DAN HANNEBERY will play his first game in almost a year, Jordan De Goey is back for Collingwood and Carlton has dropped a bombshell by omitting Jack Silvagni for its clash against Adelaide on Saturday night.
In a huge Thursday night of team selection news Tom Stewart comes back into Geelong's 22 after his four-game suspension, while Xavier Duursma returns for Port Adelaide, and Brody Mihocek will miss for the Magpies through injury.
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Greater Western Sydney will welcome back some big names, but coach Mark McVeigh has swung the axe, dropping six players for the Sydney Derby against a Swans outfit that still can't find room for veteran Josh Kennedy.
Hannebery has not played since round 23 last season, but has been recalled for St Kilda's must-win match against Hawthorn on the same day that news broke of injuries to Jade Gresham (knee) and Jack Billings (back).
The Hawks have brought some excitement back into their team as they search for four straight wins, recalling Changkuoth Jiath (knee) and Jacob Koschitzke.
It's bittersweet news for the white-hot Magpies, welcoming De Goey back from a quad problem but losing Mihocek, and facing a Port outfit that brings Duursma back for just his eighth game of the season.
Port has also recalled Trent McKenzie and dropped Tom Clurey.
Carlton coach Michael Voss has made a huge decision ahead of playing the Crows, dropping the versatile Silvagni, who has missed just one game this year.
No.1 ruckman Marc Pittonet returns, as does Matt Owies to face an Adelaide team that loses Tom Doedee through injury.
Friday night's monster clash in the west between Fremantle and Melbourne sees some crucial pieces return for both teams.
Rory Lobb (chest) is back for the Dockers after missing a week, while Jake Lever returns for the Demons to stiffen their defence.
Not surprisingly Stewart walks straight back into the competition-leading Cats outfit to face the Western Bulldogs, while Jon Ceglar will play his first game in the hoops.
The Dogs have dropped full-back Alex Keath as they confront the twin-headed monster of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins, but do regain ball moving architect Caleb Daniel.
Jesse Hogan, Josh Kelly and Lachie Whitfield all return to add some star power for GWS, which also regains Tom Green and Harry Perryman, along with giving a debut to Leek Aleer.
The in-form Swans have resisted the temptation of bringing Kennedy back into their senior team after two strong games in the VFL, going in unchanged.
In Sunday's games, Brisbane gets half-back Keidean Coleman back for its stern test against Richmond at the MCG after he missed a week with a hamstring strain, while the Tigers welcome Tom Lynch back.
Nic Naitanui is back for West Coast's trip to face Gold Coast, while the Suns have given a debut to No.5 pick from last year's NAB AFL Draft Mac Andrew.
In the final game of the round Essendon has lost Andy McGrath to the League's health and safety protocols to face North Melbourne and have named Archie Perkins and Massimo D'Ambrosio to its extended 26-man squad.
The Kangaroos regain key position men Nick Larkey and Josh Walker among at least four changes to their outfit.
Friday, July 29
Fremantle v Melbourne at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: R.Lobb
Out: N.Fyfe (hamstring), B.Banfield (omitted)
Last week's sub: T.Colyer (replaced N.Fyfe)
MELBOURNE
In: J.Lever, J.Hunt
Out: A.Tomlinson (omitted), J.Harmes (concussion), T.Bedford (managed)
Last week's sub: T.Bedford (unused)
Saturday, July 30
Collingwood v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: J.De Goey
Out: B.Mihocek (hip), J.Carmichael (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: J.Carmichael (replaced B.Maynard)
PORT ADELAIDE
In: T.McKenzie, X.Duursma, L.Jones
Out: T.Clurey (omitted), W.Drew (omitted), D.Houston (concussion), R.Bonner (HS Protocol)
Last week's sub: R.Bonner (replaced D.Houston)
Sydney v Greater Western Sydney at the SCG, 2.10pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: Nil
Out: S.Wicks (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: S.Wicks (unused)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: H.Perryman, J.Kelly, L.Whitfield, J.Hogan, T.Green, L.Aleer
Out: X.O'Halloran (omitted), K.Briggs (omitted), J.Riccardi (omitted), Z.Sproule (omitted), T.Bruhn (omitted), L.Keeffe (omitted), J.Stein (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: J.Stein (unused)
St Kilda v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: T.Campbell, D.Hannebery
Out: R.Byrnes (omitted), J.Billings (back), J.Gresham (knee)
Last week's sub:
HAWTHORN
In: J.Koschitzke, C.Jiath, S.Butler
Out: D.Grainger-Barras (omitted), N.Reeves (foot), J.Impey (managed), T.Phillips (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: T.Phillips (unused)
Geelong v Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
GEELONG
In: T.Stewart, J.Ceglar
Out: Z.Tuohy (HS Protocol), R.Stanley (knee), S.Neale (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: S.Neale (replaced R.Stanley)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: Z.Cordy, C.Daniel
Out: A.Keath (omitted), L.McNeil (omitted), A.Treloar (calf)
Last week's sub: R.McComb (replaced A.Treloar)
Adelaide v Carlton at Adelaide Oval, 7.00pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: J.Worrell
Out: T.Doedee (soreness), B.Cook (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: B.Cook (replaced S.McAdam)
CARLTON
In: M.Owies, M.Pittonet
Out: J.Silvagni (omitted), J.Honey (managed), J.Newnes (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: J.Newnes (unused)
Sunday, July 31
Gold Coast v West Coast at Metricon Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: M.Andrew, J.Bowes, H.Oea, M.Rosas
Out: C.Ballard (knee)
Last week's sub: O.Markov (replaced C.Ballard)
WEST COAST
In: W.Rioli, N.Naitanui, Z.Langdon, S.Petrevski-Seton, J.Petruccelle, G.Clark, H.Dixon
Out: A.Witherden (hamstring), R.Bazzo (ankle), J.Rotham (ankle), J.Kennedy (managed)
Last week's sub: C.West (unused)
Richmond v Brisbane at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: T.Lynch, R.Mansell, J.Ross, T.Dow
Out: H.Ralphsmith (omitted)
Last week's sub: M.Rioli jnr (replaced B.Miller)
BRISBANE
In: K.Coleman, D.Robertson, N.Cockatoo, J.Prior
Out: D.Rich (concussion)
Last week's sub: D.Fort (replaced D.Rich)
Essendon v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: J.Menzie, A.Perkins, N.Bryan, M.D'Ambrosio, J.Stewart
Out: A.McGrath (HS Protocol), B.Ham (Medi-Sub)
Last week's sub: B.Ham (replaced M.Redman)
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: K.Dawson, J.Archer, N.Larkey, K.Turner, J.Walker, J.Mahony, J.Goater
Out: F.Perez (suspension), A.Corr (HS Protocol), A.Hall (HS Protocol), P.Curtis (HS Protocol)
Last week's sub: C.Lazzaro (unused)
