FORGOTTEN Collingwood midfielder Daniel Wells will play his first game in almost a year on Friday night, but Jordan De Goey won't be alongside him.

The Magpies named Wells to face Sydney after the former Roo played five VFL games, with Category B rookie defender Jack Madgen the other call-up after being promoted to the primary list.

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De Goey (shin soreness) seemed set to return, but will spend another week on the sidelines, while Tom Langdon (knee) and Travis Varcoe (suspension) go out of the side.

The Swans confirmed earlier on Thursday that superstar forward Lance Franklin (hamstring) is finally back.

Franklin and Josh Kennedy make for two star inclusions for Sydney, with Zak Jones (hamstring) and James Rowbottom (omitted) making way.

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In other selection news, Adelaide dropped Bryce Gibbs again, Patrick Dangerfield (ankle) won't play for Geelong after all the talk of his injury reaction, and Kane Lambert (Achilles) will miss for Richmond.

The Western Bulldogs also swung the axe ahead of Saturday's clash with North Melbourne, dumping Fletcher Roberts, Billy Gowers, Will Hayes and Lachie Young to the VFL.

Bailey Dale, Tim English, Patrick Lipinski and Bailey Williams come into the team, while the Kangaroos dropped Taylor Garner and brought back prized youngster Luke Davies-Uniacke.

Gibbs will play in the SANFL while his Crows teammates, including his replacement Wayne Milera, host West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

The Eagles regain premiership-winning defender Will Schofield, Jake Waterman and Jackson Nelson, but lost Lewis Jetta (suspension) and injured pair Tom Hickey and Daniel Venables.

Richmond is set to turn to an untried teenager to lead its ruck division against Essendon on Saturday night in the absence of Toby Nankervis (adductor) and Ivan Soldo (suspension).

Callum Coleman-Jones will now have that responsibility, with Soldo out this week, along with midfielder Lambert.

Dan Rioli returns for the Dreamtime game after a one-game VFL stint.

The Bombers promoted Jayden Laverde and Shaun McKernan at the expense of Joe Daniher (osteitis pubis) and Mark Baguley (omitted).

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Hawthorn, as expected, named Chad Wingard and James Frawley to return from respective hamstring injuries to take on Port Adelaide at Launceston.

It will be Wingard's first match against his old side since last year's high-profile trade, but Ryan Burton (hamstring) – the other key piece in the swap – lost his race against time.

The Power has some big additions of its own, with Tom Jonas and Robbie Gray the headliners, although ruckman Scott Lycett (adductor) is a key out.

Rhys Stanley is the biggest of Geelong's three ins for the trip north to take on Gold Coast on Saturday night.

Swingman Chris Burgess is the only Suns inclusion for his fifth AFL game, replacing key defender Sam Collins, who is set to miss six weeks with a hip injury.

Vice-captain Touk Miller (heel) will miss a second game in a row.

Brisbane will make at least two changes for Sunday's trip west to face Fremantle. 

Rhys Mathieson (suspension) and Jarrod Berry (knee) go out of the Lions side, with Luke Hodge, Allen Christensen, Nick Robertson and Lewis Taylor among the possible additions.

Matt Taberner (foot) is the sole Dockers out so far, with Griffin Logue and Cam McCarthy two potential inclusions.

Greater Western Sydney gun Stephen Coniglio looks set to return from his finger injury against Melbourne on Sunday as the Giants look to end their MCG hoodoo.

Zac Williams (hamstring) is the only GWS out at this stage, while Alex Neal-Bullen (concussion) won't be available for the Demons.

Jordan Lewis and Sam Weideman could come in for Melbourne.

Top-10 draft picks Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark may be back for St Kilda's match on Sunday against Carlton at Marvel Stadium.

Kade Simpson and Lachie Plowman are in line to return for the Blues, who lost Marc Murphy (ribs) and dropped Lochie O'Brien.

Friday, May 24

Sydney v Collingwood at the SCG, 7.50pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: L.Franklin, J.Kennedy
Out: Z.Jones (hamstring), J.Rowbottom 

COLLINGWOOD

In: J.Madgen, D.Wells
Out: T.Langdon (knee), T.Varcoe (suspension)

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Saturday, May 25

Hawthorn v Port Adelaide at UTAS Stadium, 1.45pm AEST

HAWTHORN

In: J.Frawley, C.Wingard
Out: D.Moore, B.McEvoy (ankle)

PORT ADELAIDE

In: T.Jonas, R.Gray, P.Ladhams
Out: J.Garner, S.Lycett (adductor), J.Atley
New: Peter Ladhams (Norwood SANFL)

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 2.10pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: B.Dale, T.English, P.Lipinski, B.Williams
Out: F.Roberts, B.Gowers, W.Hayes, La.Young

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: L.Davies-Uniacke
Out: T.Garner

Adelaide v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACST

ADELAIDE

In: W.Milera
Out: B.Gibbs

WEST COAST

In: W.Schofield, J.Waterman, J.Nelson
Out: L.Jetta (suspension), T.Hickey (ankle), D.Venables (concussion)

Gold Coast v Geelong at Metricon Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: C.Burgess
Out: S.Collins (hip)

GEELONG

In: T.Atkins, R.Stanley, J.Parsons
Out: P.Dangerfield (ankle), R.Abbott, C.Constable

Richmond v Essendon at the MCG, 7.25pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: C.Coleman-Jones, D.Rioli
Out: I.Soldo (suspension), K.Lambert (Achilles)
New: Callum Coleman-Jones (Sturt SANFL)

ESSENDON

In: J.Laverde, S.McKernan
Out: J.Daniher (groin), M.Baguley 

Sunday, May 26

Melbourne v Greater Western Sydney at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST

MELBOURNE

In: J.Lewis, C.Spargo, B.Preuss, S.Weideman, C.Wagner
Out: A.Neal-Bullen (concussion)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: S.Coniglio, J.Hately, I.Cumming, D.Simpson, L.Keeffe
Out: Z.Williams (hamstring)

St Kilda v Carlton at Marvel Stadium, 3.20pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: N.Coffield, H.Clark, B.Longer, B.Long, B.White
Out: B.Paton (managed)

CARLTON

In: K.Simpson, P.Kerr, A.Fasolo, L.Plowman, M.Kennedy, D.Cuningham
Out: M.Murphy (ribs), L.O'Brien

Fremantle v Brisbane at Optus Stadium, 3.20pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: G.Logue, C.McCarthy, M.Crowden, B.Banfield, B.Bewley
Out: M.Taberner (foot)
New: Brett Bewley (Williamstown VFL)

BRISBANE

In: L.Hodge, A.Christensen, N.Robertson, L.Taylor, C.Ballenden, A.Smith
Out: R.Mathieson (suspended), Jarrod Berry (knee)
New: Connor Ballenden (University of Queensland)