Aine Tighe and Sarah Verrier headline Fremantle’s inclusions for their Pride Round clash with Sydney at Fremantle Oval this Sunday.
Tighe comes straight back in after a one-week hiatus with knee soreness last weekend, while defender-turned-midfielder Verrier will make her return from a shin issue after missing the past two matches.
The pair replace injured duo Serena Gibbs (concussion) and Jae Flynn (back) from last week’s starting 21 against Melbourne.
Joanne Cregg, Makaela Tuhakaraina and Ariana Hetherington have been named on the extended interchange bench and are all potential inclusions.
AFLW Senior Coach Lisa Webb says Tighe can step up after a week on the sidelines.
“I’m confident in her ability to take the game on and show what she has in the earlier rounds (of the season),” said Webb.
Webb is expecting hot competition from Sydney who are chasing a maiden finals berth.
“We’ve been watching Sydney closely and I’m really impressed with how they’ve been working together,” Webb said.
“This week is a really significant round for us as a Club. We really want to be playing the football we know we can over four quarters.”
Fremantle will wear the Club’s third iteration of their Pride jumper, designed this year by vice-captain Ange Stannett, that showcases the Progress Pride Flag on the front of the jumper, with the chevrons forming part of the flag.
The colourful design on the front is juxtaposed on the back by Stannett showcasing a number of statistics that represent the hardship still felt within the LGBTQIA+ community.
These stats are showcased by six bars that represent the disparity that still exists in the queer community – in a design that hits home with a powerful message.
“The idea is to spark conversations on why Pride Round is super important,” said Fremantle midfielder/forward Megan Kauffman.
“The back is probably the main feature with bar graphs representing mental health stats. All of the girls are super proud to wear it.
“It’s all about inclusivity and we love this round. It’s about inviting everyone in the Freo community to feel safe.”
The match will pit the 13th-placed Fremantle against the eighth-placed Sydney in the final home and away fixture of the season.
Bouncedown for the clash is at 2.05pm on Sunday and tickets are on sale now.
SQUAD v SYDNEY
INS FROM: Aine Tighe, Sarah Verrier, Joanne Cregg, Makaela Tuhakaraina, Ari Hetherington
OUT: Serena Gibbs (concussion), Jae Flynn (back)
B: Philipa Seth, Emma O’Driscoll
HB: Sarah Verrier, Laura Pugh, Madeleine Scanlon
C: Jessica Low, Kiara Bowers, Orlagh Lally
HF: Hayley Miller, Aine Tighe, Megan Kauffman
F: Amy Mulholland, Gabby O’Sullivan
R/Fol: Mim Strom, Dana East, Ange Stannett
I: Joanne Cregg, Mikayla Hyde, Tahleah Mulder, Airlie Runnalls, Makaela Tuhakaraina, Ariana Hetherington, Sarah Wielstra, Roxy Roux
