THE BRISBANE Lions are preparing to swing the axe after last week's listless performance against Collingwood and could make nine changes for Sunday's clash against Melbourne at the MCG.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast has made six changes for Saturday's clash against Adelaide as its injury crisis deepens, losing captain Gary Ablett to concussion and midfielder Aaron Hall to a shoulder injury.
The Lions have lost Dayne Beams (knee), Darcy Gardiner (finger) and Claye Beams (groin) to injury and dropped Josh Green, Marco Paparone and Josh Walker from their 25-man squad.
They could make a further three changes when their squad is trimmed to 22, with Rhys Mathieson named for his debut and other potential debutants Jarrad Jansen and Eric Hipwood in the extended squad.
Trent West, Daniel McStay, Nick Robertson, Jonathan Freeman and rookies Jackson Paine and Billy Evans have also been included.
Melbourne, which lost defender Neville Jetta to suspension earlier this week, has dropped fellow backman Christian Salem, with former co-captain Jack Grimes named in the 25-man squad.
The Demons have also included Ben Newton, Dean Kent, Alex Neal-Bullen and Oscar McDonald in their extended squad.
The Sydney Swans have made three changes for Friday night's clash against Hawthorn, regaining midfielder Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn and naming Gary Rohan for his first game this season.
Rohan, who hasn't played since last year's semi-final loss to North Melbourne, has played three games in the NEAFL after being sidelined with a serious hamstring injury.
The Hawks have made one change, with Norm Smith medallist Cyril Rioli returning to replace Daniel Howe, who has been omitted.
Collingwood defender Ben Reid has been named for Saturday's clash against Geelong after proving he was over a shoulder injury on Thursday, replacing defender Ben Sinclair (concussion).
The Cats have also made just one change, with George Horlin-Smith replacing defender Tom Ruggles, who has been dropped.
West Coast has named an unchanged squad to face Port Adelaide for the first time this season, but there is doubt around Josh Kennedy, with the key forward and his partner Lauren awaiting the birth of their first child.
The Eagles flew 23 players to Adelaide on Thursday, including emergencies Xavier Ellis and Tom Cole.
The Power regain star midfielder Robbie Gray, who has missed three matches with a hamstring injury, with Brendon Ah Chee dropped for the second time this season.
North Melbourne and Carlton have each been hit with injuries ahead of their clash at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The Blues have lost Michael Jamison (illness), Matthew Kreuzer (knee) and Levi Casboult (leg), with young star Jacob Weitering returning alongside Simon White and Daniel Gorringe.
The Kangaroos, who lose Ben Jacobs (foot) and Mason Wood (concussion), have also omitted Majak Daw, as veteran defender Michael Firrito, upgraded rookie Farren Ray and Trent Dumont return.
Richmond will be missing Daniel Rioli for Saturday night's clash against Fremantle at Domain Stadium, with the young forward in the Northern Territory this week for a family matter.
The Tigers have also rested Corey Ellis with soreness, regaining captain Trent Cotchin and midfielder Kane Lambert, who have missed two matches each with a fractured cheekbone and punctured lung respectively.
The Dockers regain former skipper Matthew Pavlich and defenders Zac Dawson and Tommy Sheridan, but lose midfielder Stephen Hill to an adductor injury.
Tendai Mzungu and Cam Sutcliffe have been omitted after the team's eighth straight loss.
The Western Bulldogs will be bolstered by the return of hard-nosed midfielder Koby Stevens for Sunday's clash against Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium.
First-year defender Kieran Collins has been named to make his debut, with ruckman Will Minson, Lin Jong and Mitch Honeychurch included in the 25-man squad.
The third-placed Giants regain midfielder Toby Greene and have named rookie Sam Reid and key tall Adam Tomlinson in their 25-man squad.
Essendon has named Sam Michael in its extended squad to face St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The former Brisbane Lions ruckman was the last top-up player to join the Bombers and has been used predominantly in defence in the VFL this season.
James Gwilt, Jackson Merrett and Martin Gleeson have been recalled to the squad, with injured defender Nathan Grima (hip) the only omission at this stage.
The Saints have dropped small forward Jack Lonie, bringing American ruckman Jason Holmes, who could play his first game this season, into the extended squad.
Holmes, veteran defender Sam Fisher, young forward Paddy McCartin and wingman Daniel McKenzie have all been named on the extended bench.
Friday, May 20
Hawthorn v Sydney Swans at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST
HAWTHORN
In: C.Rioli
Out: D.Howe
SYDNEY SWANS
In: J.Kennedy, B.McGlynn, G.Rohan
Out: J.Hiscox, T.Papley (shin), D.Towers
Saturday, May 21
Collingwood v Geelong at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: B.Reid
Out: B.Sinclair (concussion)
GEELONG
In: G.Horlin-Smith
Out: T.Ruggles
Gold Coast v Adelaide at Metricon Stadium, 2.10pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: D.Currie, R.Davis, L.Russell, M.Rischitelli, P.Wright, S.Tape
Out: G.Ablett (concussion), T.Nicholls, A.Saad (hamstring), T.Miller (ankle), A.Hall (shoulder), K. Brooksby
Adelaide
In: N.Van Berlo, J.Lyons
Out: B.Crouch, M.Crouch (soreness)
Port Adelaide v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
In: R.Gray
Out: B.Ah Chee
WEST COAST
No change
North Melbourne v Carlton at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: M.Firrito, F.Ray, T.Dumont
Out: M.Daw, B.Jacobs (foot), M.Wood (concussion)
New: Farren Ray (St Kilda)
CARLTON
In: S.White, D.Gorringe, J.Weitering
Out: M.Jamison (illness), M.Kreuzer (knee), L.Casboult (leg)
New: Daniel Gorringe (Gold Coast)
Fremantle v Richmond at Domain Stadium, 5.40pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: M.Pavlich, T.Sheridan, Z.Dawson
Out: S.Hill (adductor), C.Sutcliffe, T.Mzungu
RICHMOND
In: T.Cotchin, K.Lambert
Out: C.Ellis (soreness), D.Rioli (family illness)
Sunday, May 22
Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: J.Grimes, B.Newton, D.Kent, A.Neal-Bullen, O.McDonald
Out: N.Jetta (suspension), C.Salem
BRISBANE LIONS
In: R.Mathieson, J.Paine, T.West, D.McStay, N.Robertson, J.Jansen, E.Hipwood, J.Freeman, B.Evans
Out: D.Gardiner (finger), D.Beams (knee), C.Beams (groin), J.Green, M.Paparone, J.Walker
New: Rhys Mathieson (Geelong U18), Jarrad Jansen (East Fremantle/Geelong), Eric Hipwood (Aspley)
Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs at Spotless Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: S.Reid, A.Tomlinson, T.Greene
Out: -
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: K.Collins, K.Stevens, L.Jong, M.Honeychurch, W.Minson
Out: J.Redpath (suspended), M.Boyd (suspended)
New: Kieran Collins (Dandenong U18)
St Kilda v Essendon at Etihad Stadium, 4.40pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: S.Fisher, D.McKenzie, P.McCartin, J.Holmes
Out: J.Lonie
ESSENDON
In: J.Gwilt, S.Michael, J.Merrett, M.Gleeson
Out: N.Grima (hip)
New: Sam Michael (Brisbane Lions)
