RICHMOND captain Trent Cotchin will play his first match of the pre-season on Saturday against North Melbourne after shaking off hamstring soreness.

Cotchin, who was named in a strong Tigers' squad, trained on Thursday morning before being included alongside Ben Griffiths and tall defender David Astbury, who will also play his first pre-season game.

Coach Damien Hardwick said Cotchin was likely to play three quarters against the Kangaroos, allowing him to prepare for the Tigers' round one clash against Carlton on April 2.  

"He's got to get some game minutes into him," Hardwick said.  

"He's trained really well over the course of the last two weeks and we could have pushed the envelope with him last week, but there's no point at this time of the year. 

"It's just important from a fitness point of view he gets out of it what he needs, but also from a physicality point of view.

"He's a guy who gets in around the scrimmages, so we just need to make sure he gets the knocks and bruises that get him accustomed to that."

Mature-age rookie recruit Kane Lambert, who is pushing hard for elevation ahead of round one, was named to face the Kangaroos.  

North Melbourne has also named a strong line-up, recalling Shaun Higgins, Daniel Wells and Nick Dal Santo before their round one clash against Adelaide on April 5.

After naming a severely undermanned squad to take on the Tigers in Albury last weekend, Port Adelaide has recalled its big guns for Saturday's pre-season Showdown against Adelaide.

Returning are key midfielders Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines as well as ruckman Matthew Lobbe and forward Jay Schulz.

The Crows have brought in defenders Ricky Henderson and Matthew Jaensch, naming close to their best line-up for the second straight week as players compete for selection in their season opener against the Kangaroos.   

"I need to see some things from a number of players to tick the box that they'll be there in round one," coach Phil Walsh said on Thursday.

Collingwood has added Steele Sidebottom, Jamie Elliott, Jack Frost, Jesse White and Taylor Adams to its 27-man squad to face the Western Bulldogs.

Making way are Sam Dwyer, Jordan De Goey and ruckman Mason Cox, with Ben Reid and Jarrod Witts yet to be named after recovering from long-term injuries and playing in the VFL last week.

Returning for the Western Bulldogs are captain Bob Murphy, vice-captain Jordan Roughead. Luke Dahlhaus, Jackson Macrae, Tom Boyd, Mitch Wallis and Liam Picken.

The Sydney Swans have only made one addition to their 27-man squad to face Greater Western Sydney on Sunday in Canberra, bringing tall forward Sam Reid in.

The Giants have named a strong squad, which will include off-season recruits Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull, who both played in the Giants' first NAB Challenge clash against Gold Coast. 

The Suns have withdrawn Jack Martin from their squad to face the Brisbane Lions because of illness, replacing the young star with rookie Greg Broughton. 

Geelong star Steve Johnson and ruckman Hamish McIntosh have been added to Geelong's team to face Carlton on Sunday after successfully returning from injuries in a VFL practice game last weekend.

Josh Cowan has also been named, with Sam Blease and Billie Smedts omitted.

The Blues will be boosted by captain Marc Murphy for their final pre-season hit-out.

Opposing ruckmen Nic Naitainui and Aaron Sandilands headline the inclusions for Sunday's pre-season Western Derby.

Naitanui will play his first game for the pre-season alongside important West Coast midfielder Scott Selwood, who has had an interrupted pre-season because of ankle surgery.

Danyle Pearce, Luke McPharlin and Lee Spurr will join Sandilands in the Dockers' squad, with Pearce and Sandilands preparing for their first pre-season matches.

Richmond v North Melbourne
Etihad Stadium, Saturday March 21, 1.10pm AEDT

Richmond
2. Dylan Grimes, 3. Brett Deledio, 4. Dustin Martin, 5. Brandon Ellis, 6. Shaun Grigg, 8. Jack Riewoldt, 9. Trent Cotchin, 10. Shane Edwards, 11. Jake Batchelor, 12. David Astbury, 13. Ricky Pettard, 14. Bachar Houli, 18. Alex Rance, 20. Ivan Maric, 22. Nathan Gordon, 24. Ben Griffiths, 25. Troy Chaplin, 27. Sam Lloyd, 28. Taylor Hunt, 29. Tyrone Vickery, 30. Reece Conca, 31. Nick Vlastuin, 33. Kamdyn McIntosh, 35. Ben Lennon, 36. Matt McDonough, 38. Steven Morris, 48. Kane Lambert

North Melbourne
2. Brad McKenzie, 3. Ryan Bastinac, 4. Shaun Higgins, 5. Ben Jacobs, 7. Jack Ziebell, 8. Daniel Wells, 9. Andrew Swallow, 10. Ben Cunnington, 11. Michael Firrito,12. Lindsay Thomas, 13. Leigh Adams, 15. Nick Dal Santo, 16. Scott Thompson, 18. Shaun Atley, 19. Sam Wright, 20. Drew Petrie, 21. Luke McDonald, 22. Todd Goldstein, 25. Robbie Tarrant, 29. Brent Harvey, 32. Mason Wood, 34. Jamie MacMillan, 35. Aaron Black, 36. Joel Tippett, 40. Kayne Turner, 43. Sam Gibson, 50. Ben Brown

Port Adelaide v Adelaide
AAMI Stadium, Saturday March 21, 3.40pm ACDT

Port Adelaide
1. Travis Boak, 2. Kane Mitchell, 3. Jake Neade, 5. Matthew Broadbent, 7. Brad Ebert. 9.Robbie Gray, 11. John Butcher, 13. Cameron O’Shea, 14. Paul Stewart, 15. Karl Amon, 16. Oliver Wines, 17. Tom Clurey, 18. Kane Cornes, 19. Matt White, 21. Jared Polec, 23. Matthew Lobbe, 24. Jarman Impey, 27. Alipate Carlile, 28. Jay Schulz, 29. Jasper Pittard, 34. Jarrad Redden, 36. Jack Hombsch, 39. Justin Westhoff, 40. Aaron Young, 41. Brendon Ah Chee, 42. Tom Jonas, 46. Sam Gray

Adelaide
1. James Podsiadly, 2. Brad Crouch, 4. Josh Jenkins, 7. Nathan Van Berlo, 8. Mitch Grigg, 9. Rory Sloane, 10. Matthew Jaensch, 11. Matthew Wright, 12. Daniel Talia, 13. Taylor Walker, 14. David Mackay, 15. Kyle Hartigan, 16. Luke Brown, 18. Eddie Betts, 24. Sam Jacobs, 25. Kyle Cheney, 26. Richard Douglas, 27. Tom Lynch, 28. Cam Ellis-Yolmen, 29. Rory Laird, 31. Jarryd Lyons, 32. Patrick Dangerfield, 33. Brodie Smith, 36. Brodie Martin, 45. Ricky Henderson, 46. Keenan Ramsey, 47. Jake Kelly

Western Bulldogs v Collingwood
Etihad Stadium, Saturday March 21, 7.10pm AEDT

Western Bulldogs
1. Jarrad Grant, 2. Robert Murphy, 3. Mitch Wallis, 4. Marcus Bontempelli, 5. Matthew Boyd, 6. Luke Dahlhaus, 9. Jake Stringer, 10. Easton Wood, 11. Jackson Macrae, 15. Tom Campbell, 17. Tom Boyd, 22. Mitch Honeychurch, 23. Jordan Roughead, 25. Koby Stevens, 27. Will Minson, 29. Tory Dickson, 30. Joel Hamling, 32. Michael Talia, 33. Sam Darley, 35. Caleb Daniel, 38. Dale Morris, 39. Jason Johannisen, 42. Liam Picken, 43. Jack Redpath, 44. Brett Goodes, 46. Lin Jong, 49. Ayce Cordy

Collingwood
1. Alex Fasolo, 4. Brodie Grundy, 5. Jamie Elliott, 6. Tyson Goldsack, 7. Ben Kennedy, 8. Tom Langdon, 9. Jesse White, 10. Scott Pendlebury, 11. Jarryd Blair, 13. Taylor Adams, 16. Nathan Brown, 18. Travis Varcoe, 19. Levi Greenwood, 22. Steele Sidebottom, 24. Josh Thomas, 25. Jack Crisp, 26. Marley Williams, 28. Ben Sinclair, 29. Tim Broomhead, 31. Jackson Ramsay, 32. Travis Cloke, 33. Patrick Karnezis, 34. Alan Toovey, 36. Dane Swan, 43. Adam Oxley, 44. Corey Gault, 45. Jack Frost

Sydney Swans v Greater Western Sydney
StarTrack Oval, Sunday March 22, 1.10pm AEDT

Sydney Swans
2. Rhyce Shaw, Dan Hannebery, 5. Isaac Heeney, 6. Tom Mitchell, 7. Harry Cunningham, 11. Jeremy Laidler, 12. Josh Kennedy, 13. Toby Nankervis, 14. Craig Bird, 15. Kieren Jack, 16. Gary Rohan, 20. Sam Reid, 22. Dean Towers, 23. Lance Franklin, 24. Dane Rampe, 25. Ted Richards, 26. Luke Parker, 27. Daniel Robinson, 32. Lewis Jetta, 33. Brandon Jack, 35. Sam Naismith, 37. Adam Goodes, 38. Mike Pyke, 39. Heath Grundy, 40. Nick Smith, 42. Xavier Richards, 44. Jake Lloyd

Greater Western Sydney
1. Phil Davis, 2. Curtly Hampton, 3. Stephen Coniglio, 4. Toby Greene, 5. Dylan Shiel, 6. Lachie Whitfield, 7. Rhys Palmer, 8. Callan Ward, 9. Tom Scully, 10. Devon Smith, 11. Jed Lamb, 14. Tomas Bugg, 17. Adam Treloar, 18. Jeremy Cameron, 19. Nick Haynes, 20. Adam Tomlinson, 21. Matt Buntine, 22. Josh Kelly, 23. Heath Shaw, 24. Joel Patfull, 25. Cam McCarthy, 32. Ryan Griffen, 33. Will Hoskin-Elliott, 35. Aidan Corr, 40. Adam Kennedy, 41. Shane Mumford, 44. Tom Downie

Carlton v Geelong
Etihad Stadium, Sunday March 22, 4.10pm AEDT

Carlton
2. Troy Menzel, 3. Marc Murphy, 5. Chris Judd, 7. Dylan Buckley, 9. Patrick Cripps, 10. Matthew Watson, 12. Blaine Boekhorst, 13. Chris Yarran, 14. Liam Jones, 15. Sam Docherty, 17. Sam Rowe, 18. Kristian Jaksch, 22. Jason Tutt, 23. Lachie Henderson, 25. Clem Smith, 27. Dennis Armfield, 28. Tom Bell, 31. Matthew Dick, 33. Andrejs Everitt, 35. Ed Curnow, 36. Cameron Wood, 38. Ciaran Byrne, 39. Dale Thomas, 40. Michael Jamison, 42. Zach Tuohy, 43. Simon White, 44. Andrew Carrazzo

Geelong
3. Jimmy Bartel, 4. Andrew Mackie, 5. Nakia Cockatoo, 7. Harry Taylor, 9. James Kelly, 11. Darcy Lang, 13. Tom Lonergan, 14. Joel Selwood, 16. Dawson Simpson, 17. Hamish McIntosh, 18. Josh Cowan, 19. Mitch Clark, 20. Steve Johnson, 21. Jordan Murdoch, 22. Mitch Duncan, 23. Josh Caddy, 24. Jed Bews, 25. Jared Rivers, 26. Tom Hawkins, 27. Mathew Stokes, 28. Cory Gregson, 29. Cameron Guthrie, 32. Steven Motlop, 33. George Horlin-Smith, 39. Shane Kersten, 44. Corey Enright, 46. Mark Blicavs

West Coast v Fremantle
Domain Stadium, Sunday March 22, 4.10pm AWST

West Coast
1. Mitch Brown, 2. Mark LeCras, 3. Andrew Gaff, 4. Dom Sheed, 5. Brad Sheppard, 6. Elliot Yeo, 7. Chris Masten, 9. Nic Naitanui, 10. Scott Selwood, 11. Matt Priddis, 12. Sharrod Wellingham, 13. Luke Shuey, 15. Jamie Cripps, 17. Josh Kennedy, 20. Jeremy McGovern, 24. Matt Rosa, 25. Shannon Hurn, 26. Sam Butler, 28. Tom Lamb, 29. Scott Lycett, 30. Jackson Nelson, 32. Simon Tunbridge, 33. Josh Hill, 35. Pat McGinnity, 36. Fraser McInnes, 44. Jamie Bennell, 47. Kane Lucas

Fremantle
5. Garrick Ibbotson, 6. Danyle Pearce, 7. Nathan Fyfe, 8. Nick Suban, 9. Matt De Boer, 10. Michael Walters, 11. Tom Sheridan, 12. Jon Griffin, 16. David Mundy, 17. Hayden Crozier, 18. Luke McPharlin, 19. Connor Blakely, 22. Tanner Smith, 23. Chris Mayne, 24. Max Duffy, 27. Lachie Neale, 28. Brady Grey, 29. Matthew Pavlich, 30. Zac Clarke, 31. Aaron Sandilands, 32. Stephen Hill, 33. Cam Sutcliffe, 34. Lee Spurr, 36. Alex Silvagni, 37. Michael Johnson, 38. Jack Hannath, 46. Clancee Pearce