DANIEL Menzel's first match as a Swan will double as a chance for redemption against his former club Geelong at the Cattery on Saturday evening.
The Cats delisted Menzel at the end of last season after 136 goals in 73 games – interrupted by four knee reconstructions and a mysterious groin problem in 2018 – before Sydney threw him a lifeline.
Groin surgery delayed the 27-year-old's red-and-white debut, but eight goals in two NEAFL games, including five last week against the Suns' reserves, propelled him into the senior side.
Elsewhere, Tigers captain Trent Cotchin is back but Dan Rioli was dropped again, Darcy Moore and Jordan De Goey return for Collingwood, Isaac Smith is in for the Hawks, and St Kilda welcomes back Jarryn Geary.
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As big as any selection news is Adelaide inclusions – Tom Lynch and back-in-favour pair Josh Jenkins and Bryce Gibbs – while Melbourne has reinforcements in Michael Hibberd, Christian Salem and Mitch Hannan.
Joining Menzel as an incoming Swan is Jarrad McVeigh, recovered from a quad setback, and they replace Josh Kennedy (knee) and another ex-Cat, Jackson Thurlow (omitted).
Geelong has two strong additions of its own, with Patrick Dangerfield and Esava Ratugolea returning for Gary Ablett (suspension) and ruckman Darcy Fort (omitted).
Making matters more interesting is Geelong has lost three straight matches to Sydney at GMHBA Stadium.
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North Melbourne is unchanged for its first game under caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw, following Brad Scott's weekend departure.
The Kangaroos' Friday night opponent, Richmond, regains Cotchin and Ivan Soldo and promoted premiership forward Dan Butler from the VFL.
Travis Varcoe caps Collingwood's three ins, along with Moore and De Goey, for Saturday's clash with an unchanged Fremantle.
Daniel Wells (knee) and omitted duo Jack Madgen and Rupert Wills make way.
Lachie Keefe is Greater Western Sydney's sole in – for injured key defender Sam Taylor – as the Giants prepare to welcome Gold Coast to town.
The Suns brought back George Horlin-Smith and Josh Schoenfeld, but lose reigning club champion Jarrod Harbrow (groin) and Ben Ainsworth (foot) to injury.
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Mitch Lewis and Smith will make the trip north for Hawthorn as it aims for revenge for two defeats to Brisbane last year.
Jack Scrimshaw (knee) is out and Harry Morrison was dumped to the VFL for the second time this season.
The Lions recalled Ben Keays, Nick Robertson, Rhys Mathieson and Archie Smith.
The Demons won't have injured pair Jay Lockhart and Harrison Petty for their must-win Darwin match-up with the Crows, who will again be without star midfielder Matt Crouch.
Top-10 picks Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark are among the Saints' possible ins for their Shanghai showdown with Port Adelaide.
Ryan Burton, Scott Lycett and Hamish Hartlett headline the possible inclusions for the Power, which won't have the services of Tom Rockliff (hamstring).
Essendon may make as many as six changes for its Sunday encounter with Carlton.
Irving Mosquito could make his AFL debut for the Bombers, who lose hamstring victims Jake Stringer and Dylan Shiel.
Alex Fasolo and Will Setterfield are among the potential Blues additions, but Kade Simpson (managed) and Mitch McGovern (ankle) join Daisy Thomas (club suspension) on the sidelines.
Mid-season draftee Ryan Gardner will play his first AFL game for the Western Bulldogs, with Billy Gowers, Josh Schache, Tory Dickson and father-son selection Rhylee West also in the running.
Ed Richards was dropped and Hayden Crozier (toe) and Mitch Wallis (ankle) were unavailable.
Their opponent, West Coast, may regain Lewis Jetta for the Sunday clash at Optus Stadium.
Friday, May 31
North Melbourne v Richmond at Marvel Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
No changes
RICHMOND
In: D.Butler, I.Soldo, T.Cotchin
Out: D.Rioli, C.Coleman-Jones, C.Menadue
Saturday, June 1
Collingwood v Fremantle at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: D.Moore, J.De Goey, T.Varcoe
Out: J.Madgen, R.Wills, D.Wells (knee)
FREMANTLE
No changes
Greater Western Sydney v Gold Coast at Giants Stadium, 1.45pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: L.Keeffe
Out: S.Taylor (cork)
GOLD COAST
In: G.Horlin-Smith, J.Schoenfeld
Out: J.Harbrow (groin), B.Ainsworth (foot)
Geelong v Sydney at GMHBA Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
GEELONG
In: P.Dangerfield, E.Ratugolea
Out: D.Fort, G.Ablett (suspension)
SYDNEY
In: D.Menzel, J.McVeigh
Out: J.Kennedy (knee), J.Thurlow
New: Daniel Menzel (Geelong)
Brisbane v Hawthorn at the Gabba, 7.25pm AEST
BRISBANE
In: B.Keays, N.Robertson, R.Mathieson, A.Smith
Out: M.Hinge, J.Walker, R.Lester (quad), O.McInerney (managed)
HAWTHORN
In: M.Lewis, I.Smith
Out: J.Scrimshaw (knee), H.Morrison
Melbourne v Adelaide at TIO Stadium, 7.10pm ACST
MELBOURNE
In: M.Hibberd, M.Hannan, C.Salem
Out: J.Lockhart (knee), H.Petty (knee), C.Wagner
ADELAIDE
In: T.Lynch, J.Jenkins, B.Gibbs
Out: R.Knight, E.Himmelberg, C.Jones
Sunday, June 2
St Kilda v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Arena at Jiangwan Stadium, 2.20pm AWST
ST KILDA
In: J.Geary, N.Coffield, H.Clark, D.Joyce
Out: None
PORT ADELAIDE
In: R.Burton, S.Lycett, R.Bonner, H.Hartlett, W.Drew
Out: T.Rockliff (hamstring), Ladhams
Essendon v Carlton at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: D.Clarke, M.Baguley, J.Ridley, Z.Clarke, M.Brown, I.Mosquito
Out: J.Stringer (hamstring), D.Shiel (hamstring)
New: Irving Mosquito (Gippsland U18)
CARLTON
In: J.Garlett, P.Kerr, A.Schumacher, C.Polson, A.Fasolo, D.Lang, W.Setterfield
Out: K.Simpson (managed), D.Thomas (club suspension), M.McGovern (ankle)
New: Angus Schumacher (Bendigo U18)
West Coast v Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, 3.20pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: L.Jetta, B.Ainsworth, B.Ah Chee, J.Smith
Out: None
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: R.Gardner, B.Gowers, J.Schache, R.West, T.Dickson, R.Smith, La.Young
Out: H.Crozier (toe), E.Richards, M.Wallis (ankle)
New: Ryan Gardner (Footscray VFL), Rhylee West (Calder U18)
