THE WESTERN Bulldogs' depleted defence has been restocked by the returns of veterans Matthew Boyd and Dale Morris amid four changes for Saturday night's crunch clash with North Melbourne.

But superboot Matt Suckling will miss at least another week with his Achilles issue, while the Kangaroos have recalled Majak Daw to replace star forward Jarrad Waite (hip) in their only change.

The Dogs have named Nathan Hrovat for his first game this season, with Lukas Webb also coming into the side for the clash between seventh and eighth on the AFL ladder.

Midfielder Koby Stevens is a surprise omission alongside veteran Jed Adcock, while star midfielders Tom Liberatore (ankle) and Jack Macrae (hamstring) went down in last Friday night's loss to Geelong.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has resisted swinging the axe after his side's horror loss to the Giants, dropping only Kane Lambert.

Reece Conca has suffered another hamstring injury and goes out, while Ben Griffiths and Andrew Moore come in for Friday night's test against Collingwood.

The Pies have lost rising star Darcy Moore (hamstring) and cut Jordan De Goey, with beanpole Mason Cox and Jarryd Blair coming into the side which was too strong for West Coast.

Second-placed Greater Western Sydney will be without gun midfielder Dylan Shiel (groin) for the clash of the expansion clubs against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, but Lachie Whitfield and Nick Haynes return for the Giants, with Adam Kennedy making way.

The injury-ravaged Suns have copped more bad luck with Nick Malceski (knee) and Jesse Lonergan (shoulder) both forced out as Sean Lemmens and Mitch Hallahan get another opportunity.

Imposing forward Charlie Dixon is back from an ankle injury for Port Adelaide's likely last-ditch bid to stay in the finals race against the Sydney Swans at the SCG.

Jimmy Toumpas has been cut from the Power side that thumped the Brisbane Lions.

The Swans have named an unchanged line-up after belting Fremantle by 90 points in a complete performance in Perth.

League leader Hawthorn has regained star Cyril Rioli for Saturday afternoon's clash with Melbourne at the MCG, although fellow small forward Paul Puopolo will miss again after his hip complaint.

Last week's debutant Blake Hardwick has made way for Rioli.

The Demons have handed last year's No.9 draft pick Sam Weideman his debut, with Clayton Oliver and Tomas Bugg also into the side.

It will be the first time top-10 picks Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw, Oliver and Weideman have played together.

Veteran forward Chris Dawes' career is at the crossroads after he was dropped, alongside James Harmes and Matt Jones.

Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker is back from injury to take on the Brisbane Lions, with the Crows replacing injured star Sam Jacobs (ankle) with young debutant ruckman Reilly O'Brien.

Scott Thompson and Mitch McGovern have been managed, while Cam Ellis-Yolmen comes into the team for the first time this year.

The Lions face a daunting task of facing the Crows without important ruckman Stefan Martin, who is yet to recover from several niggling injuries, but young forward Josh Schache and Darcy Gardiner have returned.

Michael Close and Tom Cutler have been axed after the club's shocking effort in a 94-point home loss to Port Adelaide.

The 44th Western Derby will see a host of big names returning for both West Coast and Fremantle.

Star ruckman Nic Naitanui headlines the Eagles' inclusions after six games out following Achilles surgery.

Elliot Yeo should return from illness, while Xavier Ellis, Lewis Jetta, Jack Redden, Tom Barrass and Jackson Nelson are also into the squad.

Former club champion Eric Mackenzie has been dropped again alongside last week's debutant Malcolm Karpany, while Liam Duggan (calf) and Sam Butler (groin) have been forced out.

The Dockers finally get giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands back, for the first time since the last Derby in round three, when he suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

Meanwhile, goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne will wear a helmet in his comeback from a fractured cheekbone and Michael Apeness and Ethan Hughes come into the squad.

Defender Zac Dawson (suspended) is the only omission at this stage.

St Kilda has left out Paddy McCartin for its Sunday battle with Carlton, despite the key forward getting through a VFL clash in his return from a third bout of concussion last weekend.

The Saints have regained defender Sam Fisher, while Cam Shenton and spring-heeled American ruckman Jason Holmes also come into the squad.

The Blues have included retiring veteran Andrew Walker for his final game, while Dale Thomas is back from a calf issue and Mark Whiley is part of the extended squad.

Geelong will hand Scott Selwood his club debut after naming him among five inclusions to face the Bombers on Sunday.

Lachie Henderson is back from concussion, while Josh Caddy, Shane Kersten and Darcy Lang come into the squad. Lincoln McCarthy (adductor) and Jake Kolodjashnij (managed) are the only outs at this stage.

Essendon has rested NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Orazio Fantasia and dropped Sam Michael, bringing veteran James Kelly, Mitch Brown, Sam Grimley, Jackson Merrett and Mason Redman into an extended squad.

Friday, August 5

Richmond v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST

RICHMOND
In: B.Griffiths, A.Moore
Out: K.Lambert, R.Conca (hamstring)

COLLINGWOOD
In: J.Blair, M.Cox
Out: D.Moore (hamstring), J.De Goey  

Saturday, August 6

Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide at the SCG, 1.45pm AEST

SYDNEY SWANS
No change

PORT ADELAIDE
In: C.Dixon
Out: J.Toumpas

Melbourne v Hawthorn at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST

MELBOURNE
In: T.Bugg, S.Weideman, C.Oliver
Out: C.Dawes, J.Wagner, M.Jones
New: Sam Weideman (Eastern U18)

HAWTHORN
In: C.Rioli
Out: B.Hardwick

Gold Coast v Greater Western Sydney at Metricon Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

GOLD COAST
In: M.Hallahan, S.Lemmens
Out: J.Lonergan (shoulder), N.Malceski (knee)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: L.Whitfield, N.Haynes
Out: D.Shiel (groin), A.Kennedy

Adelaide v Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST

ADELAIDE
In: T.Walker, C.Ellis-Yolmen, R.O'Brien
Out: S.Thompson (managed), S.Jacobs (ankle), M.McGovern (managed)
New: Reilly O'Brien (Calder U18)

BRISBANE LIONS
In: J.Schache, D.Gardiner
Out: M.Close, T.Cutler

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: M.Boyd, D.Morris, N.Hrovat, L.Webb
Out: J.Adcock, K.Stevens, T.Liberatore (ankle), J.Macrae (hamstring)

NORTH MELBOURNE
In: M.Daw
Out: J.Waite (hip)

Sunday, August 7

Carlton v St Kilda at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST

CARLTON
In: A.Walker, D.Thomas, M.Whiley
Out: -

ST KILDA
In: S.Fisher, C.Shenton, J.Holmes
Out: -

Geelong v Essendon at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST

GEELONG
In: L.Henderson, S.Selwood, J.Caddy, S.Kersten, D.Lang
Out: L.McCarthy (adductor), J.Kolodjashnij (managed)

ESSENDON
In: J.Kelly, M.Brown, S.Grimley, J.Merrett, M.Redman
Out: S.Michael, O.Fantasia (rested)

Fremantle v West Coast at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST

FREMANTLE
In: A.Sandilands, H.Ballantyne, M.Apeness, E.Hughes
Out: Z.Dawson (suspension)

WEST COAST
In: X.Ellis, N.Naitanui, L.Jetta, J.Redden, E.Yeo, J.Nelson, T.Barrass
Out: S.Butler (groin), E.Mackenzie, M.Karpany, L.Duggan (calf)