L.Stephenson, J.Hicks, P.Smyth, M.Collier

Out: M.Boyd, R.Tomkins

Fremantle v Melbourne, Fremantle Oval 3.35pm AWST

FREMANTLE

B: H.Miller 19 A.Williams 9 E.Gooch 8

HB: B.Smith 18 C.Davidson 33 G.O’Sullivan 22

C: D.Hooker 17

HF: L.Webb 16 E.McGuire 31 K.Donnellan – C 15

F: M.Caulfield 29 A.Lavell 7 A.Atkins 37

Foll: A.Janz 30 S.Cain 20 E.Antonio 12

I/C: L.Mascall 14, G.Houghton 27, A.Sharp 1, J.White 11, L.Filocamo 4, T.Haynes 6, T.McAuliffe 25

In: E.McGuire, T.Haynes, T.McAuliffe

Out: S.Barr (suspension)

MELBOURNE

B: M.Downie 2, L.Duryea 11, K.Smith 13

HB: A.Guest 17, B.Jakobsson 7, E.O’Dea 5

C: M.Hickey 18

HF: K.Hore 10, S.Scott 12, C.Phillips 35

F: R.Cranston 30, T.Cunningham 1, L.Mithen 14

Foll: E.Hoare 46, K.Paxman 4, D.Pearce – C 6

I/C: J.Grierson 19, B.Patterson 24, E.Humphries 3, L.Pearce 15, A.Newman 16, H.Cordner 21, A.Mifsud 9

In: J.Grierson, H.Cordner

Out: