CARLTON'S horrendous start to 2014 has seen coach Mick Malthouse lose patience with some of the club's key players, with Jarrad Waite and Jeff Garlett among those to be axed for Saturday's game against Melbourne.
Waite, Garlett, Simon White and Tom Bell have all been dropped from the team that was humiliated by Essendon last Sunday night.
Carlton's first pick in last year's NAB AFL draft, Patrick Cripps, will make his debut following a best afield 35-disposal performance in the VFL , while the Blues have recalled Heath Scotland, Kane Lucas and Levi Casboult.
Melbourne's forward line woes may not be as pronounced this week, with Chris Dawes – who proved his fitness at training on Thursday – to return for the winless Demons.
Jordie McKenzie has earned a recall, with Shannon Byrnes and Jack Fitzpatrick making way.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge and Geelong star defender Corey Enright will make their returns for their respective teams on Saturday night.
Enright, who has overcome an ankle complaint, and Taylor Hunt (following a one-week suspension) return to the Cats side to take on West Coast at Simonds Stadium. Jackson Sheringham and Mitch Brown (ankle) are out.
The Eagles have made five changes for the match-up with Sam Butler, Josh Hill, Sharrod Wellingham, Scott Lycett and Dom Sheed coming in for Darren Glass (hip), Mark LeCras (arm), Chris Masten (hamstring), Luke Shuey (suspended) and Callum Sinclair.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has shown he is not afraid to make a statement at the selection table, dropping Jake King back to the VFL.
Shaun Hampson is over his knee issue and will play against Collingwood on Friday night, while Sam Lloyd (debut) and Matthew Arnot have been called upon by Hardwick.
The Magpies have made two forced changes with Josh Thomas and Jarrod Witts filling the void left by Sam Dwyer (knee) and Taylor Adams (suspension).
As has been documented, Port Adelaide will be without star forward star forwards Chad Wingard (ankle) and Angus Monfries (hamstring) for its clash with the Brisbane Lions.
The Power have also left John Butcher out of the side, bringing in Cam O'Shea, Aaron Young and elevated rookie Sam Gray into the line-up.
Gray, who joined the Power from the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL at the 2014 Rookie Draft, has long proven a star state league player and was runner-up for the 2013 Magarey Medal won by Richmond's Matt Thomas.
The Lions will field a youthful side to tackle the Power, with teenagers Nick Robertson and Tom Cutler to make their debuts.
Former Magpie Jackson Paine is set to play his first game in Lions colours, while Justin Leppitsch has decided to recall Ryan Harwood and Rohan Bewick.
Former Swan Jed Lamb has been brought into Greater Western Sydney's side to tackle the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.
Liam Sumner has been given another chance, at the expense of Dylan Addison and Devon Smith (suspension).
The Dogs have resisted the urge to replace Jordan Roughead (shoulder) with a like-for-like tall defender, instead opting to bring in the run of Koby Stevens, Jason Tutt and Tom Young.
Luke Dahlhaus (calf) and Jason Johannisen will also miss.
Young Hawk defender Angus Litherland makes way for Hodge, while the Suns have brought back Jack Hutchins for the suspended Brandon Matera for the Gold Coast-Hawthorn match-up at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
Michael Firrito, Robbie Nahas, Liam Anthony and Joel Tippett are among those to replace injured North Melbourne defender Jamie Macmillan (leg) in the club's clash with the Sydney Swans on Sunday.
Craig Bird, Dean Towers and Toby Nankervis have been named on an extended Swans interchange bench.
Saints reigning best and fairest winner Jack Steven is in line to return for St Kilda in Sunday's face-off with Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.
Joining him in the race to replace the injured Sam Gilbert (foot) are Tom Lee, Josh Bruce and Jack Billings.
Fremantle has named Colin Sylvia and Zac Clarke, with Garrick Ibbotson (shoulder), Chris Mayne (ankle) and Michael Walters (ankle) all to miss the Dockers' clash with Essendon.
Leroy Jetta, Travis Colyer and Dylan Van Unen are sitting in reserve to replace in-doubt Bomber veterans Paul Chapman and Dustin Fletcher, who are both sore, for Sunday evening's match at Patersons Stadium.
Richmond v Collingwood
MCG, 7.50pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: S.Hampson, S.Lloyd, M.Arnot
Out: R.Petterd (groin), O.Stephenson, J.King
New: Sam Lloyd (Frankston)
COLLINGWOOD
In: J.Thomas, J.Witts
Out: S.Dwyer (knee), T.Adams (suspension)
Saturday, April 12
Carlton v Melbourne
MCG, 1.45pm AEST
CARLTON
In: K.Lucas, L.Casboult, H.Scotland, P.Cripps
Out: J.Waite, S.White, J.Garlett, T.Bell
New: Patrick Cripps (East Fremantle)
MELBOURNE
In: C.Dawes, J.McKenzie
Out: S.Byrnes, J.Fitzpatrick
Saturday, April 12
Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions
Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
In: C.O'Shea, A.Young, S.Gray
Outs: A.Monfries (hamstring), J.Butcher, C.Wingard (ankle)
New: Sam Gray (Port Adelaide Magpies)
BRISBANE LIONS
In: R.Harwood, R.Bewick, J.Paine, N.Robertson, T.Cutler
Out: D.Merrett (suspension), D.Rich (knee), J.Green (leg), R.Lester, M.Close
Saturday, April 12
GWS v Western Bulldogs
StarTrack Oval, 4.40pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: J.Lamb, L.Sumner
Out: D.Addison, D.Smith (suspended)
New: Jed Lamb (Sydney Swans)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: K.Stevens, J.Tutt, T.Young
Out: J.Roughead (shoulder), L.Dahlhaus (calf), J.Johannisen
Geelong v West Coast
Skilled Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
GEELONG
In: C.Enright, T.Hunt
Out: J.Sheringham, M.Brown (ankle)
WEST COAST
In: S.Butler, J.Hill, S.Wellingham, S.Lycett, D.Sheed
Out: D.Glass (hip), M.LeCras (arm), C.Masten (hamstring), L.Shuey (suspension), C.Sinclair
Saturday, April 12
Gold Coast v Hawthorn
Metricon Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: J.Hutchins
Out: B.Matera (suspension)
HAWTHORN
In: L.Hodge
Out: A.Litherland
Sunday, April 13
Sydney Swans v North Melbourne
SCG, 1.10pm AEST
SYDNEY SWANS
In: C.Bird, D.Towers, T.Nankervis
Out: -
New: Dean Towers (North Ballarat), Toby Nankervis (North Launceston)
In: M.Firrito, R.Nahas, L.Anthony, J.Tippett
Out: J.McMillan (leg)
New: Robin Nahas (Richmond), Joel Tippett (West Adelaide)
Sunday, April 13
St Kilda v Adelaide
Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: J.Steven, T.Lee, J.Bruce, J.Billings
Out: S.Gilbert
New: Josh Bruce (GWS)
ADELAIDE
In: B.Martin, S.Shaw, C.Ellis-Yolmen
Out: -
New: Cam Ellis-Yolmen
Sunday, April 13
Fremantle v Essendon
Patersons Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: C.Sylvia, Z.Dawson, C.Pearce, Z.Clarke, M.Taberner, J.Simpson
Out: G.Ibbotson (shoulder), C.Mayne (ankle), M.Walters (ankle)
ESSENDON
In: L.Jetta, T.Colyer, D.van Unen
Out: -
New: Dylan van Unen (Frankston)
