- Cats drop big forward, Bartel managed for Freo trip
- Roos bring back three big guns
- Tom Boyd's exile ends for the Dogs
GEELONG has dropped key forward Mitch Clark for Friday night's clash against Fremantle after he made a forgettable return to senior football in the round 16 loss to the Swans.
Clark, who spent 12 months on the sidelines as he fought a recurring calf injury as well as a public mental health battle, was called on against the Swans last week but went goalless in a quiet night.
He has also made headlines this week after an on-field sledge about teammate Mitch Duncan's sister that he later admitted to his club had overstepped the mark.
The Cats have chosen to re-shape their forward line and recalled Shane Kersten and Rhys Stanley to face the Dockers, as well as Josh Cowan who will play his first game this year.
Veteran Jimmy Bartel has been managed and Darcy Lang omitted.
Fremantle has made two changes, with Tendai Mzungu named for his first game since round eight, joining midfielder Michael Barlow in the 22.
Midfielder Ed Langdon has suffered a hamstring injury and will miss, with first-year on-baller Darcy Tucker omitted.
North Melbourne has strengthened its line-up for Saturday's crunch game against Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, with Jarrad Waite, Daniel Wells and Nick Dal Santo all returning.
Farren Ray (hamstring) and young forward Mason Wood (knee) have been forced out through injury, with third-year midfielder Trent Dumont dropped.
Port Adelaide has made three changes, with midfielder Brad Ebert forced out with a bruised lung suffered against Hawthorn, bringing to an end the League's longest active games streak (108), passing the baton to North's Sam Gibson (100).
Nathan Krakouer is unavailable because of family reasons while Cam O'Shea has been omitted.
Midfielder Brendon Ah Chee has been recalled after two months in the SANFL, with Sam Gray and Paul Stewart also earning chances after impressive form in the state league.
Richmond has made just one change after its impressive youth-driven performance against the Western Bulldogs in round 16, with Reece Conca omitted to make way for Shaun Grigg, who returns from a knee injury.
Essendon has rested midfielder Adam Cooney and omitted ruckman Sam Michael to make way for big man Matthew Leuenberger.
Key midfielder David Zaharakis returns after serving a one-match suspension.
As well as tall forward Tom Boyd, whose club suspension is over, the Western Bulldogs have recalled young midfielder Josh Dunkley for Saturday's clash against Gold Coast at Cazaly's Stadium.
Midfielder Tom Liberatore (lung) and Lukas Webb (omitted) make way.
Decimated by injury, the Suns have called on Jarrad Grant (six games in 2016), Mitch Hallahan (one) and Jesse Lonergan (12) to cover injuries to midfielder trio Gary Ablett (shoulder), Dion Prestia (knee) and Michael Rischitelli (knee).
Premiership contenders Adelaide have named an unchanged team for Saturday night's clash against Collingwood, highlighting their strength going into the last seven weeks of the season.
The Magpies have recalled midfielder Levi Greenwood, with forward Alex Fasolo (shoulder) making way.
West Coast could also go in unchanged for Sunday's clash against Carlton at the MCG, with no omissions at this point.
Eric Mackenzie, Jackson Nelson and Jack Redden have all been named on an extended interchange bench.
The Blues have made at least four changes, losing Andrew Walker (knee) and Dale Thomas (calf) to injury, and Levi Casboult to suspension. The club's equal-leading goalkicker, Andrejs Everitt, has been dropped.
Coming into the extended squad are Jason Tutt, Liam Jones, Dylan Buckley, Mark Whiley, Kristian Jaksch, Nick Graham and Charlie Curnow.
Young St Kilda star Jack Billings is set to return to the senior team after being named on a wing to face Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The Saints have made just one change at this point, with defender Shane Savage unavailable because of concussion.
Cameron Shenton, Eli Templeton and Jack Sinclair have all been named on the seven-man bench.
The Demons have brought Tom Bugg, Josh Wagner and Angus Brayshaw into their 25-man squad.
The Brisbane Lions have made just one change at this point for Sunday's clash against Greater Western Sydney, with defender Daniel Merrett unavailable because of illness.
Tom Cutler, Ben Keays, Josh Walker and Liam Dawson have been brought into the 25-man squad, naming all on the bench.
The Giants will unveil Academy forward Harrison Himmelberg, with the key forward replacing Rhys Palmer (omitted).
Defender Caleb Marchbank and rookies Daniel Lloyd and Sam Reid have been named in an extended squad that will be trimmed on Friday afternoon.
Thursday, July 14
Sydney Swans v Hawthorn at the SCG, 7.20pm AEST
SYDNEY SWANS
In: B.McGlynn
Out: J.Rose
HAWTHORN
In: B.Whitecross, A.Litherland, J.O'Rourke
Out: L.Shiels (hamstring), B.Hartung, D.Howe (calf)
Friday, July 15
Fremantle v Geelong at Domain Stadium, 6.10pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: M.Barlow, T.Mzungu
Out: E.Langdon (hamstring), D.Tucker
GEELONG
In: R.Stanley, J.Cowan, S.Kersten
Out: J.Bartel (managed) , M.Clark, D.Lang
Saturday, July 16
Richmond v Essendon at the MCG, 1.40pm AAST
RICHMOND
In: S.Grigg
Out: R.Conca
ESSENDON
In: M.Leuenberger, D.Zaharakis
Out: A.Cooney (rested), S.Michael
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: N.Dal Santo, J.Waite, D.Wells
Out: F.Ray (hamstring), M.Wood (knee), T.Dumont
PORT ADELAIDE
In: B.Ah Chee, S.Gray, P.Stewart
Out: N.Krakouer (family reasons), B.Ebert (lungs), C.O'Shea
Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast, Cazaly's Stadium (Cairns), 7.25pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: T.Boyd, J.Dunkley
Out: L.Webb, T.Liberatore (lungs)
GOLD COAST
In: J.Grant, M.Hallahan, J.Lonergan
Out: G.Ablett (shoulder), D.Prestia (knee), M.Rischitelli (knee)
Adelaide v Collingwood at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST
ADELAIDE
No change
COLLINGWOOD
In: L.Greenwood
Out: A.Fasolo (shoulder)
Sunday, July 17
Carlton v West Coast at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
CARLTON
In: J.Tutt, L.Jones, D.Buckley , M.Whiley, K.Jaksch, N.Graham, C.Curnow
Out: A.Walker (knee), D.Thomas (calf), L.Casboult (suspended), A.Everitt
WEST COAST
In: E.Mackenzie, J.Redden, J.Nelson
Out: -
St Kilda v Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: C.Shenton, E.Templeton, J.Billings, J.Sinclair
Out: S.Savage (concussion)
MELBOURNE
In: T.Bugg, J.Wagner, A.Brayshaw
Out: -
Brisbane Lions v Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba, 4.40 AEST
BRISBANE LIONS
In: T.Cutler, B.Keays, J.Walker, L.Dawson
Out: D.Merrett (illness)
GREATER WETSERN SYDNEY
In: H.Himmelberg, C.Marchbank, D.Lloyd, S.Reid
Out: R.Palmer
New: Harrison Himmelberg (Eastlake), Daniel Lloyd (Killarney Vale)
