AFLW Round 6: The Team

AFLW Round 6 COLLINGWOOD v GWS Time & Place: Sunday March 12, 11:05am EDT Holden Centre Oval, Melbourne TV: Fox Sports 11:00am EDT Weather: Min 18 Max 21 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: NNE 7kph Betting: Collingwood $1.51 GWS $2.58

B: Tara Morgan, Stacey Livingstone, Emma Grant

HB: Meg Hutchins, Nicola Stevens, Steph Chiocci

C: Amelia Barden

HF: Alicia Eva, Sarah D’Arcy, Sophie Casey

F: Jasmine Garner, Moana Hope, Jessica Cameron

Foll: Emma King, Melissa Kuys, Lauren Tesoriero

Int (from): Caitlyn Edwards, Brittany Bonnici, Christina Bernardi, Helen Roden, Ruby Schleicher, Lou Wotton, Penny Cula-Reid, Bree White

Collingwood News Two consecutive victories, a strong week on the track and an imminent first game at the club’s home venue. Spirits are high in Collingwood’s AFL Women’s camp ahead of a round six clash with the GWS Giants. A Sunday timeslot means 24 players remain in the frame to pull on the boots at the Holden Centre, with only defender Cecilia McIntosh ruled out. “She came off just before half time last week with a tight hamstring. It’s a bit unlucky for her,” coach Wayne Siekman said of McIntosh. “Penny Cula-Reid is going to come in as a replacement. “She’s been on the cusp for the last couple of weeks and showed really good resilience in that time. “Being a defender and a small one, she can come in without any hesitations.” Resilience is a quality Siekman believes has extended beyond Cula-Reid. After three consecutive losses, the Magpies are now on a two-game winning streak. The confident group will next meet a GWS side who registered their first win of the season in trying conditions in Blacktown last Friday. “For us to go from 0-3 to 2-3, this is a chance to square the ledger,” the coach said. “Tuesday night was the best training session we’ve had this year. The girls were upbeat, the skill level was high and the voice was up.” Ultimate Preview Alicia Eva has been one of Collingwood's stars in the first year of the AFL Women's competition. After claiming victory in the west last week, Collingwood's AFL Women's team will be vying for three wins in a row when they meet Greater Western Sydney at the Holden Centre on Sunday morning. At the Selection Table After a taxing but successful road trip to Mandurah – where temperatures soared to 34 degrees and the team battled a three-hour time difference to prepare for a 10.30am game – the Magpies have had a week on the training track to recover and look forward to playing the Giants at home. During the game against Fremantle, defender Cecilia McIntosh pulled up sore with a tight hamstring, and medical staff took a precautious approach to ice her up for the remainder of the second half. The 37-year-old has been one of Collingwood's most reliable defenders during the AFLW competition, and should be right to go against the Giants on Sunday. Small forward Kate Sheahan underwent surgery on her left knee this week and will not return to action this season following confirmation of her ACL injury during the round five clash against the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, forward Helen Roden and midfielder Georgia Walker are eligible for a call-up to the senior side, as well as veterans Penny Cula-Reid and Lou Wotton. Recent Form Following Collingwood's one-point thrilling victory over the Dockers on the weekend, coach Wayne Siekman said he was proud his side's resilience and improvement during the AFLW season. "Fremantle just came out us, and we hung on, which shows a bit of resilience from our football club, and that is a real positive for this team," he told the media at his post-match press-conference. "We are seeing good progression and good momentum from our side." The Magpies began the season 0-3, but have resurrected their season to be fifth on the ladder following consecutive wins against the Bulldogs and Dockers. Further, Collingwood became the first Victorian team to travel interstate and claim victory in the AFLW competition. The Pies will finish their debut campaign with two games on their home turf at the Holden Centre, and will be looking for three wins on the trot when they meet the Giants on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, GWS are celebrating their slice of women's football history, after they beat Melbourne to claim their first AFLW victory on Friday evening. The Giants sit one place below Collingwood at sixth on the ladder on six points, after they played a draw with Fremantle in round three. Keep an eye on… Collingwood defender Melissa Kuys has continually impressed since her inclusion to the squad in round two, and the 28-year-old had a breakout game against the Dockers on Saturday afternoon. The Knox women's captain amassed 17 possessions and four marks, and anchored the Magpies' steady defence alongside teammates Nicola Stevens, Meg Hutchins and Steph Chiocci. For the Giants, their standout performer last week was utility Jessica Dal Pos, who worked hard in tough conditions to produce a 19-disposal, eight -learance and seven-tackle performance. The 23-year-old is known for her elite running and her damaging left foot. The key to victory last week was disposal efficiency, with the AFLW pinpointing three of the four winning teams who had a higher percentage of hitting targets than their opponents. Collingwood was one of those teams, while GWS – despite winning – produced a disposal efficiency almost 10 per cent lower than Melbourne. After five long weeks, the Magpies finally return home to play their first AFLW game at the Holden Centre. You might remember the opening two games (vs. Carlton and Melbourne) were moved to Ikon Park to accommodate large crowds, but the beautiful Holden Centre will be buzzing from excitement as fans will get to see their team compete on home soil. It's free entry, so come on down! It may be Labour Day Weekend, but if you're heading down to Holden Centre Oval to watch your AFLW Magpies, keep an eye on the early game start. The game will kick-off at 11.05am, and there will be plenty happening on and off the field to keep you entertained. Following the match, be sure to check out the Magpie Netball squad across the road at Hisense Arena, who will be battling the Adelaide Thunderbirds at 3pm.