SAM Walsh will play his first game of the season after overcoming a back injury to be named in Carlton's team to face Adelaide on Saturday.

However, Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy has not quite got over his knee problem and will sit at least another week for the Dockers, while Caleb Daniel has been left out of the Dogs' team to face Essendon on Friday night.

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In other round five team news, Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield has not been named as he battles a hamstring niggle, while the Cats are set to unveil debutant Connor O'Sullivan against North Melbourne.

The Roos will be without Cam Zurhaar (calf tightness), while Jaidyn Stephenson has been dropped.

But Walsh's inclusion is the big news for the unbeaten Blues as they prepare to take on a winless Adelaide team that has recalled talls Will Hamill and Lachie Gollant.

Daniel's omission follows Luke Beveridge's early season decision to play without Jack Macrae. James O'Donnell has been added for the Dogs to face an Essendon team that has brought in Sam Durham and Alwyn Davey jnr.

St Kilda will unleash another debutant, naming clever midfielder Hugo Garcia, who was taken at No.50 in last year's AFL Draft, for its clash against unchanged Greater Western Sydney.

While Fremantle has made just one change to the team narrowly beaten by Carlton a week ago, opponent Port Adelaide has recalled a couple of big guns, with Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines back from a hamstring problem and Sam Powell-Pepper named after serving a four-game suspension.

Hawthorn and Gold Coast are unchanged for their clash at People First Stadium on Saturday night.

In the final game of the round, West Coast has named veteran Andrew Gaff in its extended squad, while Richmond will regain Liam Baker from suspension.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: J.O'Donnell
Out: C.Daniel (omitted)

Last week's sub: Jack Macrae

ESSENDON

In: S.Durham, A.Davey Jnr
Out: W.Setterfield (knee), A.Perkins (hamstring)

Last week's sub: Nick Hind

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Greater Western Sydney v St Kilda at Manuka Oval, 1.45pm AEST

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: None
Out: None

Last week's sub: James Peatling

ST KILDA

In: M.Windhager, H.Garcia
Out: A.Hastie (omitted), Z.Jones (omitted)

Last week's sub: Angus Hastie

Carlton v Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

CARLTON

In: S.Walsh
Out: L.Fogarty (suspension)

Last week's sub: Matt Owies

ADELAIDE

In: W.Hamill, L.Gollant
Out: P.Parnell (shoulder), C.Burgess (omitted)

Last week's sub: Sam Berry 

Gold Coast v Hawthorn at People First Stadium, 7.30pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: None
Out: None

Last week's sub: David Swallow

HAWTHORN

In: None
Out: None

Last week's sub: Henry Hustwaite

Port Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 7pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

In: O.Wines, S.Powell-Pepper
Out: T.Boak (back), J.Finlayson (suspension)

Last week's sub: Jase Burgoyne

FREMANTLE

In: N.Erasmus
Out: M.Frederick (hamstring)

Last week's sub: Jaeger O'Meara

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

Geelong v North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, 1pm AEST

GEELONG

In: C.O'Sullivan, S.Mannagh, S.Neale
Out: None

Last week's sub: Mark O'Connor

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: T.Sellers, R.Hansen jnr, W.Phillips, J.Archer, B.Drury
Out: C.Zurhaar (calf tightness), J.Stephenson (omitted)

Last week's sub: Liam Shiels

West Coast v Richmond at Optus Stadium, 2pm AWST

WEST COAST

In: A.Gaff, T.Brockman, A.Witherden
Out: None

Last week's sub: Loch Rawlinson

RICHMOND

In: L.Baker, S.Naismith, H.Ralphsmith, S.Banks
Out: J.Ross (foot)

Last week's sub: Kane McAuliffe