MELBOURNE has axed ruckman Brodie Grundy for Friday night's monster clash with Brisbane, while Port Adelaide has made a whopping seven changes ahead of its date with Carlton on Saturday.
In other round 18 team news, Tom Mitchell is out of the starting 22 for Collingwood but will be the Pies' sub, while West Coast welcomes back a couple of veterans and Jeremy Cameron returns from concussion for Geelong as Esava Ratugolea and Zach Tuohy are managed.
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But the big news comes from the Demons, who have done away with their two-ruck system, dropping off-season recruit Grundy for the first time in 2023 and naming Jacob van Rooyen to face the Lions at the MCG.
Brisbane has recalled Jarrod Berry (hamstring) and Lincoln McCarthy (suspension), with youngster Deven Robertson missing out.
Captain Tom Jonas will play his first game for Port since round 10, in for the injured Trent McKenzie, but Ken Hinkley will also be without Charlie Dixon (soreness) and Jason Horne-Francis (back) among seven changes to face the Blues.
Ruckman Scott Lycett is back, while wingman Xavier Duursma also returns following two games in the SANFL after overcoming a knee injury.
Tom De Koning is back for the Blues after missing a month with a knee injury.
Collingwood has three big inclusions to face Fremantle on Saturday, with Dan McStay, Steele Sidebottom and Brayden Maynard all back from injury, while Mitchell was listed as 'rested' when teams were announced on Thursday night, however the club later said the prolific midfielder would start as the sub.
The Dockers have made four changes for the must-win match, with Joel Hamling playing his first game since round two, 2022.
Gold Coast interim coach Steven King will be without running defender Lachie Weller (knee soreness) for his first match in charge against St Kilda, while Elijah Hollands has been named for the first time since round four.
Josh Battle comes back from concussion and Brad Hill from a knee injury for the Saints.
In Saturday night's mouth-watering contest at GMHBA Stadium, Geelong has the services of star forward Cameron again after two weeks on the sidelines, while Essendon will be without injured Dylan Shiel.
Adelaide has regained full-back Jordon Butts (concussion) to face Greater Western Sydney, also naming Shane McAdam, while speedy forward Brent Daniels is back for the Giants from a hamstring injury.
West Coast has strengthened its team to host Richmond on Sunday, selecting Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn after both veterans were rested for the long trip to Brisbane last week.
Sam Petrevski-Seton has also been named on an extended bench.
The Tigers have recalled Ivan Soldo to replace suspended skipper Toby Nankervis, while young ruck Samson Ryan is in the 26-man squad.
In Sunday's other match at Marvel Stadium, James Sicily is straight back in after his three-match ban to lead Hawthorn against North Melbourne, with the Hawks also adding Luke Breust (throat) to the extended squad.
The Kangaroos have made at least three changes as they seek to snap a 14-game losing streak, but regain first-year sensation George Wardlaw after he missed last week through illness.
FRIDAY, JULY 14
Melbourne v Brisbane at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: J.van Rooyen
Out: B.Grundy (omitted), J.Smith (sub)
R17 sub: Joel Smith
BRISBANE
In: L.McCarthy, J.Berry
Out: J.Madden (shoulder), D.Robertson (omitted), K.Lohmann (sub)
R17 sub: Kai Lohmann
SATURDAY, JULY 15
Collingwood v Fremantle at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: B.Maynard, S.Sidebottom, D.McStay
Out: W.Hoskin-Elliott (hand), D.Cameron (back), T.Mitchell (managed), T.Bianco (sub)
R17 sub: Trent Bianco
FREMANTLE
In: J.Hamling, C.Wagner, S.Sturt, B.Banfield
Out: C.Serong (suspension), B.Cox (ankle), H.Young (ankle), M.Frederick (soreness), K.Worner (calf)
R17 sub: Karl Worner
Gold Coast v St Kilda at Heritage Bank Stadium, 2.10pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: E.Hollands, B.Long
Out: L.Weller (knee soreness), B.Fiorini (omitted), J.Farrar (omitted)
R17 sub: Jy Farrar
ST KILDA
In: J.Battle, B.Hill, J.Peris
Out: Z.Cordy (concussion), S.Ross (hamstring), M.King (shoulder), J.Billings (hand)
New: Jack Peris
R17 sub: Ryan Byrnes
Carlton v Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
CARLTON
In: T.De Koning
Out: Le.Young (omitted), M.Kennedy (knee)
R17 sub: George Hewett
PORT ADELAIDE
In: T.Jonas, X.Duursma, O.Lord, S.Lycett, J.Mead, J.Burgoyne
Out: R.Burton (omitted), S.Hayes (omitted), Q.Narkle (omitted), T.McKenzie (ankle), C.Dixon (soreness), J.Horne-Francis (back soreness), J.Rioli (personal reason)
R17 sub: Quinton Narkle
Geelong v Essendon at GMHBA Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
GEELONG
In: J.Kolodjashnij, I.Smith, J.Cameron
Out: O.Mullin (omitted), E.Ratugolea (managed), Z.Tuohy (managed), O.Dempsey (sub)
R17 sub: Oliver Dempsey
ESSENDON
In: N.Bryan
Out: A.Phillips (suspension), D.Shiel (injured)
R17 sub: Dylan Shiel
Adelaide v Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: J.Butts, S.McAdam
Out: J.Soligo (omitted), N.McHenry (omitted), H.Schoenberg (sub)
R17 sub: Harry Schoenberg
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: B.Daniels, J.Wehr, R.Angwin
Out: X.O'Halloran (thumb), L.Keeffe (hamstring), N.Haynes (suspension), T.Green (hamstring)
R17 sub: Nick Haynes
SUNDAY, JULY 16
North Melbourne v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: G.Wardlaw, C.Taylor, D.Howe, J.Archer, L.Shiels, J.Goater
Out: G.Logue (knee), J.Simpkin (concussion), F.Perez (knee)
R17 sub: Jack Ziebell
HAWTHORN
In: J.Sicily, M.Ramsden, L.Meek, L.Breust
Out: J.Blanck (concussion)
R17 sub: Harry Morrison
West Coast v Richmond at Optus Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: S.Hurn, L.Shuey, S.Petrevski-Seton, L.Edwards
Out: X.O'Neill (omitted)
R17 sub: Tom Cole
RICHMOND
In: I.Soldo, S.Ryan, H.Ralphsmith, J.Clarke, R.Mansell
Out: J.Bauer (hamstring), T.Nankervis (suspension)
R17 sub: Jack Ross
