The Magpies centre-back was unavailable last round. Attacking player Bronte Peel is also back after being out for round two.

Adamstown have opened the season with a 2-0 win over New Lambton and a 3-3 draw against Mid Coast while Maitland lost 5-2 to Broadmeadow in round one then 3-2 to Charlestown in see-sawing affair last weekend.

Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton said there were more positives than negatives to take from his new side's opening two performances despite having no points on the board.

"I've actually been really encouraged by what we've done," Hamilton said.

"I know we've got no points to show for it but I think we've played some decent football in both games and, on the balance of play, the games have been really tight.

"The fact that we've scored twice in both games is good and last weekend we created probably three other really good chances, which on another day we could have taken.

"This week there's been specific focus on ourselves and on improving parts of our game that we need to improve."

Charlestown coach Michael Lee expects to field another "bare bones" team when they host ladder leaders Broadmeadow at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday.

Striker Lori Depczynski is sidelined with a knee complaint and Azzurri are sweating on the international clearance for wide player Jess Gentle, who last played college football in the United States. Midfielder Imogen Tusek is making a cautious return from a knee injury and is likely to have more, yet limited, minutes off the bench.

Magic have been widely tipped as premiership favourites and are coming off a 2-0 win over defending champions and premiers Newcastle Olympic.

"They've got a lot of good players, even their bench is very strong, so they're going to be a full-on handful but having that tough game against Maitland will smarten us up," Lee said.

"We've really got to make sure we nullify those girls up front and if we do that then you've always got a chance of winning. That's the main thing. I thought we were a bit soft in the first 20 minutes against Maitland. We gave them too many chances and you're not going to get away with that against Magic."

Warners Bay play Mid Coast in Taree on Sunday. All games are at 3.40pm. Olympic play New Lambton on Friday night.

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