THE INJURY-RAVAGED Western Bulldogs have lost five key players for Friday night's season-defining clash against Geelong, although the returns of stars Jake Stringer and Luke Dahlhaus have softened the blow.
Matthew Boyd and Matt Suckling (both Achilles) have joined Mitch Wallis (broken leg), Jack Redpath (knee) and Dale Morris (hamstring) on the sidelines as the fall-out from last Saturday night's disastrous loss to St Kilda continues.
Gun forward Stringer, Dahlhaus, veteran Jed Adcock, defender Joel Hamling and, in a surprise, Zaine Cordy have been called in for the trip to the Cattery.
It will be Cordy's first game for the season and it comes after his indefinite club-imposed ban for an alcohol-fuelled incident with big-money teammate Tom Boyd.
The Cats have made only one change, adding ruckman Zac Smith for forward omitted Shane Kersten, with defender Lachie Henderson not named for the second week after the concussion he suffered against Fremantle.
West Coast has left star ruckman Nic Naitanui out of its side for Saturday's crucial match against Collingwood at the MCG, although important midfielder Dom Sheed is finally back from injury for his first game this season.
The Eagles have made four changes, adding Will Schofield, Mark Hutchings and Simon Tunbridge for his first appearance in 2016.
Midfield recruit Jack Redden's tough year continues due to a shoulder injury, while defender Tom Barrass has been rested and ruckman Jonathan Giles and Jackson Nelson are both omitted.
The Magpies have lost Alex Fasolo (shoulder), Jarryd Blair (groin) and Ben Sinclair (concussion) and called up Jordan De Goey, Rupert Wills and Ben Crocker.
North Melbourne has been boosted by strong-marking forward Jarrad Waite's comeback from a hip complaint for Brent Harvey's record-breaking 427th game against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
After taking one of the marks of the season last week, Majak Daw goes out of the Roos' side in the only change to the team which overcame Collingwood.
Saints coach Alan Richardson has brought back small forward Darren Minchington to replace Jack Sinclair in the only swap to the side that upset the Bulldogs last round.
Veteran onballer Ryan Griffen will make his return for Greater Western Sydney when the Giants host Richmond in Canberra on Saturday, with Adam Tomlinson making way.
The Tigers welcome back Bachar Houli from a wrist injury for the first time since round seven, while Ty Vickery has been recalled alongside Kane Lambert and mature-age debutant Adam Marcon.
But Richmond has lost Shane Edwards (calf), Ben Griffiths (groin), while Liam McBean and Jason Castagna have been omitted.
Carlton has reprieved Andrejs Everitt for the club's first-ever clash in Tasmania as Blues coach Brendon Bolton returns home and attempts to end former club Hawthorn's 18-game winning streak in Launceston.
Young forward Charlie Curnow (knee) goes out of the side in the Blues' only change.
The Hawks have lost small forward Paul Puopolo (hip), with tough nut Will Langford coming in.
Buoyed after snapping their winless streak against Essendon, the Brisbane Lions will unveil two debutants – Archie Smith and Sam Skinner – among five changes in Saturday night's clash with Port Adelaide.
Former NAB AFL Rising Star winner Lewy Taylor, Nick Robertson and Michael Close are also into the team.
Out go emerging forward Josh Schache (general soreness), star ruckman Stefan Martin (rested), Rohan Bewick (groin), Reuben William (groin) and Darcy Gardiner (ankle).
The Power have omitted forward Jay Schulz and the hard-running Kane Mitchell, with Nathan Krakouer and Karl Amon coming in.
The Sydney Swans could stock up with experience for Sunday's test against Fremantle in former Dockers skipper Matthew Pavlich's 350th game in Perth.
Co-captain Jarrad McVeigh has been named after a groin issue, with Ted Richards, Ben McGlynn and Toby Nankervis in the extended squad, while ruckman Callum Sinclair (knee) is the only out at this stage.
Fremantle has added Pavlich after he was rested, with Matt de Boer, Alex Silvagni, Jack Hannath, Darcy Tucker and Ethan Hughes also into the extended squad.
The Dockers have dropped Nick Suban, Jonathon Griffin and Connor Blakely.
Gold Coast has called in Sean Lemmens, Trent McKenzie and Matt Rosa for its trip to face Melbourne at the MCG, with no omissions yet for the Sunday clash.
The Demons have brought Col Garland, Tomas Bugg and hardened onballer Aaron vandenBerg into their 25-man squad.
Adelaide has lost skipper Taylor Walker (ankle) and defender Ricky Henderson (quad) for what should be a straightforward clash against bottom side Essendon at Adelaide Oval in Sunday's late game.
The Crows have added David Mackay, Paul Seedsman, livewire Wayne Milera and possible debutants Reilly O'Brien, Harrison Wigg to a 25-man squad.
The Bombers will be without James Kelly (rested), Mitch Brown (groin) and Shaun McKernan (illness), with James Polkinghorne, Craig Bird, Sam Grimley, Sam Michael and Mason Redman into the squad.
Friday, July 29
Geelong v Western Bulldogs at Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
GEELONG
In: Z.Smith
Out: S.Kersten
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Adcock, L.Dahlhaus, J.Stringer, J.Hamling, Z.Cordy
Out: M.Boyd (Achilles), D.Morris (hamstring), M.Suckling (Achilles), M.Wallis (leg), J.Redpath (knee)
Saturday, July 30
Greater Western Sydney v Richmond at Manuka Oval (Canberra), 1.45pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: R.Griffen
Out: A.Kennedy
RICHMOND
In: B.Houli, T.Vickery, K.Lambert, A.Marcon
Out: S.Edwards (calf), B.Griffiths (groin), L.McBean, J.Castagna
New: Adam Marcon (Williamstown)
Hawthorn v Carlton at Aurora Stadium (Launceston), 2.10pm AEST
HAWTHORN
In: W.Langford
Out: P.Puopolo (hip)
CARLTON
In: A.Everitt
Out: C.Curnow (knee)
Collingwood v West Coast at the MCG, 4.35pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: B.Crocker, J.De Goey, R.Wills
Out: J.Blair (groin), A.Fasolo (shoulder), B.Sinclair (concussion)
New: Rupert Wills (Collingwood VFL)
WEST COAST
In: W.Schofield, M.Hutchings, S.Tunbridge, D.Sheed
Out: J.Giles, J.Redden (shoulder), J.Nelson, T.Barrass (rested)
Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide at the Gabba, 7.25pm AEST
BRISBANE LIONS
In: A.Smith, S.Skinner, L.Taylor, N.Robertson, M.Close
Out: S.Martin (rested), R.Bewick (groin), R.William (groin), D.Gardiner (ankle), J.Schache (general soreness)
New: Archie Smith (Mt Gravatt), Sam Skinner (Gippsland U18)
PORT ADELAIDE
In: N.Krakouer, K.Amon
Out: J.Schulz, K.Mitchell
North Melbourne v St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: J.Waite
Out: M.Daw
ST KILDA
In: D.Minchington
Out: J.Sinclair
Sunday, July 31
Melbourne v Gold Coast at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: C.Garland, T.Bugg, A.vandenBerg
Out: -
GOLD COAST
In: S.Lemmens, T.McKenzie, M.Rosa
Out: -
Fremantle v Sydney Swans at Domain Stadium, 1.20pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: M.Pavlich, M.de Boer, A.Silvagni, J.Hannath, D.Tucker, E.Hughes
Out: J.Griffin, N.Suban, C.Blakely
SYDNEY SWANS
In: J.McVeigh, T.Richards, T.Nankervis, B.McGlynn
Out: C.Sinclair (knee)
Adelaide v Essendon at Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: D.Mackay, P.Seedsman, R.O'Brien, H.Wigg, W.Milera
Out: T.Walker (ankle), R.Henderson (quad)
New: Reilly O'Brien (Calder U18), Harrison Wigg (North Adelaide)
ESSENDON
In: J.Polkinghorne, C.Bird, S.Grimley, S.Michael, J.Merrett, M.Redman
Out: J.Kelly (rested), S.McKernan (illness), M.Brown (groin)
