THERE will be no substitutions and extra breaks between quarters for Friday night's NAB Challenge match between Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions. 

With the temperature at 27 degrees and humidity at a stifling 85 per cent at 6pm, the decision was made to partially invoke the AFL's heat policy.

There will now be six players on the interchange bench, which will still be capped at 120 rotations, but no substitutions.

Breaks between quarters will now be 10 minutes, 25 and 10, rather than the standard six, 20 and six.

Gold Coast has left Tom Lynch out of their initial 27-man squad, with the power forward suspended for round one.

The Lions have left out Brent Staker, Tom Cutler and young midfielder Sam Mayes.

Earlier, Essendon cut two youngsters from its team to face Melbourne in the teams' final NAB Challenge hit-out at Etihad Stadium on Friday evening. 

Nick O'Brien and Zach Merrett join top-up player Jared Petrenko on the sidelines, but Jayden Laverde – the No.20 pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft – has been named to make his debut in the red and black. 

Former Adelaide forward-ruck Shaun McKernan and top-up player Marcus Marigliani are the Dons' subs.

The Demons have chopped Viv Michie and small forward Jay Kennedy-Harris from the side that held on to defeat the Western Bulldogs by seven points in Ballarat last Saturday. 

Cameron Pedersen is also out, while Jordie McKenzie and big man Max Gawn will wear the green vests.

Emerging forward Jesse Hogan has been picked for his third straight NAB Challenge match.

GOLD COAST v BRISBANE LIONS
Metricon Stadium, Friday March 20, 7.40pm AEST
 
Gold Coast
Out: Tom Lynch, Jack Leslie, Josh Glenn
NO SUBS (due to heat)
Brisbane Lions
Out: Brent Staker, Tom Cutler, Sam Mayes
NO SUBS (due to heat)
 
Gold Coast
2. Zac Smith, 4. Jack Martin, 5. Jarrod Harbrow, 6. Alex Sexton, 7. Nick Malceski, 8. Luke Russell, 10. Dion Prestia, 11. Harley Bennell,14. Mitch Hallahan, 15. Daniel Gorringe, 16. Rory Thompson, 17. Steven May, 18. Trent McKenzie, 22. Tom Nicholls, 24. David Swallow, 26. Matt Shaw, 28. Kade Kolodjashnij, 32. Brandon Matera, 33. Aaron Hall, 35. Michael Rischitelli, 41. Jarrod Garlett, 42. Adam Saad, 44. Touk Miller, 48. Seb Tape 
 
Brisbane Lions
3. Allen Christensen, 4. James Aish, 5. Mitch Robinson, 6. Josh Green, 7. Jed Adcock, 8. Rohan Bewick, 9. Dayne Beams, 10. Daniel Rich, 12. Stefan Martin, 15. Dayne Zorko, 17. Claye Beams, 21. Daniel Merrett, 22. Marco Paparone, 23. Matthew Leuenberger, 24. Liam Dawson, 25. Daniel McStay, 27. Darcy Gardiner, 28. Lewis Taylor, 29. Jaden McGrath, 30. Jack Redden, 33. Michael Close, 35. Ryan Lester, 38. Tom Rockliff, 42. Justin Clarke

MELBOURNE v ESSENDON
Etihad Stadium, Friday March 20, 5.50pm AEDT

MELBOURNE
Out: Cameron Pedersen, Viv Michie, Jay Kennedy-Harris
Substitutes: Max Gawn, Jordie McKenzie

ESSENDON
Out: Jared Petrenko, Nick O'Brien, Zach Merrett
Substitutes: Shaun McKernan, Marcus Marigliani

Melbourne
1. Jesse Hogan, 2. Nathan Jones, 3. Christian Salem, 4. Jack Watts, 5. Jimmy Toumpas, 6. Chris Dawes, 7. Jack Viney, 8. Heritier Lumumba, 11. Max Gawn, 12. Dom Tyson, 13. Jordie Mckenzie, 14. Lynden Dunn, 17. Sam Frost, 18. Daniel Cross, 19. Ben Newton, 20. Colin Garland, 25. Tom McDonald, 31. Jack Grimes, 36. Jeff Garlett, 37. Aaron vandenBerg, 39. Neville Jetta, 40. Mark Jamar, 44. Rohan Bail, 45. Matt Jones

Essendon
3. Paul Chapman, 6. Joe Daniher, 9. Brendon Goodard, 11. David Zaharakis,12. Mark Baguley, 13. Adam Cooney, 14. Jason Ashby, 19. Shaun Edwards, 20. Jackson Merrett, 27. Jon Giles, 28. Elliott Kavanagh, 29. Patrick Ambrose, 30. Kyle Langford, 33. Jayden Laverde, 35. Marty Gleeson, 36. Lauchlan Dalgleish, 41. Will Hams, 42. James Gwilt, 44. Shaun McKernan, 46. Orazio Fantasia, 47. Marcus Marigliani, 54. Josh Freezer, 72. Clinton Jones, 73. Mitch Brown