- Hawk Jaeger O'Meara back after only three quarters in VFL
- Key Demon and Bulldog in shock return from bad breaks
- Giants load up with stars with two games left before finals
THREE big stars are set to make remarkably quick recoveries to play for their respective sides in the penultimate round before finals.
Hawthorn midfielder Jaeger O'Meara (knee bone bruising), Melbourne's Jesse Hogan (broken collarbone) and Western Bulldogs premiership defender Dale Morris (broken arm) are the shock inclusions.
The Hawks rushed back much-hyped recruit Jaeger O'Meara after just one game in the VFL, where he racked up 29 disposals and three goals before being put on ice at three-quarter time.
O'Meara had not played a match since round six because of bone bruising in his right knee, a problem related to the issues that sidelined him in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, before that Box Hill turnout.
Check out all the round 22 teams
Paul Puopolo (groin) is also back for Hawthorn's clash with Carlton, which promoted Ciaran Byrne for Dennis Armfield.
Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan will have missed only two matches with a broken collarbone when he takes his place against the Brisbane Lions in Sunday's must-win match at the MCG.
Hogan's return coincides with Jack Viney (foot) going out, while Ben Kennedy, Billy Stretch and Corey Maynard are named on the extended bench.
The Lions have omitted Cedric Cox and named Tom Cutler, Sam Skinner, Ben Keays and NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Alex Witherden as possible ins. All are on the bench at this stage.
Morris missed only three matches with his injury and will bolster the Western Bulldogs' bid against Port Adelaide, along with Jason Johannisen (hamstring).
Mitch Wallis becomes the latest high-profile Dog to be dumped, and Jack Redpath will serve the first week of his three-match suspension.
Rising Star contender Sam Powell-Pepper headlines the Power additions, which include Riley Bonner and debutant Todd Marshall. Jasper Pittard (calf) and omitted duo Brendon Ah Chee and Jarman Impey go out.
The Greater Western Sydney juggernaut also looks to be gathering steam.
The Giants have brought back Jeremy Cameron, Devon Smith, Shane Mumford and Adam Tomlinson to face West Coast on Saturday as their top-two spot goes on the line. That comes a week after Toby Greene and Jonathon Patton returned.
Retirement-bound veteran Steve Johnson (knee), Matt Kennedy, Harrison Himmelberg and Dawson Simpson make way for the star quartet.
Tom Barrass and Josh Hill return for the Eagles, who omitted Sharrod Wellingham and Jackson Nelson.
Sydney will have the services of champion onballer Josh Kennedy for its Friday night blockbuster against Adelaide, which could decide the Swans' top-four fate.
Kennedy missed a fortnight with a hamstring injury and returns at Nic Newman's expense, while the Crows are unchanged.
There is some significant movement at Tullamarine, with star Bomber Michael Hurley's calf pulling up lame from last week's loss to Adelaide.
Hurley will miss Essendon's Saturday night match-up with Gold Coast because of the problem, although Zach Merrett is back from suspension and Josh Begley will make his debut. Tom Bellchambers, Michael Hartley, Mark Baguley and Craig Bird round out the Bombers' six ins.
Jobe Watson (managed), Matthew Leuenberger (ankle) and dropped trio Ben Howlett, Travis Colyer and Matt Dea made way.
The Suns made mass changes in response to injury and form, with Pearce Hanley, Keegan Brooksby, Brayden Fiorini, Jesse Lonergan, Jack Leslie and Mitch Hallahan included.
Daniel Currie (foot), Sean Lemmens (ankle), Jarryd Lyons (ankle), Jack Scrimshaw, Alex Sexton and Jack Bowes are out of the side.
Josh Daicos, son of Collingwood great Peter Daicos, will make his long-awaited debut, joining Josh Smith and Tim Broomhead as the Magpies' inclusions against Geelong on Saturday.
Tyson Goldsack (soreness), Alex Fasolo (shoulder) and Jordan De Goey (hip) were forced outs.
Mitch Duncan and Wylie Buzza are the Cats' ins, in place of Rhys Stanley (calf) and Brandan Parfitt (omitted).
St Kilda and North Melbourne are yet to name any outs for their contest at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Nick Riewoldt is back, with ruckman Tom Hickey and Jack Lonie also possible Saints additions, while the Roos named captain Jack Ziebell, Jed Anderson and Ben McKay, who could make his debut.
Harley Bennell will play his first match for Fremantle against Richmond on Sunday, as Ross Lyon revealed on Wednesday.
The troubled ex-Sun has suffered through persistent calf issues and problematic off-field behaviour, but has overcome both as he prepares to play for the first time since round 22, 2015.
Ryan Nyhuis and Hayden Crozier will join Bennell in the side, with Tommy Sheridan on the extended bench, and midfielder Lachie Neale (knee) the sole confirmed out.
The Tigers have lost Josh Caddy (hamstring), and his potential replacements include Ben Lennon, Jacob Townsend, Oleg Markov and Jack Graham, who is yet to play at AFL level.
Friday, August 18
Adelaide v Sydney at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm AEST
ADELAIDE
No change
SYDNEY
In: J.Kennedy
Out: N.Newman
Saturday, August 19
Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide at Mars Stadium (Ballarat), 1.45pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Johannisen, D.Morris
Out: J.Redpath (suspension) M.Wallis
PORT ADELAIDE
In:S.Powell-Pepper, R.Bonner, T.Marshall
Out: J.Pittard (calf), B.Ah Chee, J.Impey
New: Todd Marshall (Murray U18)
Collingwood v Geelong at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: T.Broomhead, J.Smith, J.Daicos
Out: T.Goldsack (soreness), A.Fasolo (shoulder), J.De Goey (hip)
New: Josh Daicos (Oakleigh U18)
GEELONG
In:M.Duncan, W.Buzza
Out: R.Stanley (calf), B.Parfitt
Greater Western Sydney v West Coast at Spotless Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: J.Cameron, D.Smith, S.Mumford, A.Tomlinson
Out: S.Johnson (knee), M.Kennedy, H.Himmelberg, D.Simpson
WEST COAST
In: T.Barrass, J.Hill
Out: S.Wellingham, J.Nelson
Carlton v Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
CARLTON
In: C.Byrne
Out: D.Armfield
HAWTHORN
In: P.Puopolo, J.O'Meara
Out: T.Miles, C.Glass
Gold Coast v Essendon at Metricon Statium, 7.25pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: P.Hanley, K.Brooksby, B.Fiorini, J.Lonergan, J.Leslie, M.Hallahan
Out: D.Currie (foot), S.Lemmens (ankle), J.Lyons (ankle), J.Scrimshaw, A.Sexton, J.Bowes
ESSENDON
In: C.Bird, T.Bellchambers, M.Hartley, M.Baguley, Z.Merrett, J.Begley
Out: J.Watson (managed), M.Leuenberger (ankle), B.Howlett, M.Hurley (calf), T.Colyer, M.Dea
New: Josh Begley (Eastern Ranges U18)
Sunday, August 20
Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: B.Kennedy, J.Hogan, B.Stretch, C.Maynard
Out: J.Viney (foot)
BRISBANE LIONS
In: J.Berry, A.Witherden, S.Skinner, T.Cutler
Out: C.Cox
St Kilda v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: N.Riewoldt, T.Hickey, J.Lonie
Out: -
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: J.Ziebell, J.Anderson, B.McKay
Out: -
New: Ben McKay (Gippsland U18)
Fremantle v Richmond at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: H.Bennell, R.Nyhuis, H.Crozier, T.Sheridan
Out: L.Neale (knee)
New: Harley Bennell (Gold Coast)
RICHMOND
In:B.Lennon, J.Townsend, O.Markov, J.Graham
Out: J.Caddy (hamstring)
New: Jack Graham (North Adelaide)
