UNDER-SIEGE clubs St Kilda and Western Bulldogs both look set to make dramatic team changes for this weekend to try and kick-start their sputtering campaigns.
The Saints held a crisis meeting on Saturday morning after their abysmal Good Friday performance against North Melbourne and have reacted savagely at the selection table.
They axed Koby Stevens, Jack Steele and No.7 pick Hunter Clark for Saturday night's clash with Adelaide, while ruckman Billy Longer has relented to a groin injury.
Incoming Rowan Marshall will carry a heavy ruck burden against Crows star Sam Jacobs, with Luke Dunstan, Brandon White and No.8 draft selection Nick Coffield, who will make his debut, the other additions.
Adelaide regains link man Tom Lynch (virus/side strain) and midfielder Richard Douglas (suspension), but has lost Matt Crouch (hamstring) and dropped Darcy Fogarty (omitted).
The Bulldogs don't play until Sunday and their final team won't be revealed until Friday, but their potential ins include premiership players Tory Dickson, Tom Boyd, Shane Biggs and Fletcher Roberts.
Jack Redpath, whose return was delayed after a club error related to his pre-season suspension, and Mitch Wallis could also return.
Jackson Trengove (shoulder) and Jordan Roughead (concussion) are the only confirmed outs for the match-up with Essendon.
The Bombers haven't listed any outs yet, but could promote Orazio Fantasia, David Myers, Mark Baguley and Shaun McKernan.
Ben Reid (hip) and Mason Cox (suspension) get another chance on Friday night to prove they can be the answer to Collingwood's forward woes.
They return for Darcy Moore (hamstring) and Tim Broomhead (broken leg).
The Magpies' opponent, Carlton, welcomes back Matthew Kreuzer (groin) and Matthew Kennedy (ankle) in a big boost to its hopes.
Cam O'Shea (omitted) and Ciaran Byrne (quad) make way.
Port Adelaide has stuck with the same 22 that ran over the top of Sydney last week to maintain its unbeaten record.
There is still some doubt around Chad Wingard's playing status after he reported some hamstring soreness during the Swans game.
The Power welcomes Brisbane to Adelaide Oval on Saturday, with the Lions bringing back hard-nosed midfielder Mitch Robinson after his one-week suspension for striking Saint Seb Ross in round one.
Robinson's return comes at Daniel McStay's expense.
Melbourne looks set to make changes to its defensive structure, recalling Sam Frost and Dean Kent for dumped duo Jayden Hunt and Cameron Pedersen.
Frost's inclusion could release Jake Lever to return to the third-man-in role that he starred in at the Crows last year.
The Demons will attempt to snap their infamous 17-match losing streak to North Melbourne, which was unchanged for the second straight round.
Irishman Pearce Hanley is set to make a lightning-quick return for Gold Coast from a right shoulder dislocation that was initially expected to keep him sidelined until round five.
The 29-year-old, who replaces Jack Bowes (suspension), is back to face the Dockers, who selected Tommy Sheridan as Bradley Hill's (knee) replacement.
Greater Western Sydney young gun Jacob Hopper will make his season debut against Sydney on Saturday night, after playing a pair of NEAFL games following a groin injury in the pre-season.
Hopper joins Harry Perryman in being promoted to replace injured duo Tom Scully (broken ankle) and Zac Langdon (hand).
But 2016 All Australian forward Toby Greene (hamstring) will not play again after being a late withdrawal in round two.
Key forward Sam Reid (hamstring) will play for the first time this season for Sydney, which omitted Robbie Fox.
Premiership midfielder Dion Prestia headlines Richmond's changes, with Nick Vlastuin, debutant Jack Higgins, Sam Lloyd, Connor Menadue, Mabior Chol and Ryan Garthwaite all in the mix to play.
The Tigers lost Josh Caddy (suspension) and axed Shai Bolton and Corey Ellis as they seek to avoid consecutive defeats when they meet unbeaten Hawthorn on Sunday.
James Frawley (foot) is in line to make a quick return for the Hawks, who could also add David Mirra, Conor Glass, Marc Pittonet, Jono O'Rourke, Harry Morrison and Will Langford.
James Sicily (suspension) and injured pair Ryan Schoenmakers (Achilles) and Shaun Burgoyne are Hawthorn's forced outs.
Burgoyne's hamstring strain brings an end to his run of 107 games, which was the third-longest active streak.
There are no changes confirmed for West Coast's Optus Stadium showdown with a Geelong team on the rebound.
Tom Cole, Brayden Ainsworth, Will Schofield and Mark Hutchings are the potential inclusions for the Eagles.
The Cats named Scott Selwood, Esava Ratugolea (hip flexor) – a late out last week – Jordan Cunico and Jordan Murdoch.
Friday, April 6
Carlton v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST
CARLTON
In: M.Kreuzer, M.Kennedy
Out: C.O'Shea, C.Byrne (quad)
COLLINGWOOD
In: B.Reid, M.Cox
Out: D.Moore (hamstring), T.Broomhead (leg)
Saturday, April 7
Port Adelaide v Brisbane at Adelaide Oval, 1.15pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
No changes
BRISBANE
In: M.Robinson
Out: D.McStay
Melbourne v North Melbourne at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: S.Frost, D.Kent
Out: J.Hunt, C.Pedersen
NORTH MELBOURNE
No changes
Gold Coast v Fremantle at Optus Stadium, 2.35pm AWST
GOLD COAST
In: P.Hanley
Out: J.Bowes (suspension)
FREMANTLE
In: T.Sheridan
Out: B.Hill (knee)
Sydney v Greater Western Sydney at the SCG, 7.25pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: S.Reid
Out: R.Fox
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: J.Hopper, H.Perryman
Out: T.Scully (ankle), Z.Langdon (hand)
St Kilda v Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: N.Coffield, R.Marshall, L.Dunstan, B.White
Out: B.Longer (groin), J.Steele, K.Stevens, H.Clark
New: Nick Coffield (Northern U18)
ADELAIDE
In: T.Lynch, R.Douglas
Out: M.Crouch (hamstring), D.Fogarty
Sunday, April 8
Richmond v Hawthorn at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: N.Vlastuin, D.Prestia, S.Lloyd, J.Higgins, C.Menadue, M.Chol, R.Garthwaite
Out: J.Caddy (suspended), S.Bolton, C.Ellis
New: Jack Higgins (Oakleigh U18), Ryan Garthwaite (Murray U18)
HAWTHORN
In: J.Frawley, D.Mirra, C.Glass, M.Pittonet, J.O'Rourke, H.Morrison, W.Langford
Out: J.Sicily (suspension), R.Schoenmakers (Achilles), S.Burgoyne (hamstring)
New: David Mirra (Box Hill)
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: T.Dickson, J.Redpath, M.Wallis, T.Boyd, F.Roberts, S.Biggs
Out: J.Trengove (shoulder), J.Roughead (concussion)
ESSENDON
In: O.Fantasia, D.Myers, M.Baguley, S.McKernan
Out: -
West Coast v Geelong at Optus Stadium, 2.40m AWST
WEST COAST
In: T.Cole, B.Ainsworth, W.Schofield, M.Hutchings
Out: -
New: Brayden Ainsworth (Subiaco)
GEELONG
In: E.Ratugolea, J.Cunico, J.Murdoch, S.Selwood
Out: -
