Injury-hit Essendon have regained skipper Dyson Heppell from a nagging foot complaint for their pivotal AFL clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.
Heppell, who has missed four of the past five matches with the issue that will require surgery after the season, comes into the side for Saturday night’s clash along with Josh Begley, Shaun McKernan, Ben McNiece, David Myers and Mark Baguley.
But Adam Saad (hamstring), Darcy Parish (concussion), Aaron Francis (whiplash) and Matt Guelfi (knee) all joined a lengthy injury list after last week’s loss to Port Adelaide.
Taylor Duryea and Will Hayes are the inclusions for the 10th-placed Dogs, who need to upset the seventh-placed Bombers to keep their finals chances alive.
The Bulldogs lost Tom Liberatore and Caleb Daniel to injuries sustained in last week’s loss to Brisbane.
In other selection news for round 21, Geelong have dropped veterans Lachie Henderson and Scott Selwood and lost Gary Rohan and Jordan Clark to injury for Saturday night’s clash with North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium.
Harry Taylor, Brandan Parfitt, Luke Dahlhaus and Quinton Narkle come in for Mitch Duncan’s 200th AFL game, while the Roos added Jed Anderson and Shaun Atley.
GWS kick off the round in Canberra on Friday night when they host Hawthorn, with Adam Kennedy, Jeremy Cameron and Dawson Simpson into the side.
There’s still no Jarryd Roughead for the Hawks, who added James Cousins, Jonathon Ceglar and debutant Changkuoth Jiath, but lost Ben McEvoy and Grant Birchall to injury.
Port Adelaide are unchanged for Saturday’s encounter with Sydney at Adelaide Oval, while the Swans surprised by dropping Kieren Jack while adding Dane Rampe and James Bell, who will debut, into the line-up.
Melbourne regained Steven May from a hamstring injury for their clash with Collingwood at the MCG, while the Pies brought in Jack Madgen for Mason Cox, who suffered a season-ending eye injury against Gold Coast.
High-flying Brisbane are unchanged for their local derby against the last-placed Suns at the Gabba on Saturday.
Trade speculation around Jack Martin will intensify after he and Peter Wright were axed for the game, with debutant Caleb Graham and Jacob Heron preferred.
Jack Steven, Dan Hannebery, Blake Acres and Jack Newnes were added to St Kilda’s extended squad for Sunday’s match against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.
Steven will play his first game since taking a mental health break after round six and Hannebery will make just his third senior appearance for the Saints if they remain after the squad is culled on Friday.
Hayden Ballantyne, Cam McCarthy, Ryan Nyhuis and Travis Colyer were included in the Dockers’ squad.
Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs is a chance to play his first senior game since round two after he was named, along with Hugh Greenwood, Paul Seedsman, and Chayce Jones, in the squad to face West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The Eagles added Jamie Cripps, Mark Hutchings, Josh Rotham and Brendon Ah Chee, with neither side omitting any players on Thursday evening.
Richmond could regain Sydney Stack, Toby Nankervis and Kamdyn McIntosh for Sunday’s late game against Carlton at the MCG, while the Blues could be bolstered by Dale Thomas, Liam Jones, Mitch McGovern and Matthew Kreuzer.
