Round Six saw the Animals break even with two resounding victories over Swinburne Uni in the Senior and Reserve Men, whilst the Women and Thirds were unable to secure wins in their respective clashes. 

A new weekend however brings new challenges, and brings us the first weekend where the Animals will operate across three seperate grounds. Early starts for the Women and Thirds as the former head to Waverley Oval to take on De La Salle, whilst the latter host rivals MHSOB, promising to be a fiery encounter at Bennettswood. Meanwhile the Seniors and Reserves will head Bayside for one of their two trips to the ground in the shadows of VAFA House when they take on Elsternwick.

THIRDS: 

Adam Jopling makes his return to the side after three weeks out and slots straight back in to the backline, flanked by the Heydon brothers Noah and Sam. Jack Hernan, Lachie Hicks, and Cooper Walter are also inserted into the side. 

Both Hicks and Walter have featured in the Reserves Best 6 in their time with the Twos, and will be looked upon to bring that form with their Thirds counterparts. Hicks slots back into a midfield that have continued to impress, with Sam Cordy, Jordy Rodda, and Greg Rollo-Walker all performing spectacularly in 2023 so far.

RESERVES:

Round One was the only slip so far in the 2023 season for the Reserves when Elsternwick held the high scoring Twos to one goal in the second half. In that game Matt Price was kept goalless. Since then, he’s kicked 26 goals and is a runaway leader atop the goal kicking chart.

Price will have a strong forward line accompanying him with Sam Barrah and Riley Thompson returning to the Reserves forward line.

Sam Argus and Connor Xipolitos also return to a Reserve side on a now 5 game win streak, with an average margin of 77 points in that run. Argus and Xipolitos, like Barrah, return from a victorious Senior side last week, and will look to bring that experience to an already successful side in seeking a 6th straight win.

WOMEN:

The last time the Women lost, it spawned a two game win streak with dominant victories of Canterbury and South Melbourne. This weekend a trip to preseason opponents De La Salle provides a new opportunity after the Guns were regraded down from Division 3. 

It will be a different team to the one that lined up in March, with Alayna MacKirdy making her debut this weekend after missing last week, adding to the Animals Tasmanian contingent. Fresh off her club debut last week, Poppy O’Shea will slot into a backline that has shown supreme hunger all season, whilst Maddy Mazer will continue at the other end of the park as Centre Half Forward.

SENIORS: 

Four changes for the Senior side looking for their second victory over Elsternwick this season.

Sean Howard and Jesse Goldsmid make their returns after missing last week, Kieran Jenkins earns his Senior spot back after a successful game last week for the Reserves, whilst the ever-classy Ethan Phillips returns to the Animals engine room. Connor Xipolitos returning to the Reserves after his debut along with Sam Barrah and Sam Argus, whilst Jonathan Greensides also misses the clash with the Wicks.