SAM Draper will miss Essendon's match against West Coast on Saturday night with injury, capping a big week in the news for the Bombers' ruckman.
Premiership player Dom Sheed has been dropped by the Eagles for the match, while St Kilda has recalled tall timber Max King, Mason Wood and Jack Hayes to face North Melbourne.
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In other round eight selection news, Carlton has dropped four players for its blockbuster against a Collingwood team that has lost Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell through injury, while Gary Rohan will play his first game of 2024 for unbeaten Geelong.
Saturday's Sydney Derby also has some huge inclusions, with the Giants regaining suspended skipper Toby Greene and All-Australian full-back Sam Taylor from concussion, while Dane Rampe is back for the Swans.
Luke Parker has not been selected for his first game of the season though.
But it's Draper who finds himself in the news for the second time this week, missing through a knee injury just days after his comments about Luke Beveridge forced an apology from the Bombers to the Western Bulldogs.
The struggling Saints have been bolstered by King's return from a knee problem to face a Kangaroos team that has dropped four players including former top 10 draft picks Dylan Stephens and Will Phillips.
Friday night's blockbuster at the MCG has plenty of new faces, with Michael Voss regaining Adam Cerra and David Cunningham from injury, along with Orazio Fantasia from illness, while also recalling Alex Cincotta.
Rohan has been named after kicking seven goals in the past fortnight in the VFL and will face an unchanged Melbourne.
In Sunday's games, Jayden Short is back for Richmond as it faces Fremantle, although the Tigers will be missing midfielder Jack Graham with a hamstring injury.
Brisbane will unveil a 23-year-old debutant in the QClash against Gold Coast, with Papua New Guinea-born Bruce Reville to run out in the AFL for the first time.
The Suns have rested second-year midfielder Bailey Humphrey.
Jamara Ugle-Hagan is back for the Bulldogs, along with Tom Liberatore, set to face a Hawthorn team that has named Nick Watson in its extended squad, along with Massimo D'Ambrosio.
FRIDAY, MAY 3
Carlton v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.40pm AEST
CARLTON
In: A.Cincotta, D.Cuningham, O.Fantasia, A.Cerra
Out: B.Kemp (omitted), O.Hollands (omitted), J.Binns (omitted), J.Carroll (omitted)
R7 sub: Jaxon Binns
COLLINGWOOD
In: O.Markov, L.Sullivan
Out: J.De Goey (groin), T.Mitchell (foot)
R7 sub: Harvey Harrison
SATURDAY, MAY 4
Sydney v Greater Western Sydney at the SCG, 1.45pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: D.Rampe
Out: B.Campbell (omitted)
R7 sub: Braeden Campbell
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: S.Taylor, T.Greene
Out: L.Aleer (omitted), X.O'Halloran (omitted)
R7 sub: Brent Daniels
St Kilda v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: J.Webster, M.Wood, M.King, J.Hayes
Out: Z.Cordy (managed), J.Higgins (suspension), A.Caminiti (omitted), C.Sharman (omitted)
R7 sub: Angus Hastie
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: T.Pink, L.Shiels, J.Archer, J.Stephenson
Out: C.Lazzaro (omitted), B.Nyuon (omitted), W.Phillips (omitted), D.Stephens (omitted)
R7 sub: Zac Fisher
Melbourne v Geelong at the MCG, 7.30pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: None
Out: None
R7 sub: Bailey Laurie
GEELONG
In: T.Stewart, G.Rohan, J.Clark
Out: M.O'Connor (managed), P.Dangerfield (hamstring), B.Parfitt (managed)
R7 sub: Tom Atkins
West Coast v Essendon at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: T.Barrass, N.Long, H.Reid, H.Johnston
Out: H.Edwards (omitted), J.Hunt (knee), D.Sheed (omitted), T.Brockman (omitted)
R7 sub: Dom Sheed
ESSENDON
In: A.Perkins, M.Guelfi
Out: S.Draper (knee soreness), N.Hind (omitted)
R7 sub: Nick Hind
SUNDAY, MAY 5
Richmond v Fremantle at the MCG, 1pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: J.Short, S.Green, K.McAuliffe, T.Sonsie, S.Ryan
Out: J.Hopper (hamstring), J.Graham (hamstring)
R7 sub: Kamdyn McIntosh
FREMANTLE
In: J.Amiss, E.Hughes, N.Erasmus
Out: None
R7 sub: Cooper Simpson
Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 4pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Ugle-Hagan, C.Clarke, T.Liberatore, O.Baker, C.Poulter
Out: C.Weightman (elbow), R.West (suspension)
R7 sub: Caleb Daniel
HAWTHORN
In: N.Watson, M.D'Ambrosio, E.Phillips, J.Ward, C.Dear
Out: M.Chol (suspension), J.Serong (omitted)
R7 sub: Max Ramsden
Brisbane v Gold Coast at the Gabba, 7.10pm AEST
BRISBANE
In: O.McInerney, L.Morris, J.Lyons, H.Sharp, B.Reville
Out: J.Tunstill (omitted), C.Ah Chee (hamstring)
R7 sub: James Tunstill
GOLD COAST
In: A.Sexton, E.Read, B.Long, J.Jeffrey
Out: B.Humphrey (managed)
R7 sub: David Swallow
