RICHMOND has wielded the axe ahead of its crucial clash with Hawthorn, dropping long-time No.1 ruckman Ivan Maric and defender David Astbury, while the Hawks will blood debutant Kaiden Brand at the MCG on Friday night.
The Tigers will be missing skipper Trent Cotchin (fractured cheekbone) and Kayne Lambert (punctured lung, cracked rib) as they attempt to kick-start their spluttering season against the reigning premier, but have recalled Ben Griffiths, Kamdyn McIntosh, Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short.
The Hawks ruled out defender James Frawley (concussion), with skipper Luke Hodge also sidelined after undergoing knee surgery on Tuesday.
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Debutant Kaiden Brand will help cover Frawley's absence in defence, while Will Langford returns from a quad injury and Billy Hartung has earned a recall after spending last week in the VFL. Hawthorn omitted Kieran Lovell after he made his debut against GWS last Saturday.
Carlton has welcomed back Patrick Cripps for its clash with Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday, with the midfield star overcoming the calf soreness that saw him miss the Blues' win over Essendon last Sunday.
Carlton also regains veteran Andrew Walker from a calf injury and forward Andrejs Everitt returns for his first game since round two, while Nick Graham has been omitted. Jacob Weitering (shoulder) and Andrew Phillips (hamstring) could not be considered for selection.
Collingwood has left out spearhead Travis Cloke for the third straight week, preferring to bolster its forward line with debutant Ben Crocker and Jesse White.
The Magpies have also recalled midfielder James Aish, while key defender Nathan Brown was omitted and Ben Sinclair (concussion) and Tom Langdon (ankle) were unavailable for selection.
Adelaide has recalled midfielder Brad Crouch for its game against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, with Ricky Henderson also coming in for his first game of 2016.
Defender Rory Laird (toe) was unavailable, while the Crows omitted Jarryd Lyons.
The Bulldogs regain livewire Caleb Daniel from injury but lose improved midfielder Koby Stevens (abdominal strain), while Jack Redpath has been recalled and Lin Jong dropped.
Former Kangaroo Nathan Grima has been named to make his club debut for Essendon against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium on Saturday, while the Bombers have rested youngsters Darcy Parish and Kyle Langford.
The Dons' other inclusions are Mark Baguley, Shaun McKernan, Craig Bird and debutant Mason Redman, while Mathew Stokes (hamstring), Martin Gleeson and Sam Grimley also go out of the side.
The Swans regain reliable defender Nick Smith from injury and have omitted Aliir Aliir after his debut against the Brisbane Lions last Sunday.
North Melbourne has named Robin Nahas in its extended squad for Sunday's game against St Kilda after elevating the small forward to its senior list on Thursday.
If he plays, Nahas will cover the losses of Lindsay Thomas (suspension) and Kayne Turner (hamstring) with his speed and defensive pressure. Mason Wood, Aaron Mullett, Brad McKenzie and Majak Daw are the other players North has brought into its squad.
St Kilda is yet to make changes to the 22 that defeated Melbourne last Saturday, with Brodie Murdoch, Hugh Goddard and Jack Lonie named in its extended squad.
Fremantle has recalled experienced hands Garrick Ibbotson and Nick Suban for its clash against Greater Western Sydney at Domain Stadium on Saturday, while Ethan Hughes has been selected for his second game.
The Dockers have dropped ruckman Zac Clarke, Darcy Tucker and Brady Grey, while the Giants have named an unchanged team for the first time in their five-season history after their 75-point thrashing of Hawthorn last Saturday.
Geelong has omitted Nathan Vardy, Jed Bews and Jake Kolodjashnij after its 20-goal defeat of Gold Coast last Saturday night, with Andrew Mackie, Rhys Stanley and Tom Ruggles coming in to play West Coast at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.
West Coast has welcomed back Elliot Yeo while Sam Butler goes out with a groin injury.
Melbourne has swung the axe after its loss to St Kilda, omitting Lynden Dunn and Sam Frost for its clash against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday. Heritier Lumumba and Christian Salem were both ruled out with concussion, while the Dees have recalled Colin Garland, elevated rookie Viv Michie, Billy Stretch and Clayton Oliver.
Gold Coast has dropped Ryan Davis and Mackenzie Willis, while experienced defender Trent McKenzie (ankle) was unavailable.The Suns have regained defender Adam Saad from injury and Jarrod Garlett, and will unveil Darcy McPherson for his debut.
The Brisbane Lions have welcomed back Dayne Beams for his first game since round 18 last year, with the prolific midfielder finally overcoming a knee injury. Josh Schache and Marco Paparone also come into the Lions' extended squad for Sunday's clash against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
Port Adelaide has yet to make any changes to the team that beat Richmond last Friday, but has named star forward Chad Wingard, key defender Jackson Trengove and Karl Amon in its 25.
Friday, May 6
Richmond v Hawthorn at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: B.Griffiths, K.McIntosh, N.Vlastuin, J.Short
Out: I.Maric, T.Cotchin (cheekbone), K.Lambert (ribs), D.Astbury
HAWTHORN
In: W.Langford, K.Brand, B.Hartung
Out: L.Hodge (knee), J.Frawley (concussion), K.Lovell
New: Kaiden Brand (West Adelaide)
Saturday, May 7
Collingwood v Carlton at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: J.White, J.Aish, B.Crocker
Out: N.Brown, B.Sinclair (concussion), T.Langdon (ankle)
New: Ben Crocker (Oakleigh U18)
CARLTON
In: A.Walker, A.Everitt, P.Cripps
Out: A.Phillips (hamstring), N.Graham, J.Weitering (shoulder)
Geelong v West Coast at Simonds Stadium, 2.10pm AEST
GEELONG
In: A.Mackie, R.Stanley, T.Ruggles
Out: N.Vardy, J.Bews, J.Kolodjashnij
WEST COAST
In: E.Yeo
Out: S.Butler (groin)
Sydney Swans v Essendon at the SCG, 4.35pm AEST
SYDNEY SWANS
In: N.Smith
Out: A.Aliir
ESSENDON
In: M.Baguley, S.McKernan, C.Bird, M.Redman, N.Grima
Out: M.Stokes (hamstring), D.Parish (rested), K.Langford (rested), M.Gleeson, S.Grimley
New: Nathan Grima (North Melbourne), Mason Redman (Glenelg)
Gold Coast v Melbourne at Metricon Stadium, 5.10pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: D.MacPherson, A.Saad, J.Garlett
Out: T.McKenzie (ankle), M.Willis, R.Davis
New: Darcy MacPherson (Northern U18)
MELBOURNE
In: C.Garland, V.Michie, B.Stretch, C.Oliver
Out: H.Lumumba (concussion), L.Dunn , S.Frost, C.Salem (concussion)
Western Bulldogs v Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Redpath, C.Daniel
Out: K.Stevens (abdominal strain), L.Jong
ADELAIDE
In: R.Henderson, B.Crouch
Out: R.Laird (toe), J.Lyons
Fremantle v Greater Western Sydney at Domain Stadium, 6.10pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: E.Hughes, G.Ibbotson, N.Suban
Out: Z.Clarke, D.Tucker, B.Grey
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
No changes
Sunday, May 8
St Kilda v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: B.Murdoch, H.Goddard, J.Lonie
Out: -
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: M.Wood, R.Nahas, A.Mullett, B.McKenzie, M.Daw
Out: L.Thomas (suspended), K.Turner (hamstring)
Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
In: J.Trengove, C.Wingard, K.Amon
Out: -
BRISBANE LIONS
In: D.Beams, J.Schache, M.Paparone
Out: -
