- Bob Murphy named as 'travelling emergency' in Bulldogs puzzler
- Josh Kennedy fails to recover from hamstring for blockbuster
- Crows add Eddie Betts, Brad Crouch and Jake Lever for Showdown
WESTERN Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy is a puzzling omission for Saturday's clash against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, with the veteran defender listed as the team's travelling emergency.
Murphy, who has played the past three games after returning from a hamstring injury, was not listed officially as an 'omission' and is presumably available to play after being left out of the Bulldogs' 22.
The Bulldogs have also lost forward Tory Dickson to a quad injury and have recalled Jack Redpath and Clay Smith.
The Lions have made five changes, recalling star midfielder Dayne Zorko, key talls Dan McStay and Eric Hipwood, and young midfielder Jarrod Berry and Hugh McCluggage as they set themselves for a late season upset.
They have lost Sam Mayes (foot) to injury and omitted Michael Close, Jarrad Jansen, Sam Skinner and Ben Keays.
Sydney and Richmond have both suffered injury blows ahead of their crunch games against Geelong and Hawthorn respectively, with Swans captain Josh Kennedy out with a hamstring injury and Jack Riewoldt to miss again after eye surgery.
Kennedy was considered a 50-50 chance to face the Cats but the key inside midfielder will miss just his third game in three seasons as the Swans loaded up on talls, recalling Kurt Tippett and Sam Reid.
The Swans have lost ruckman Sam Naismith to an abdominal strain, while Dan Robinson and Jordan Foote have been omitted, with Jake Lloyd and Gary Rohan returning.
After losing superstar Patrick Dangerfield to suspension and Nakia Cockatoo to a hamstring injury, Geelong has turned to youth, naming Zach Guthrie for his fifth game and rookie Sam Simpson for his third.
Richmond has not named star forward Riewoldt for Sunday's clash against Hawthorn after an appointment with his eye surgeon on Thursday morning.
Riewoldt suffered an eye injury at training last week and will miss his second straight match, leaving the Tigers with a small forward line.
They added potential debutant Jack Graham to their 25-man squad, as well as midfielder Dion Prestia and half-forward Ben Lennon.
After losing Luke Hodge to suspension, the Hawks have added four players to their squad, naming Ty Vickery, Paul Puopolo, Kurt Heatherley and Teia Miles.
Greater Western Sydney has made four changes to its team to face Melbourne in Canberra on Saturday, selecting veteran recruit Brett Deledio for the first time after a long battle with persistent calf injuries.
The Giants have been strengthened by the returns of ruckman Shane Mumford, veteran forward Steve Johnson and young midfielder Jacob Hopper for the crucial clash against the Demons.
Young midfielder Will Setterfield will miss because of concussion, while Dawson Simpson and Harry Perryman have been omitted.
Melbourne regains co-captain Nathan Jones and midfielder Bernie Vince, but the Demons will be without key forward Jesse Hogan (shoulder).
They have omitted Jack Trengove and Jay Kennedy-Harris, while Mitch Hannan has been rested. Cam Pedersen and Corey Maynard have been recalled.
Essendon has rested important pair James Kelly and Andrew McGrath for Saturday's clash against Carlton at the MCG, while Jayden Laverde has been omitted.
Midfielder Ben Howlett, small forward Josh Green and defender Patrick Ambrose have been recalled as the Bombers fight for a top-eight finish.
Carlton has made four forced changes after losing Simon White (knee) David Cuningham (ankle), Tom Williamson (illness) and Harry McKay (toe) to injury.
The Blues have recalled Dennis Armfield, Billie Smedts, Blaine Boekhorst and Jarrod Pickett.
North Melbourne has recalled ruckman Todd Goldstein for Saturday night's clash against Collingwood at Etihad Stadium.
The Kangaroos have also named Nick Larkey for his second game, losing Jarrad Waite (calf) and Majak Daw (foot) to injury against a Magpies team that could be unchanged for the first time this season.
Fremantle has rested young ruckman Sean Darcy for Saturday night's clash against Gold Coast at Domain Stadium, recalling Jonathan Griffin for his sixth game this season.
The Dockers have also named Danyle Pearce after a two-month spell in the WAFL, losing young midfielder Connor Blakely to a shoulder injury.
Superstar midfielder Gary Ablett has been named for the Suns in one of six changes, with co-captain Steven May also returning and ruckman Daniel Currie named for his first game this season.
Trent McKenzie, Mitch Hallahan and Josh Schoenfeld have been named, replacing Michael Rischitelli (managed), Jarrod Witts (shoulder), Jesse Lonergan (omitted), Callum Ah Chee (shoulder), Brayden Fiorini (hamstring) and Ben Ainsworth (knee).
For Sunday's clash against West Coast at Etihad Stadium, St Kilda has regained champion forward Nick Riewoldt from a one-week rest after he announced his impending retirement this week.
The Saints have omitted Jack Lonie, naming midfielder Koby Stevens, ruckman Tom Hickey and Nathan Wright on their seven-man bench.
The Eagles have named retiring midfielder Matt Priddis on their extended bench for the trip east, also including Josh Hill, Chris Masten and Nathan Vardy in the 25-man squad. Defender Tom Barrass misses with a groin injury.
Adelaide regains superstar forward Eddie Betts for Sunday's Showdown against Port Adelaide, with midfielder Brad Crouch and defender Jake Lever also named on the extended bench. The Crows have no omissions at this stage.
Port has made one change at this stage for the final game of the round, losing defender Matthew Broadbent to an ankle injury.
Inclusions Angus Monfries, Brendon Ah Chee, Aidyn Johnson and Dan Houston have all been named on the seven-man bench.
Friday, August 4
Geelong v Sydney at Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
GEELONG
In: Z.Guthrie, S.Simpson
Out: P.Dangerfield (suspended), N.Cockatoo (hamstring)
SYDNEY
In: S.Reid, K.Tippett, J.Lloyd, G.Rohan
Out: J.Kennedy (hamstring), S.Naismith (abdominal strain), D.Robinson, J.Foote
Saturday, August 5
Greater Western Sydney v Melbourne at UNSW Canberra Oval, 1.45pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: B.Deledio, S.Mumford, S.Johnson, J.Hopper
Out: J.Cameron (hamstring), W.Setterfield (concussion), D.Simpson, H.Perryman
New: Brett Deledio (Richmond)
MELBOURNE
In: N.Jones, B.Vince, C.Pedersen, C.Maynard
Out: J.Trengove, J.Hogan (shoulder), J.Kennedy-Harris, M.Hannan (rested)
New: Corey Maynard (Hampton Rovers)
Essendon v Carlton at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: P.Ambrose, B.Howlett, J.Green
Out: J.Laverde, J.Kelly (rested), A.McGrath (rested)
CARLTON
In: D.Armfield, B.Smedts, B.Boekhorst, J.Pickett
Out: S.White (knee), D.Cuningham (ankle), T.Williamson (illness), H.McKay (toe)
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs at the Gabba, 4.35pm AEST
BRISBANE LIONS
In: D.McStay, J.Berry, D.Zorko, H.McCluggage, E.Hipwood
Out: S.Mayes (foot), S.Skinner, B.Keays, J.Jansen, M.Close
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Redpath, C.Smith
Out: R.Murphy (travelling emergency), T.Dickson (quad)
North Melbourne v Collingwood at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: T.Goldstein, N.Larkey
Out: J.Waite (calf), M.Daw (foot)
COLLINGWOOD
No change
Fremantle v Gold Coast at Domain Stadium, 5.40pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: J.Griffin, D.Pearce
Out: C.Blakely (shoulder), S.Darcy (managed)
GOLD COAST
In: G.Ablett, D.Currie, S.May, T.McKenzie, M.Hallahan, J.Schoenfeld
Out: M.Rischitelli (managed), J.Witts (shoulder), J.Lonergan, C.Ah Chee (shoulder), B.Fiorini (hamstring), B.Ainsworth (knee)
Sunday, August 6
St Kilda v West Coast at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: N.Riewoldt, K.Stevens, T.Hickey, N.Wright
Out: J.Lonie
WEST COAST
In: M.Priddis, J.Hill, C.Masten, N.Vardy
Out: T.Barrass (groin)
Richmond v Hawthorn at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: D.Prestia, B.Lennon, J.Graham
Out: -
New: Jack Graham (North Adelaide)
HAWTHORN
In: P.Puopolo, T.Vickery, K.Heatherley, T.Miles
Out: L.Hodge (suspension)
Adelaide v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: E.Betts, B.Crouch, J.Lever
Out: -
PORT ADELAIDE
In: B.Ah Chee, D.Houston, A.Johnson, A.Monfries
Out: M.Broadbent (ankle)
