FORMER Giant Tom Scully is one step closer to making a remarkably early debut for Hawthorn, selected on an extended bench for Sunday's clash with the Western Bulldogs.
The No.1 pick in the 2009 draft joined the Hawks in last year's NAB AFL Trade Period for the bargain-basement price of a future fourth-round selection.
Scully, 27, fractured the fibula in his right ankle and also suffered a syndesmosis injury against Collingwood in round two last year, which proved his last match for Greater Western Sydney.
His difficulty in recovering from the setback last year, the doubts about his future and the Giants' salary cap woes led to him being a trade steal.
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Another ex-Demon, Jesse Hogan, has been cleared to make his Fremantle debut as the Dockers aim for back-to-back victories when they take on Gold Coast on Sunday.
There is also major news at GWS, where 2016 All Australian Toby Greene is out for the club's Optus Stadium stoush with West Coast, on top of midfield star Josh Kelly (hip/knee) missing again.
Harry Perryman (punctured lung) is also unavailable, but the Giants regain Nick Haynes from his back issue and promoted fellow defender Matt Buntine.
The Eagles will have more firepower, with dual Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy back and former Magpie Josh Smith to make his club debut.
Jake Waterman and Jarrod Brander come out for them.
Ben Ronke and Colin O'Riordan are back for Sydney's cutthroat battle with Adelaide at the SCG, where both teams will gun for their first win after disappointing round one losses.
The injured Heath Grundy and omitted Jordan Dawson make way for the Swans, while the Crows added Paul Seedsman and Kyle Hartigan for Tom Doedee (knee) and Richard Douglas (ankle).
All Australian backman Nick Smith (hamstring) will miss again.
Essendon resisted the temptation for mass changes in response to last week's big defeat to GWS, only bringing in Darcy Parish – after five goals in the VFL – for Jordan Ridley.
The Bombers take on St Kilda, which regains Nathan Brown from suspension, as well as Rowan Marshall and Blake Acres.
Darragh Joyce, Lewis Pierce and Ben Long were dropped.
Cameron Polson replaces fellow small forward David Cuningham for Carlton's road trip to Adelaide Oval to face an unchanged Power line-up.
Geelong also stuck with its round one side as it tries to lock in a 2-0 season start against Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.
However, the Demons made three changes, including bringing in ex-Gold Coast co-captain Steven May for his first game in red and blue after suspension kept him out last week.
Fellow former Sun Kade Kolodjashnij is also in, along with AFL debutant Jay Lockhart, who signed with Melbourne only 15 days ago.
DEE DEBUT Former VFL star to make AFL debut, 15 days after signing
The Demons dumped Charlie Spargo, Corey Wagner and Marty Hore.
North Melbourne could make up to five changes for Sunday's clash with West Coast's conqueror Brisbane.
Ed Vickers-Willis (knee) is the Kangaroos' sole out as this stage.
Paul Ahern, Scott Thompson, Tarryn Thomas – a potential AFL debutant – former Dog Tom Campbell and Cameron Zurhaar the potential inclusions.
The Lions could stick with a winning combination, although Nick Robertson, Archie Smith and potential debutants Connor Ballenden and Noah Answerth are in the mix for selection.
On top of Scully, Hawthorn could also turn to untried forward Dylan Moore, Mitch Lewis and Kaiden Brand against the Bulldogs.
Lewis Young, Jackson Trengove, Patrick Lipinski and Fergus Greene are the contenders to break into the Dogs' senior side.
Brandon Matera, Stefan Giro, Taylin Duman and Mitch Crowden join Hogan in jockeying for a position in Fremantle's team.
Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) is the only definite out for the Dockers.
Their opponent, Gold Coast, has lost Ben Ainsworth (knee) and will look to Will Brodie, Jacob Heron, Nick Holman, Jesse Joyce and Ben King as potential replacements.
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Thursday, March 28
Richmond v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.20pm AEDT
RICHMOND
In: O.Markov, J.Castagna, B.Ellis
Out: A.Rance (knee), B.Houli (hamstring), N.Balta
COLLINGWOOD
In: L.Greenwood
Out: C.Brown
Friday, March 29
Sydney v Adelaide at the SCG, 7.50pm AEDT
SYDNEY
In: B.Ronke, C.O'Riordan
Out: H.Grundy (injured), J.Dawson
ADELAIDE
In: P.Seedsman, K.Hartigan
Out: T.Doedee (knee), R.Douglas (ankle)
Saturday, March 30
Essendon v St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEDT
ESSENDON
In: D.Parish
Out: J.Ridley
ST KILDA
In: N.Brown, R.Marshall, B.Acres
Out: D.Joyce, L.Pierce, B.Long
Port Adelaide v Carlton at Adelaide Oval, 4.40pm ACDT
PORT ADELAIDE
No changes
CARLTON
In: C.Polson
Out: D.Cuningham (injured)
Geelong v Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, 7.25pm AEDT
GEELONG
No changes
MELBOURNE
In: J.Lockhart, S.May, K.Kolodjashnij
Out: C.Spargo, C.Wagner, M.Hore
New: Jay Lockhart (Casey VFL)
West Coast v Greater Western Sydney at Optus Stadium, 5.10pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: J.Kennedy, J.Smith
Out: J.Waterman, J.Brander
New: Josh Smith (Collingwood)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: M.Buntine, N.Haynes
Out: H.Perryman (punctured lung), T.Greene (injured)
Sunday, March 31
North Melbourne v Brisbane at Marvel Stadium, 1.10pm AEDT
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: P.Ahern, S.Thompson, T.Thomas, T.Campbell, C.Zurhaar
Out: E.Vickers-Willis (knee)
New: Tarryn Thomas (North Launceston)
BRISBANE
In: N.Robertson, C.Ballenden, N.Answerth, A.Smith
Out: None
New: Connor Ballenden (Brisbane Academy), Noah Answerth (Oakleigh Chargers)
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs at the MCG, 3.20pm AEDT
HAWTHORN
In: D.Moore, M.Lewis, T.Scully, K.Brand
Out: None
New: Dylan Moore (Eastern U18), Tom Scully (Greater Western Sydney)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: L.Young, J.Trengove, P.Lipinski, F.Greene
Out: None
Gold Coast v Fremantle at Metricon Stadium, 3.40pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: W.Brodie, J.Heron, N.Holman, J.Joyce, B.King
Out: B.Ainsworth (knee)
New: Ben King (Sandringham Dragons)
FREMANTLE
In: J.Hogan, B.Matera, S.Giro, T.Duman, M.Crowden
Out: H.Ballantyne (hamstring)
New: Jesse Hogan (Melbourne)
