Indigenous Round

Narrm time isn’t a standard concept—it’s the time within the traditional lands of Narrm, the Woiwurrung name for Melbourne. Indigenous Round runs for rounds 3 and 4 and is a powerful platform to recognise the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in sport, community, and Australian culture. It
This week, suburban footy returns to the infamous Victoria Park as the mighty Narrm take on the Collingwood Magpies at 1:05pm Narrm time, Sunday 31 August.

Come along if you can.

The Match-up

The Pies posted an admirable win last week against the Giants at home, but Coach Sam Wright will find the Dees a much tougher proposition this Sunday. I'm expecting Collingwood to look to nullify our scoring strengths. Good luck with that, Sam!

The Magpies are missing several key leaders through injury—captain Ruby Schleicher, Bri Davey, Jordyn Allen, and boom recruit Mattea Breed. They’ll rely on promising youngsters to step up, including No. 1 draft pick Ash Centra, who impressed last week with some crunching tackles. She’s shaping as a future star.
Despite having some big names out, Naarm Coach Mick Stinear still has a deep list to draw from, and the talent chasm should see Narrm win—and win well.

Selection this week

Narrm is missing four or five first-choice players—nearly a quarter of the team. We’re in top-up territory, with ex-Pie Sophie Casey and ex-Geelong VFLW player Mekah Morrissy joining the squad.

Liv Purcell, in career-best form, is heartbreakingly out for the season with an ACL (her other knee). She joins Tahlia Gillard (MCL), Sarah Lampard (calf), Blaithin Mackin (knee), and Sinead Goldrick (shoulder) in the rehab group.

Ryleigh Wotherspoon has been named in defence, while Lily Johnson, Alyssia Pisano, potential debutants Amelia Dethridge and Jemma Rigoni, and the top-up players round out the extended bench.

Milestone Treble (75 games)

With the women’s season having roughly half the games of the men’s, 75 games is equivalent to 150—a significant milestone.

This week, premier ruck star Loz Pearce (an inaugural), championship full forward Eden Zanker, and Melbourne’s top-rated gun midfielder Tyla Hanks all run out in the red and blue for their 75th game.

Congratulations, superstars!

Meggs’ musings

Tayla Harris, with 10 coaches’ votes last week, is primed for a big 2025. Paxy Paxman, the evergreen warrior, will be vital in Mackin’s absence. Expect Eliza McNamara and Megan Fitzsimon to support the three H’s—Hanks, Heath, Hore—in the middle. Hanksy is currently equal second in the coaches award.
Wotherspoon and Dethridge have played on-ball in the VFLW and acquitted themselves well, giving Mick some flexibility on match day.

We’re top of the table after Week 2, averaging 75 points for and just 15 against. Our defence may be weakened by Irish absences, but the young guns—O’Hehir and Ebert—have settled in nicely, and Chaplin leads with poise.

With our three-pronged tall forward line—Harris, Gall, and Zanker—Narrm should be too strong and kick a winning score.

Go Dees!

Tip: Melbourne by 32 points

THE GAME

Round 3: Melbourne v Collingwood Sunday 31 August 2025 at 1:05pm (Narrm time) at Victoria Park – Wurundjeri Country

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall: Melbourne 5 wins | Collingwood 2 wins
At Victoria Park: Melbourne 1 win | Collingwood 1 win
Coaches: Stinear 1 win | Wright 0 wins

MEDIA COVERAGE

7, 7Plus, Foxtel, Kayo, AFL Live Official App

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Melbourne 11.8 (74) defeated Collingwood 4.3 (27) Season 9, Round 11 – 2 November 2024 at Ikon Park

Goals

Narrm: Hore 3, Bannan 2, Zanker, Pisano, Hanks, Gall, Fitzsimon, Campbell
Collingwood: Bonnici 2, Butler, Barnett

Best

Narrm: Hore, McNamara, Hanks, Purcell, Fitzsimon
Collingwood: Bonnici, Schleicher, White, Brazzale

Crowd: 1,854 at Ikon Park

It was the final chapter of Narrm’s handicapped and doomed season. Carlton failed to beat Essendon, denying us a finals berth despite a late-season surge.
Still, our women entertained with flair and smashed the Pies by nearly eight goals to finish ninth. Kate Hore, returning from injury, starred with three goals. Hanksy was her usual brilliant self, and Eliza McNamara capped off a stellar season with 30 disposals. Rhi Watt stunned TV audiences by announcing her retirement mid-match—on the boundary line!

THIS WEEK’S TEAMS

MELBOURNE
FB [19] Laela Ebert [28] Saraid Taylor
HB [12] Ryleigh Wotherspoon [11] Molly O'Hehir [13] Maeve Chaplin
C [22] Eliza McNamara [5] Tyla Hanks [4] Paxy Paxman
HF [24] Megan Fitzsimon [6] Alyssa Bannan [7] Tayla Harris
FF [29] Eden Zanker [9] Georgia Gall
FOL [15] Lauren Pearce [30] Shelley Heath [10] Kate Hore
I/C [1] Georgia Campbell [3] Alyssia Pisano [20] Maggie Mahony [33] Lily Johnson [43] Jemma Rigoni [14] Amelia Dethridge [36] Sophie Casey [33] Mekah Morrissey
EMG

IN Wotherspoon, Pisano, Rigoni, Dethridge, Casey*, Morrissy*
OUT [31] Blaithin Mackin [2] Olivia Purcell [23] Sinead Goldrick (all injured)

*Top-up players

COLLINGWOOD
FB [27] Lucille Cronin [23] Lauren Butler
HB [29] Tarni White [10] Muireann Atkinson [21] Amber Schutte
C [36] Airlie Runnalls [16] Ashley Centra [7] Sarah Rowe
HF [35] Kalind Howarth [17] Nett Morris-Dalton [13] Grace Campbell
FF [1] Sabrina Frederick [22] Lily-Rose Williamson
FOL [4] Imogen Barnett [25] Mikala Cann [8] Brittany Bonnici
I/C [12] Georgia Knight [2] Eliza James [22] Mikayla Hyde [19] Georgia Clark [30] Carly Remmos
[26] Violet Patterson [5] Annie Lee [9] Alana Porter
EMG

IN Barr
OUT Plane (omitted)

Injury List: Round 3

Melbourne 

Gab Colvin — knee / 2 weeks

Sarah Lampard — calf / 4 - 8 weeks

Denby Taylor foot — / 4 weeks

Tahlia Gillard — knee / 5 - 7 weeks

Grace Beasley — knee / 8 - 10 weeks 

Blaithin Mackin — knee / 10 - 12 weeks

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Olivia Purcell — knee / Inactive

Collingwood  

Ruby Schleicher — concussion / Protocols

Jordyn Allen — calf / 2 - 3 weeks

Kellyann Hogan — shoulder / 4 - 6 weeks

Charlotte Taylor —foot / 7 - 9 weeks

Bri Davey— ankle / TBC

Mattea Breed — knee / Season

Thanks for your great work Meggs!

That set of 75 games milestones gave me another of my happy-place moments where I just think 'Damn, we've got some top grade players'.

Probably a good thread to give today's training update.

All present other than Liv Purcell (understandably).

The rehabbers not able to do much were Lampard, B Mackin and Hose.

Gillard continues her gentle straight-line running. Beasley doing more skills work with the others and Denby Taylor also more vigorous with her work. Colvin also getting closer.

Goldy worked with the backs, but just helping out - no tackling for or of her - because of her shoulder. Don't have a report on how long she will be out.

Two not in numbers I figured were Sophie Casey and Mekah Morrissey, both named on the extended bench. It will be interesting to see if Casey come sin given how many of our defenders are injured at the moment - and she used to play for Collingwood!

6 minutes ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Probably a good thread to give today's training update.

All present other than Liv Purcell (understandably).

The rehabbers not able to do much were Lampard, B Mackin and Hose.

Gillard continues her gentle straight-line running. Beasley doing more skills work with the others and Denby Taylor also more vigorous with her work. Colvin also getting closer.

Goldy worked with the backs, but just helping out - no tackling for or of her - because of her shoulder. Don't have a report on how long she will be out.

Two not in numbers I figured were Sophie Casey and Mekah Morrissey, both named on the extended bench. It will be interesting to see if Casey come sin given how many of our defenders are injured at the moment - and she used to play for Collingwood!

And didn't Casey also play for Casey?

Indeed she did.

Wotherspoon, Pisano and Rigoni into the final line-up, so neither of the train-on players.

After such a potent start to the season, this is a game to go into with a real focus on a calmly professional effort. A mentality of 'get the job done every minute' even if we're nine goals up at half time. Especially as we need to be building that whole team commitment to defensive efforts given the injuries.

Also, I very much want us to break records for the winning margin and see the Zanker-Hore-Harris-Bannan taller forward machine take over.

8 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Probably a good thread to give today's training update.

All present other than Liv Purcell (understandably).

The rehabbers not able to do much were Lampard, B Mackin and Hose.

Gillard continues her gentle straight-line running. Beasley doing more skills work with the others and Denby Taylor also more vigorous with her work. Colvin also getting closer.

Goldy worked with the backs, but just helping out - no tackling for or of her - because of her shoulder. Don't have a report on how long she will be out.

Two not in numbers I figured were Sophie Casey and Mekah Morrissey, both named on the extended bench. It will be interesting to see if Casey come sin given how many of our defenders are injured at the moment - and she used to play for Collingwood!

Couldn’t make it to Gosch’s today HW. I was too busy coming second in an Irish dancing competition called “Jim’s Jig” at a Reach Foundation Luncheon at the ‘G. True story. I made the final three but lost out to some corporate guy, and Banno came third. I beat Banno, that’s a win every day of the week 😅

On a serious note, Banno is very confident of a win on Sunday, despite our ever-growing injury list. She said the team is in a good place and they’re all playing for each other. Total unity.

Did I mention I beat Banno in an Irish dancing dance-off? 😜

#T’BeSure

I must get some pointers Ghosty!