• Port loses gun duo, Lobbe dropped
• Young Hawks called up to face Giants
• Dons turn to top-ups


ESSENDON
has made three changes to the side that lost to Collingwood on Anzac Day.

Top-up trio Ryan Crowley, Jonathan Simpkin and James Polkinghorne have been named for Sunday's clash against Carlton at the MCG. Craig Bird misses with a quad injury while Martin Gleeson and Conor McKenna have been omitted.

The Blues have named Dennis Armfield and Nick Graham to replace Dylan Buckley (calf) and Charlie Curnow (illness).

The Brisbane Lions have rested No.2 draft pick Josh Schache for Sunday's clash with the Sydney Swans at the Gabba.

The Lions had already lost Tom Cutler (shoulder) and Josh Green (general soreness). Sam Mayes, Daniel McStay and debutant Ben Keays have all been named.

Injury update: your club's injured players

The Swans confirmed Aliir Aliir will make his AFL debut. He replaces Ted Richards (eye socket).

Collingwood has resisted any temptation to recall forward Travis Cloke for its game against West Coast at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

The Pies are without Travis Varcoe (hamstring) and Taylor Adams (knee) and have dumped James Aish. Ben Sinclair, Tim Broomhead, Tom Langdon are the three inclusions for the trip west.

The Eagles welcome back ruckman Scott Lycett from suspension. Fraser McInnes is the only omission from the West Coast team that lost to the Swans in round five.

Port Adelaide will be without two of its biggest stars in its must-win clash against Richmond on Saturday, with Robbie Gray (hamstring) and Chad Wingard (concussion) both ruled out.

The Power have also dropped out-of-form ruckman Matthew Lobbe and Karl Amon as they seek to get their spluttering season back on track, while defender Jackson Trengove misses through suspension.

Jared Polec comes into Port's team along with Brendon Ah Chee, Jarman Impey, Dougal Howard and Nathan Krakouer. Krakouer is straight back into the senior side after a club-imposed five-week suspension.

Richmond will be bolstered by Brett Deledio's return for his first game of the season, with the two-time All Australian finally putting a quadricep injury behind him.

The Tigers also recalled ruckman Shaun Hampson and omitted former Giant Jacob Townsend. They will, however, be without star defender Alex Rance who is suspended.

The Western Bulldogs have replaced injured defender Matt Suckling (ankle) with key defender Fletcher Roberts in their only change for Friday night's top-of-the-table clash against North Melbourne.

North has named an unchanged team for the second week running.

St Kilda has rested 2014's No.1 draft pick Paddy McCartin from Saturday's game against Melbourne, while Jack Lonie and Tom Lee have been omitted.

The Saints have brought in first-year midfielder Jade Gresham, Blake Acres and forward Tim Membrey, who will play his first senior game for the season.

Melbourne has named Christian Petracca, who was taken one pick after McCartin in 2014's national draft, for his senior debut, omitting Angus Brayshaw, that year's No.3 pick.

Fremantle has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes in the wake of its disappointing loss to Carlton last Sunday.

The Dockers regain skipper David Mundy for their game against the Crows at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday and have recalled Connor Blakely, with Michael Johnson (hamstring) and Nat Fyfe (leg) the only players to go out of their side.

Adelaide has named an unchanged 22.

Greater Western Sydney has made one change ahead of its clash against reigning premier Hawthorn at Spotless Stadium on Saturday, replacing the injured Devon Smith (knee) with Rhys Palmer.

The Hawks have named Kieran Lovell to make his debut and recalled Daniel Howe, while wingman Billy Hartung has been omitted and Will Langford (corked quad) was ruled out.

Gold Coast's injury woes have worsened with Adam Saad (hip) joining Michael Rischitelli (shoulder) on the sidelines this week, but the Suns have regained star midfielder Dion Prestia for their clash with Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday night.

They have also brought in Henry Schade, Ryan Davis and debutant McKenzie Willis, while omitting Luke Russell and Callum Ah Chee.

Geelong has recalled Lachie Henderson after resting the former Blue last round, while Jed Bews also comes in for his first game of the year.

The Cats have rested Tom Ruggles and omitted Cory Gregson.

Friday, April 29

NORTH MELBOURNE v WESTERN BULLDOGS at Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEST

North Melbourne
No changes

Western Bulldogs
In: F.Roberts
Out: M.Suckling (ankle)

Saturday, April 30

MELBOURNE v ST KILDA AT Etihad Stadium, 1.45pm AEST

Melbourne
In: C.Petracca
Out: A.Brayshaw
New: Christian Petracca (Eastern U18)

St Kilda
In: J.Gresham, T.Membrey, B.Acres
Out: P.McCartin (managed), J.Lonie, T.Lee

ADELAIDE v FREMANTLE at Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm ACST

Adelaide
No changes

Fremantle
In: D.Mundy, C.Blakely Out: N.Fyfe (leg), M.Johnson (hamstring)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY v HAWTHORN at Spotless Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

Greater Western Sydney
In: R.Palmer Out: D.Smith (knee)

Hawthorn
In: D.Howe, K.Lovell Out: W.Langford (corked quad), B.Hartung New: Kieran Lovell (Kingborough)

RICHMOND v PORT ADELAIDE at the MCG, 7.25pm AEST

Richmond
In: B.Deledio, S.Hampson Out: A.Rance (suspended), J.Townsend

Port Adelaide
In: N.Krakouer, J.Polec, B.Ah Chee, J.Impey, D.Howard Out: M.Lobbe, R.Gray (hamstring), J.Trengove (suspension), C.Wingard (concussion), K.Amon

GEELONG v GOLD COAST at Skilled Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

Geelong
In: L.Henderson, J.Bews Out: T.Ruggles (managed), C.Gregson

Gold Coast
In: R.Davis, D.Prestia, H.Schade, M.Willis Out: M.Rischitelli (shoulder), L.Russell, A.Saad (hip), C.Ah Chee New: Mackenzie Willis (Kingborough)

Sunday, May 1

BRISBANE LIONS v SYDNEY SWANS at the Gabba, 1.10pm AEST

Brisbane Lions
In: S.Mayes, D.McStay, B.Keays Out: J.Green (soreness), T.Cutler (shoulder), J.Schache (rested)
New: Ben Keays (Redland)

Sydney Swans
In: A.Aliir
Out: T.Richards (eye socket) New: Aliir Aliir (East Fremantle)

CARLTON v ESSENDON at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST

Carlton
In: D.Armfield, N.Graham Out: D.Buckley (calf), C.Curnow (illness)

Essendon
In: Ryan Crowley, J.Simpkin, J.Polkinghorne Out: C.Bird, M.Gleeson, C.McKenna New: James Polkinghorne (Essendon VFL)

WEST COAST v COLLINGWOOD at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST

West Coast
In: S.Lycett Out: F.McInnes

Collingwood
In: B.Sinclair, T.Broomhead, T.Langdon Out: T.Varcoe (hamstring), T.Adams (knee), J.Aish