- Magpies, Saints take a punt on their captains
- Chris Knights back for Tigers after almost two years
- Brendan Whitecross in Hawthorn's Sunday squad
- The Traders answer your round three Fantasy questions
COLLINGWOOD and St Kilda have rolled the dice with their captains ahead of Friday night's clash at the MCG, naming Scott Pendlebury and Nick Riewoldt despite respective injury concerns.
Both skippers have trained lightly all week – Pendlebury because of an ankle injury and Riewoldt a left calf complaint.
But they've been given up until the game to prove their fitness with Ben Sinclair (hamstring) and Alex Fasolo (omitted) the exclusions for the Magpies, and Tom Curren dropped for the Saints.
Paddy McCartin is on standby in case Riewoldt fails to come up, with the No.1 draft pick named as an emergency for what could be his AFL debut.
Sam Dwyer and Corey Gault have been named for the Pies – as has Taylor Adams, who was wearing a moon boot earlier this week - while Adam Schneider has been recalled for the Saints.
Meanwhile, Chris Knights has been named for Richmond for what will be his first AFL game since round seven, 2013 – the game in which he badly dislocated his knee.
David Astbury is another key return for the Tigers' clash with the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night at the Gabba; his first game since round nine last year, and after a nasty pre-season encounter with a stingray.
Shane Edwards is the Tigers' other inclusion with the club forced to make three changes with Ricky Petterd (foot), Dylan Grimes (hamstring) and Kane Lambert (shoulder) out.
Brent Staker heads four inclusions for the Lions – his first outing since round 23, 2013 – while Matthew Leuenberger has been dropped after he struggled against Todd Goldstein on Sunday.
James Aish has been recalled after a promising performance in the NEAFL and Darcy Gardiner named, while Lions Academy graduate Harris Andrews has been picked for his debut.
Michael Close is out after suffering a season-ending knee injury last week, while Ryan Lester and Zac O'Brien join Leuenberger as casualties from their loss to North Melbourne.
Brendan Whitecross has been named in an expanded Hawthorn squad to take on the Western Bulldogs on Sunday in Launceston.
Whitecross hasn't played since suffering his second anterior cruciate ligament tear in the 2013 preliminary final.
The Hawks have also been bolstered by the returns of Sam Mitchell and Josh Gibson, have named Ryan Schoenmakers and Billy Hartung, but have lost James Frawley to a pectoral injury and omitted former Giant Jonathan O'Rourke after one game.
Alan Richardson and Nick Riewoldt at St Kilda training on Friday. Picture: AFL Media
Fresh from signing a new contract, Bulldogs defender Easton Wood is out with a hamstring, which opens the door for first-year midfielder Lukas Webb to potentially make his debut.
The Dogs have also named Fletcher Roberts, Koby Stevens and Nathan Hrovat in their squad.
Andrew Walker has been named to return for Carlton after a lengthy battle with a pre-season knee injury, while Dennis Armfield and Patrick Cripps are in, and rookie Irishman Ciaran Byrne will make his AFL debut against Essendon on Saturday at the MCG.
Jason Tutt and Clem Smith have been dropped from the Blues' side that lost to West Coast last week, and Simon White (knee) and Troy Menzel (calf) are out injured.
Bombers' veteran Dustin Fletcher returns after missing last week's win over Hawthorn with a groin at the expense of former Saint James Gwilt.
Scott Thompson has been named to bolster Adelaide's midfield while rookie defender Jake Kelly has been picked to make his debut against Melbourne on Saturday.
The Crows have dropped Mitch Grigg and lost defender Kyle Cheney to a hamstring.
Meanwhile, the Demons have lost Jack Viney to a fracture in his fibula that will sideline him for at least a month, and recalled Jay Kennedy-Harris.
North Melbourne key position player Robbie Tarrant will be hoping his first game since round 13 last season will spell a change in luck after being sidelined with leg stress reactions for most of last year.
Tarrant has been named with Ryan Bastinac to replace the omitted Joel Tippett and Nick Dal Santo, who had hamstring tendon surgery on Thursday.
The Roos play Port Adelaide on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium, with the Power to welcome back Nathan Krakouer to the senior line up after three years out of the AFL system.
They've also named midfielder Brendon Ah Chee for his first AFL game.
Veteran Kane Cornes has been rested, defender Jarman Impey has a hamstring and Jarrad Redden and Jake Neade have been omitted.
Adam Goodes will head to the NEAFL to find some form after starting as the substitute last week, with Harry Cunningham called up for the Sydney Swans' clash with Greater Western Sydney.
The Giants have made one change for Saturday's twilight clash at the SCG with Andrew Phillips named to replace the injured Adam Tomlinson (toe).
As expected, the Cats have lost Andrew Mackie (quad) and Billie Smedts (suspension) for Sunday's meeting with Gold Coast at Simonds Stadium.
They've also dropped ruckman Dawson Simpson but will welcome back Jimmy Bartel and have named Jared Rivers, Josh Walker, Jackson Thurlow and Jordan Murdoch on the extended bench.
Steven Motlop has also been named after being dropped last week for drinking in the lead up to the Easter Monday game.
The Suns have taken another hit in the wake of their loss to the Saints with Gary Ablett (shoulder), Jarrod Harbrow (shoulder), Greg Broughton (Achilles), Mitch Hallahan (ribs) and Alex Sexton (suspension) all unavailable.
They've named eight players – including Trent McKenzie, Brandon Matera and potential debutant Henry Schade – as possible replacements.
Forward Fraser McInnes is a chance to make his debut in West Coast's derby with Fremantle, with Simon Tunbridge (ankle) the only out for the Eagles at this stage.
Josh Hill, Sam Butler and Brant Colledge are the other possibilities, while the Dockers have named Tendai Mzungu for his first game for the year, and added Jack Hannath, Max Duffy and Hayden Crozier to their squad.
Hayden Ballantyne will miss with the first of a two-week suspension for rough conduct against Harry Taylor.
All the ins and out for round three
Friday, April 17
Collingwood v St Kilda, MCG, 7.50pm AEST
Collingwood
In: S.Dwyer, C.Gault
Out: A.Fasolo, B.Sinclair (hamstring)
St Kilda
In: A.Schneider
Out: T.Curren
Saturday, April 18
Carlton v Essendon, MCG, 1.45pm AEST
Carlton
In: A.Walker, D.Armfield, P.Cripps, C.Byrne
Out: S.White (knee), J.Tutt, T.Menzel (calf), C.Smith
New: Ciaran Byrne (Ireland)
Essendon
In: D.Fletcher
Out: J.Gwilt
Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm ACST
Adelaide
In: S.Thompson, J.Kelly
Out: K.Cheney (hamstring), M.Grigg
New: Jake Kelly (Oakleigh U18)
Melbourne
In: J.Kennedy-Harris
Out: J.Viney (leg)
Sydney Swans v Greater Western Sydney, SCG, 4.35pm AEST
Sydney Swans
In: H.Cunningham
Out: A.Goodes
GWS
In: A.Phillips
Out: A.Tomlinson (toe)
Brisbane Lions v Richmond, Gabba, 7.20pm AEST
Brisbane Lions
In: B.Staker, J.Aish, D.Gardiner, H.Andrews
Out: M.Leuenberger, R.Lester, M.Close (knee), Z.O'Brien
Richmond
In: C.Knights, S.Edwards, D.Astbury
Out: R.Petterd (foot), D.Grimes (hamstring), K.Lambert (shoulder)
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide, Etihad Stadium, 7.30pm AEST
North Melbourne
In: R.Tarrant, R.Bastinac
Out: N.Dal Santo (hamstring), J.Tippett
Port Adelaide
In: N.Krakouer, K.Mitchell, A.Young, B.Ah Chee
Out: K.Cornes (rested), J.Redden, J.Neade, J.Impey (hamstring)
New: Brendon Ah Chee (South Fremantle)
Sunday, April 19
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, Aurora Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
Hawthorn
In: S.Mitchell, J.Gibson, B.Whitecross, R.Schoenmakers, B.Hartung
Out: J.Frawley (pectoral), J.O'Rourke
Western Bulldogs
In: L.Webb, N.Hrovat, K,Stevens, F.Roberts
Out: E.Wood (hamstring)
New: Lukas Webb (Gippsland U18)
Geelong v Gold Coast, Simonds Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
Geelong
In: J.Bartel, J.Rivers, S.Motlop, J.Walker, J.Thurlow, J.Murdoch
Out: A.Mackie (quad), D.Simpson, B.Smedts (suspended)
Gold Coast
In: T.McKenzie, M.Shaw, T.Nicholls, B.Matera, D.Gorringe, H.Schade, J.Lonergan, A.Hall
Out: G.Ablett (shoulder), J.Harbrow (shoulder), G.Broughton (Achilles), M.Hallahan (ribs), A.Sexton (suspended)
New: Henry Schade (North Hobart)
West Coast v Fremantle, Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
West Coast
In: S.Butler, J.Hill, F.McInnes, B.Colledge
Out: S.Tunbridge (ankle)
New: Fraser McInnes (Perth WAFL)
Fremantle
In: T.Mzungu, J.Hannath, M.Duffy, H.Crozier
Out: H.Ballantyne (suspended)
