THERE are no late changes for Sunday's Etihad Stadium clash between North Melbourne and Hawthorn.

The Roos confirmed earlier that reigning club champion Shaun Higgins, whose wife, Heidi, gave birth in recent days to their first child, Rosie Joan, would play in the match.

Higgins indicated on Wednesday that he would skip the Hawks game if his wife went into labour at the same time as the match, saying it was an "easy decision".

Last year's NAB AFL Rising Star runner-up Ryan Burton and young midfielder James Cousins return for Hawthorn for injured pair Cyril Rioli (knee) and Paul Puopolo (hamstring).

FOLLOW IT LIVE: Roos v Hawks

Forward Cameron Zurhaar will play his first game of the season and fifth overall for North, which rested top-five draft pick Luke Davies-Uniacke.

Burton, Cousins, Ricky Henderson and Conor Glass will start on the bench for the Hawks, while Jy Simpkin, Ryan Clarke, Trent Dumont and Zurhaar are on the pine for the Roos.

North Melbourne v Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST

NO LATE CHANGES

FINAL INTERCHANGES
North Melbourne: Jy Simpkin, Ryan Clarke, Trent Dumont, Cam Zurhaar
Hawthorn: Ryan Burton, Ricky Henderson, Conor Glass, James Cousins

Brisbane v Gold Coast at the Gabba, 4.40pm AEST

NO LATE CHANGES

FINAL INTERCHANGES
Brisbane: Ryan Bastinac, Jacob Allison, Zac Bailey, Ryan Lester
Gold Coast: Jesse Lonergan, Brayden Fiorini, Ben Ainsworth, Michael Rischitelli