SAM Walsh will play his first game of the season after overcoming a back injury to be named in Carlton's team to face Adelaide on Saturday.
However, Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy has not quite got over his knee problem and will sit at least another week for the Dockers, while Caleb Daniel has been left out of the Dogs' team to face Essendon on Friday night.
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In other round five team news, Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield has not been named as he battles a hamstring niggle, while the Cats are set to unveil debutant Connor O'Sullivan against North Melbourne.
The Roos will be without Cam Zurhaar (calf tightness), while Jaidyn Stephenson has been dropped.
But Walsh's inclusion is the big news for the unbeaten Blues as they prepare to take on a winless Adelaide team that has recalled talls Will Hamill and Lachie Gollant.
Daniel's omission follows Luke Beveridge's early season decision to play without Jack Macrae. James O'Donnell has been added for the Dogs to face an Essendon team that has brought in Sam Durham and Alwyn Davey jnr.
St Kilda will unleash another debutant, naming clever midfielder Hugo Garcia, who was taken at No.50 in last year's AFL Draft, for its clash against unchanged Greater Western Sydney.
While Fremantle has made just one change to the team narrowly beaten by Carlton a week ago, opponent Port Adelaide has recalled a couple of big guns, with Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines back from a hamstring problem and Sam Powell-Pepper named after serving a four-game suspension.
Hawthorn and Gold Coast are unchanged for their clash at People First Stadium on Saturday night.
In the final game of the round, West Coast has named veteran Andrew Gaff in its extended squad, while Richmond will regain Liam Baker from suspension.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.O'Donnell
Out: C.Daniel (omitted)
Last week's sub: Jack Macrae
ESSENDON
In: S.Durham, A.Davey Jnr
Out: W.Setterfield (knee), A.Perkins (hamstring)
Last week's sub: Nick Hind
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
Greater Western Sydney v St Kilda at Manuka Oval, 1.45pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: None
Out: None
Last week's sub: James Peatling
ST KILDA
In: M.Windhager, H.Garcia
Out: A.Hastie (omitted), Z.Jones (omitted)
Last week's sub: Angus Hastie
Carlton v Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
CARLTON
In: S.Walsh
Out: L.Fogarty (suspension)
Last week's sub: Matt Owies
ADELAIDE
In: W.Hamill, L.Gollant
Out: P.Parnell (shoulder), C.Burgess (omitted)
Last week's sub: Sam Berry
Gold Coast v Hawthorn at People First Stadium, 7.30pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: None
Out: None
Last week's sub: David Swallow
HAWTHORN
In: None
Out: None
Last week's sub: Henry Hustwaite
Port Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 7pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
In: O.Wines, S.Powell-Pepper
Out: T.Boak (back), J.Finlayson (suspension)
Last week's sub: Jase Burgoyne
FREMANTLE
In: N.Erasmus
Out: M.Frederick (hamstring)
Last week's sub: Jaeger O'Meara
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Geelong v North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, 1pm AEST
GEELONG
In: C.O'Sullivan, S.Mannagh, S.Neale
Out: None
Last week's sub: Mark O'Connor
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: T.Sellers, R.Hansen jnr, W.Phillips, J.Archer, B.Drury
Out: C.Zurhaar (calf tightness), J.Stephenson (omitted)
Last week's sub: Liam Shiels
West Coast v Richmond at Optus Stadium, 2pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: A.Gaff, T.Brockman, A.Witherden
Out: None
Last week's sub: Loch Rawlinson
RICHMOND
In: L.Baker, S.Naismith, H.Ralphsmith, S.Banks
Out: J.Ross (foot)
Last week's sub: Kane McAuliffe