A YOUNG Richmond side hosts a red-hot Gold Coast at the MCG on Saturday afternoon in the first of three Saturday games.

The Tigers (0-1) were gallant in defeat as they again rose to the occasion of their traditional season-opener against Carlton, but will be left wondering what might have been after misfiring near goal.

TIGERS v SUNS Follow it LIVE

Richmond can expect a stern challenge against the Suns but will need no reminder that an upset is never far away after handing the same side its first defeat of the season in a shock result last year.

Gold Coast (2-0) could hardly have been more impressive in its two wins to start this season as it added a comfortable win over West Coast last week to the thumping of Geelong in Opening Round.

Richmond v Gold Coast at the MCG, 1.15pm AEDT

LATE CHANGE
Richmond: Kane McAuliffe (illness), replaced in the selected side by Tyler Sonsie

The Suns will not want to take their foot off the accelerator as they face a Tigers outfit widely expected to finish in the bottom four this year, but more than capable of causing a huge upset on their day. 

Richmond has recalled two flag champs in Dion Prestia and Nick Vlastuin but has dropped Josh Gibcus, while Mykelti Lefau will play his first game since suffering a knee injury in round 16 last year and a club-imposed suspension for drink driving which ruled him out of round one.

Charlie Ballard joins Bailey Humphrey among the Suns' ins, with Jy Farrar and Oscar Adams making way. 

Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda will both be out to stop their slide before it gathers pace when they meet at Engie Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

The Giants (1-1) came crashing back to earth after their rousing Opening Round win over Hawthorn when they suffered yet another humiliating defeat to the Western Bulldogs.

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The Giants' old rivals have become a thorn in their side, suffering five consecutive losses to the Dogs, but they now need to show they can shake off an injury crisis for more than one game as they face a Saints outfit with their backs to the wall.   

St Kilda (0-2) is yet to live up to the hype after an off-season spending spree as it has fallen short against a pair of teams widely expected to be off the pace of the top-four contenders.

The Saints are still searching for their preferred mode after a slow and steady approach failed against the Pies and they lost a shootout against the Demons, but they can expect to get their chances against the run-and-gun Giants.

St Kilda has named sore pair Liam Ryan and Mattaes Phillipou to face an unchanged Giants side. The Saints have added Rowan Marshall and Liam Stocker. 

Jack Macrae (knee) and Isaac Keeler (omitted) are out. 

In the final game on Saturday, Fremantle hosts Melbourne at Optus Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Dockers (0-1) burst out of the blocks with eight goals in the first quarter before losing much of its run and dare as Geelong gradually mowed them down.

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Freo reached 100 points against the Cats after only hitting the mark six times last season, but it might be more concerned by the fact it conceded its highest score since the same round and against the same side last year.

Melbourne (1-0) began the Steven King era in the best possible way as it won a shootout with St Kilda to get a hint of redemption for the horror loss to the same side late last year.

The new-look Demons showed all the hallmarks of a team in transition, but it was their urgency to move the ball at speed that should give hope for a more rapid bounce than had been widely expected this year. 

Fremantle has stuck with Sean Darcy ahead of Mason Cox to battle superstar Demon Max Gawn.

Darcy was relatively quiet in the loss to Geelong but he will again pair up with Luke Jackson to face an unchanged Melbourne on Saturday night.

Pre-season rookie signing Chris Scerri will come in and make his AFL debut for Hayden Young (hamstring).