ESSENDON has recalled four big names to face Fremantle as it tries to stabilise a season rapidly spiralling out of control.
Michael Hurley, Adam Saad, Darcy Parish and Aaron Francis are among five Bomber additions – with two-gamer Brayden Ham the other – for Saturday night's all-important clash at Optus Stadium.
Essendon named Jake Stringer, who is dealing with hamstring tightness, and dumped Josh Begley, Dylan Clarke, Ben McNiece, David Myers and Mark Baguley in response to last week's humiliating defeat.
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The Dockers selected veteran forward Hayden Ballantyne for his farewell senior appearance, and also included Cam McCarthy.
There is also positive selection news for Greater Western Sydney, which is set to regain Josh Kelly, Harry Himmelberg and expert tagger Matt de Boer as it, too, aims to bounce back from a tough outing.
The Giants welcome the Western Bulldogs to Sydney on Sunday, with Rhylee West among the potential inclusions for Luke Beveridge's side.
Melbourne is handing Kade Chandler his AFL debut in Friday night's dead rubber against Sydney, but has dropped Jayden Hunt and lost Steven May, Oscar McDonald and Harry Petty to injury.
Kieren Jack replaces the injured Zak Jones in the Swans' sole change.
Matthew Kennedy and Paddy Dow are back for David Teague's first match as Carlton's official coach against St Kilda.
Liam Jones (throat) and Darcy Lang (omitted) make way, while Saints defender Nathan Brown returns for Nick Coffield (shoulder).
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Brisbane is unchanged for its battle for top spot with Geelong at the Gabba on Saturday.
Mark O'Connor is back for the Cats, who dumped Sam Menegola.
Reilly O'Brien will play alongside Sam Jacobs for Adelaide in a two-pronged ruck assault on Collingwood's Brodie Grundy on Saturday.
Joining O'Brien in returning is Paul Seedsman, but Rory Atkins and Andy Otten lost their spots.
Rory Atkins has been dropped by the Crows. Picture: AFL Photos.
Mid-season draftee John Noble is the Pies' sole inclusion for Josh Daicos, who sustained concussion last week.
Mason Wood is the only selection casualty from North Melbourne's underwhelming performance against Geelong last week.
The Roos dropped Wood and brought in Sam Durdin for Saturday's showdown with Port Adelaide, which regained Ryan Burton and Zak Butters but lost Xavier Duursma (heel) as flagged by AFL.com.au earlier.
Richmond and West Coast are yet to make any changes for their top-four clash on Sunday.
Dustin Martin and mid-season draftee Marlion Pickett are two of the Tigers' potential inclusions, while the Eagles could include Chris Masten and Nathan Vardy.
Marlion Pickett is in line to make his AFL debut on Sunday. Picture: AFL Photos
Hawthorn key forward Mitch Lewis (shoulder) will miss Jarryd Roughead's farewell match against Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
However, Ben McEvoy, Jack Gunston, Jack Scrimshaw and Harry Morrison could all be back.
Anthony Miles (ankle) is out for the Suns, who named Peter Wright in their extended squad.
Friday, August 16
Melbourne v Sydney at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: M.Hore, B.Stretch, C.Spargo, A.Neal-Bullen, K.Chandler
Out: O.Baker, J.Hunt, S.May (hamstring), O.McDonald (injured), H.Petty (injured)
New: Kade Chandler (Norwood SANFL)
SYDNEY
In: K.Jack
Out: Z.Jones (injured)
Saturday, August 17
Carlton v St Kilda at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
CARLTON
In: M.Kennedy, P.Dow
Out: L.Jones (throat), D.Lang
ST KILDA
In: N.Brown
Out: N.Coffield (shoulder)
Brisbane v Geelong at the Gabba, 2.10pm AEST
BRISBANE
No changes
GEELONG
In: M.O'Connor
Out: S.Menegola
Adelaide v Collingwood at Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: P.Seedsman, R.O'Brien
Out: R.Atkins, A.Otten
COLLINGWOOD
In: J.Noble
Out: J.Daicos
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: S.Durdin
Out: M.Wood
PORT ADELAIDE
In: R.Burton, Z.Butters
Out: X.Duursma (heel), C.Sutcliffe
Fremantle v Essendon at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: C.McCarthy, H.Ballantyne
Out: J.Carter, B.Banfield
ESSENDON
In: M.Hurley, D.Parish, B.Ham, A.Saad, A.Francis
Out: J.Begley, D.Clarke, B.McNiece, D.Myers, M.Baguley
Sunday, August 18
Richmond v West Coast at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: D.Martin, J.Aarts, I.Soldo, M.Pickett
Out: -
New: Joel Aarts (Richmond VFL), Marlion Pickett (South Fremantle)
WEST COAST
In: C.Masten, N.Vardy, J.Rotham, J.Cameron
Out: -
Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs at Giants Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: J.Kelly, M.de Boer, H.Himmelberg, I.Cumming, Z.Sproule, A.Corr
Out: B.Deledio (calf), J.Cameron (corked hamstring)
New: Zach Sproule (Giants Academy)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: Le.Young, R.West, C.Porter, La.Young
Out: -
New: Callum Porter (Gippsland U18)
Hawthorn v Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm AEST
HAWTHORN
In: J.Roughead, J.Scrimshaw, B.McEvoy, J.Gunston, H.Morrison
Out: M.Lewis (shoulder)
GOLD COAST
In: G.Horlin-Smith, J.Murdoch, B.Scheer, P.Wright, A.Young
Out: A.Miles (ankle)
