Ellie Blackburn will captain the Western Bulldogs in the absence of injured skipper Katie Brennan when the side takes on Melbourne at Victoria University Whitten Oval this weekend.

Brennan suffered an ankle injury in last Friday’s loss to the Adelaide Crows but is expected to return next week against Collingwood.

Jaimee Lambert and Kirsty Lamb have both been named, while Kimberley Ebb has been selected for her first game of season.

A veteran of over 200 VWFL games playing between half-back and the wing, Ebb was selected with the 37th pick of the 2016 AFLW Draft and has been named on the interchange.

Both sides have split their first two games of the season and are separated by percentage on the AFLW ladder.

Laura Bailey will miss due to suspension and Romy Timmins has been omitted.

AFLW Round 3 – Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
Saturday 18 February, 2017, 7:40pm
Venue: Victoria University Whitten Oval

Full backJ GardnerB HuntJ Lambert
Half backH WildesA O’ConnorK Tyndall
Centreline N Callinan 
Half forwardL BirchE GambleH Scott
Full forwardK McLeodT ErnstA Gogos
FollowersC Clarkson/td>E KearneyE Blackburn
InterchangeK LambR NeavesK Ebb
 B LochlandL WilliamsL Spark
EmergenciesR TimminsL Morecroft