COLLINGWOOD and Essendon are dealing with injury carnage ahead of important round 18 clashes, while Brownlow Medal fancy Nat Fyfe is a shock out at Fremantle.

The Pies named captain and champion midfielder Scott Pendlebury (finger), as coach Nathan Buckley foreshadowed, but lost Jamie Elliott (general soreness) and Levi Greenwood (shoulder).

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Their absence compounds that of gun defender Darcy Moore, whose hamstring injury from last week will sideline him for an extended period, while first-gamer John Noble (calf) is also out.

Partly offsetting the news is the return of Taylor Adams and Jeremy Howe, as well as Travis Varcoe and Flynn Appleby.

The Giants will be without Stephen Coniglio (knee) – possibly for the rest of the season – but regain Jeremy Finlayson, Shane Mumford and Jake Stein.

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Bombers skipper Dyson Heppell returns and mid-season rookie Will Snelling will make his debut, but none of Michael Hurley (AC joint), Orazio Fantasia (hip), Zac Clarke (illness) and Jayden Laverde (managed) will face Adelaide on Friday night.

The Crows made just one change, with Tom Lynch coming in for Tyson Stengle.

Elsewhere, Luke Hodge, Hugh McCluggage and Eric Hipwood are in for Brisbane, key Roo Shaun Higgins is fit again, and Carlton defender Jacob Weitering is back.

Premiership player Jack Graham and Liam Baker are Richmond's additions for Saturday's game against Port Adelaide, but there was still no room for Josh Caddy.

Tiger Kamdyn McIntosh will play in the VFL this weekend.

The Power turned to Dan Houston, Xavier Duursma and Matthew Broadbent to cover for injured trio Ryan Burton (hamstring), Brad Ebert (knee) and Ollie Wines (thumb).

Gold Coast's bid to snap a 12-match losing skid saw it recall Peter Wright, Corey Ellis, Chris Burgess and Jacob Dawson for Saturday's Marvel Stadium clash with the Blues.

Lachie Weller (illness) and Anthony Miles (suspension) won't make the trip, while Weitering replaces Hugh Goddard (fractured cheekbone) at Carlton.

Higgins and Wood return from injury for North Melbourne, which also picked young defender Sam Durdin to take on the Lions at the Gabba.

Paul Ahern, Curtis Taylor and Luke McDonald (leg) go out for the Kangaroos.

Brisbane's Hodge, McCluggage and Hipwood come in for Ben Keays, Josh Walker and Ryan Lester.

Aaron Sandilands and newly re-signed defender Griffin Logue are two of four incoming Dockers as they go into battle without Fyfe (infected elbow) in a must-win match with Sydney at Optus Stadium.

Fyfe spent time in hospital for treatment to the infection in his right elbow via an antibiotic drip.



Harry Cunningham (groin) and Jordan Dawson (suspension) are unavailable for the Swans, who dumped Kieren Jack and Ben Ronke.

Geelong will make at least one change for its MCG showdown with arch-rival Hawthorn on Sunday.

A back injury will keep Cat Brandan Parfitt out, with Scott Selwood and Jake Kolodjashnij among the possible replacements.

The Hawks included Jack Gunston, Jon Ceglar, James Cousins and Darren Minchington in their extended squad.

Will Schofield, Jack Petruccelle and Jake Waterman headline West Coast's options to come in for injured pair Nic Naitanui (ankle) and Jamie Cripps (adductor) against Melbourne in Alice Springs.

The Demons haven't dropped anyone yet, but the Wagners – Josh and Corey – Oskar Baker and Tim Smith are in the mix.

Saint Doulton Langlands will make his senior debut against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Tough utility Ben Long, who has returned to Darwin for his late uncle and family patriarch Jack's funeral, is unavailable.

Toby McLean (hamstring) goes out for the Dogs, who look set to regain Caleb Daniel and Tom Liberatore and also named Dale Morris in an extended squad.

Friday, July 19

Adelaide v Essendon at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST

ADELAIDE

In: T.Lynch
Out: T.Stengle

ESSENDON

In: M.Hartley, W.Snelling, P.Ambrose, D.Heppell
Out: Z.Clarke (illness), O.Fantasia (hip), M.Hurley (AC joint), J.Laverde (managed)
New: Will Snelling (West Adelaide)

Saturday, July 20

Richmond v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: J.Graham, L.Baker
Out: K.McIntosh, D.Eggmolesse-Smith

PORT ADELAIDE

In: D.Houston, X.Duursma, M.Broadbent
Out: R.Burton (hamstring), B.Ebert (knee), O.Wines (thumb)

Carlton v Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, 2.10pm AEST

CARLTON

In: J.Weitering
Out: H.Goddard (fractured cheekbone)

GOLD COAST

In: C.Ellis, P.Wright, C.Burgess, J.Dawson
Out: B.Scheer, J.Corbett, A.Miles (suspension), L.Weller (illness)

Greater Western Sydney v Collingwood at Giants Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: J.Finlayson, J.Stein, S.Mumford
Out: A.Kennedy, S.Coniglio (knee), M.Buntine

COLLINGWOOD

In: T.Adams, F.Appleby, J.Howe, T.Varcoe
Out: J.Elliott (general soreness), L.Greenwood (shoulder), D.Moore (hamstring), J.Noble (calf)

Brisbane v North Melbourne at the Gabba, 7.25pm AEST

BRISBANE

In: L.Hodge, H.McCluggage, E.Hipwood
Out: B.Keays, J.Walker, R.Lester

North Melbourne

In: S.Higgins, S.Durdin, M.Wood
Out: P.Ahern, C.Taylor, L.McDonald (leg)

Fremantle v Sydney at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AEST

FREMANTLE

In: T.Duman, A.Sandilands, G.Logue, B.Bewley
Out: R.Nyhuis, E.Hughes, T.Colyer, N.Fyfe (infected elbow)

SYDNEY

In: H.McLean, R.Stoddart, R.Fox, R.Clarke
Out: H.Cunningham (groin), J.Dawson (suspended), B.Ronke, K.Jack
New: Hayden McLean (South Adelaide)

Sunday, July 21

Geelong v Hawthorn at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST

GEELONG

In: Z.Smith, S.Selwood, J.Kolodjashnij, J.Parsons, S.Simpson
Out: B.Parfitt (back)

HAWTHORN

In: J.Ceglar, J.Cousins, D.Minchington, J.Gunston
Out: -
New: Darren Minchington (St Kilda)

Melbourne v West Coast at TIO Traeger Park, 2.50pm ACST

MELBOURNE

In: C.Wagner, O.Baker, J.Wagner, T.Smith
Out: -

WEST COAST

In: J.Waterman, J.Petruccelle, F.Watson, W.Schofield, B.Williams, M.Allen
Out: J.Cripps (adductor), N.Naitanui (ankle)
New: Bailey Williams (Dandenong U18), Francis Watson (Claremont), Matthew Allen (Glenelg)

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: D.Joyce, D.Langlands, M.Parker, B.Rice, S.Rowe
Out: B.Long (rested)
New: Doulton Langlands (Murray U18), S.Rowe (Carlton)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: R.West, T.Liberatore, B.Dale, C.Daniel, D.Morris
Out: T.McLean (hamstring)
New: Rhylee West (Calder U18)