- Big names Franklin, Hannebery, Mitchell and Smith return
- Dean Cox recovers from concussion and is in for the Eagles
ESSENDON has received a timely boost ahead of Friday night's crunch game against Richmond at the MCG, with young forward Joe Daniher named to make his return from a collarbone injury.
Daniher had surgery last month after a training accident involving teammate Cale Hooker and has missed the past two games, but will fit in nicely with the Bombers searching for more scoring options.
Jake Melksham has been brought back into the team, alongside youngsters Elliott Kavanagh and debutant Orazio Fantasia.
Tom Bellchambers and Jackson Merrett have been omitted, while Patrick Ambrose (jaw) and Dustin Fletcher (groin) will also miss.
Richmond will welcome back Shaun Grigg from an eight-week lay-off with a hamstring complaint, while Steve Morris has also been recalled.
Sam Lloyd and Reece Conca (suspension) go out of the Tigers side.
North Melbourne has made two changes at the selection table, with Majak Daw and Aaron Mullett both omitted from the side to take on Greater Western Sydney at StarTrack Oval in Canberra on Saturday.
Ben Brown and debutant Kayne Turner get their chance for the Roos.
Jed Lamb and Matt Buntine are back in the Giants side, while Josh Hunt (hip) and Sam Frost go out.
For Carlton, Troy Menzel comes back into the side for an important game against finals aspirant Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
As flagged earlier in the week, Irishman Ciaran Sheehan has also been named to make his debut.
The Suns have two important inclusions, with Brandon Matera and Kade Kolodjashnij making their way back from injury.
Louis Herbert and Timmy Sumner have been axed.
Hawthorn appears to be settling its side ahead of finals, with Sam Mitchell and Isaac Smith back to tackle Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday evening.
Mitchell (flu) and Smith (calf) were both late withdrawals last week, but will be handy inclusions alongside Billy Hartung.
Jack Gunston (knee) will miss this game and potentially two more weeks, while Alex Woodward and Angus Litherland have lost their places in the side.
Melbourne has made five changes to its side for the clash.
Dom Barry, Viv Michie, Matt Jones, Max Gawn and Daniel Cross have all earned recalls for the battling Demons, as coach Paul Roos searches for the right team dynamic after the disappointing loss to the Brisbane Lions last week.
Cam Pedersen, Sam Blease, Jordie McKenzie and Dean Terlich have all been dropped, while Luke Tapscott will miss the game with a jarred knee.
Geelong has opted to bring back Hamish McIntosh to do battle with Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands when the sides face off at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.
Dawson Simpson has been omitted.
Max Duffy, whose pace was praised by coach Ross Lyon during the week, will make his debut for the Dockers, while youngster Hayden Crozier will also add some much-needed speed.
The Dockers, though, have lost Garrick Ibbotson (back) and Tendai Mzungu (hamstring).
The Sydney Swans have picked star forward Lance Franklin and Dan Hannebery for Saturday night's meeting with Port Adelaide.
Franklin was a late withdrawal with a knee issue last week, while Hannebery has missed the past six games with an ankle injury.
Youngsters Tim Membrey and Dean Towers have been omitted.
Port Adelaide's defence will be bolstered by the return of Jackson Trengove from an ankle injury. Trengove has been sidelined since round 15 after surgery.
Paul Stewart, Ben Newton and Jarman Impey have been dropped.
Adelaide has lost James Podsiadly to a rib problem for Sunday's clash with the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
Scott Thompson (hamstring) will also miss the match, while Tom Lynch, Sam Shaw, Jarryd Lyons, Matt Crouch and Charlie Cameron are all in line to replace the pair.
The Lions have named an extended squad for the game, although they have already announced the debut of 198cm forward Jonathan Freeman on the club's website.
Marco Paparone and Nick Robertson are also in the mix.
Saints youngster Luke Dunstan's season-ending shoulder surgery paves the way for Sam Gilbert, Seb Ross, Nathan Wright or Josh Saunders to come back into the team for Sunday's meeting with the Western Bulldogs.
Bulldogs Daniel Giansiracusa, Easton Wood, Jack Redpath and Mitch Honeychurch are all in the running to replace the injured Jason Johannisen (calf).
Collingwood has resisted the temptation to bring back star midfielder Dane Swan for Sunday's game against West Coast.
Instead the Magpies have named Luke Ball, Alan Toovey, Clinton Young, Josh Thomas and Ben Kennedy in the squad to travel to the west.
Kyle Martin and Taylor Adams (finger) have already been ruled out.
The Eagles will welcome back veteran ruckman Dean Cox after he missed last week with concussion from an incident involving Richmond's Ty Vickery a fortnight ago, while Ash Smith and Adam Carter have also been named on an extended interchange.
Friday, August 8
Richmond v Essendon at the MCG, 7.50pm (AEST)
Richmond
In: S.Grigg, S.Morris
Out: S.Lloyd, R.Conca (suspension)
Essendon
In: J.Melksham, E.Kavanagh, J.Daniher, O.Fantasia
Out: T.Bellchambers, J.Merrett, P.Ambrose (jaw), D.Fletcher (groin)
New: Orazio Fantasia (Norwood)
Saturday, August 9
Greater Western Sydney v North Melbourne at StarTrack Oval, 1.45pm (AEST)
Greater Western Sydney
In: J.Lamb , M.Buntine
Out: J.Hunt (hip), S.Frost
North Melbourne
In: B.Brown, K.Turner
Out: M.Daw, A.Mullett
New: Kayne Turner (Murray Bushrangers)
Carlton v Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm (AEST)
Carlton
In: T.Menzel, C.Sheehan
Out: L.Henderson (eye socket), B.Johnson
New: Ciaran Sheehan (County Cork, Ireland)
Gold Coast
In: B.Matera, K.Kolodjashnij
Out: L.Herbert, T.Sumner
Hawthorn v Melbourne at the MCG, 4.40pm (AEST)
Hawthorn
In: S.Mitchell, I.Smith, B.Hartung
Out: J.Gunston (knee), A.Woodward, A.Litherland
Melbourne
In: D.Cross, M.Gawn, V.Michie, M.Jones, D.Barry
Out: D.Terlich, J.McKenzie, L.Tapscott, S.Blease, C.Pedersen
Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm (ACST)
Port Adelaide
In: K.Mitchell, J.Trengove, J.Neade
Out: P.Stewart, B.Newton, J.Impey
Sydney Swans
In: L.Franklin, D.Hannebery
Out: T.Membrey, D.Towers
Geelong v Fremantle at Simonds Stadium, 7.40pm (AEST)
Geelong
In: H.McIntosh
Out: D.Simpson
Fremantle
In: M.Duffy, H.Crozier
Out: G.Ibbotson (back), T.Mzungu (hamstring)
New: Max Duffy (East Fremantle)
Sunday, August 10
Brisbane Lions v Adelaide at the Gabba, 1.10pm (AEST)
Brisbane Lions
In: J.Freeman, M.Paparone, N.Robertson
Out: -
New: Jonathan Freeman (Aspley)
Adelaide
In: T.Lynch, S.Shaw, J.Lyons, M.Crouch, C.Cameron
Out: J.Podsiadly (rib), S.Thompson (hamstring)
St Kilda v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm (AEST)
St Kilda
In: S.Gilbert, S.Ross, N.Wright, J.Saunders
Out: L.Dunstan (shoulder)
Western Bulldogs
In: D.Giansiracusa, E.Wood, J.Redpath, M.Honeychurch
Out: J.Johannisen (calf)
West Coast v Collingwood at Patersons Stadium, 2.40pm (AWST)
West Coast
In: D.Cox, A.Smith, A.Carter
Out: -
Collingwood
In: L.Ball, A.Toovey, C.Young, J.Thomas, B.Kennedy
Out: K.Martin, T.Adams (finger)
