ALL AUSTRALIANS Lance Franklin and Dan Hannebery are shock inclusions for Sydney as the Swans try to get back into winning form at the SCG on Saturday.
Sydney ruled Franklin (bruised heel) out at the start of the week – which would have been a fourth straight game on the sidelines – but the superstar forward is named to return for the clash with Fremantle.
FULL TEAMS Check 'em out
A number of big names are in line to return in round nine, with club captains Marc Murphy, Scott Pendlebury and Easton Wood and premiership Tigers Shaun Grigg and Brandon Ellis in the mix, but star Hawk Jaeger O'Meara will miss the trip to Brisbane.
Richmond also named big man Ivan Soldo and small forward Tyson Stengle, with ruckman Toby Nankervis (wrist) in doubt for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The Eagles regain significant star power for the contest, with Jeremy McGovern, Nic Naitanui, Dom Sheed and Lewis Jetta among five potential ins.
Forward Kurt Mutimer could also come into the side, with omitted rookie Fraser McInnes the only confirmed out so far.
But Adelaide's reigning club champion Matt Crouch (hamstring) and Luke Brown (adductor) have joined Mitch McGovern (ankle) and skipper Taylor Walker (glute) on the sidelines.
The Crows turned to Kyle Hartigan, Sam Gibson – in for his first match since crossing from North Melbourne – Darcy Fogarty and Lachie Murphy in their absence.
Adelaide's opponent on Friday night at Adelaide Oval, the Western Bulldogs, regained Wood and promoted Jackson Trengove and Jordan Roughead.
First-year defender Aaron Naughton is out for a few weeks with an ankle injury, while Lewis Young and Mitch Honeychurch were dropped.
Collingwood has also finally turned to mercurial forward Alex Fasolo for Saturday night's match against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.
Fasolo, who is out of contract at season's end, had post-season shoulder surgery and booted 11 goals in five VFL games this year before his recall.
His return comes as the Magpies receive some injury relief, with Pendlebury (ankle) and Tom Langdon (leg) back from respective layoffs.
Darcy Moore (hamstring) and omitted pair Callum Brown and Ben Crocker make way.
The Saints also made three changes, handing Bailey Rice – son of Dean – a long-awaited debut and recalling Jack Sinclair and Jack Lonie.
They replace injured trio Jake Carlisle, who didn't recover from his concussion sustained in last week's 30-point loss to Fremantle, Blake Acres (groin) and Sam Gilbert (thumb).
North Melbourne continued its steadiness at the selection table and is unchanged for Saturday's game against Greater Western Sydney at Blundstone Arena.
Tim Mohr and Harry Perryman are back for the Giants, who lost captain Phil Davis (concussion) and Matt de Boer (hamstring).
Rookie Jacob Heron will make his debut for Gold Coast, which was forced to make one change because of key forward Sam Day's suspension.
The Suns face an unchanged Port Adelaide in Shanghai on Saturday afternoon.
Under-siege Essendon has made five changes for Saturday's twilight clash with Geelong at the MCG.
The Bombers had already confirmed that Jordan Ridley and Dylan Clarke would make their debut, while Matt Guelfi, Kyle Langford and Matt Dea are the other inclusions.
FANTASY READY All you need for round nine
All Australian defender Michael Hurley (hamstring), David Myers (hip), Kobe Mutch (rested) and omitted pair Darcy Parish and Ben McNiece go out of the team.
Tom Hawkins returns for the Cats, who lost Esava Ratugolea to injury.
Franklin and Hannebery (groin), also after three weeks out, headline the changes at the Swans, who dropped Daniel Robinson and Dean Towers.
The Dockers also brought back two injured stars, with Nathan Wilson and Michael Walters returning to omitted duo Taylin Duman and Danyle Pearce.
Murphy is one of five potential inclusions for Carlton, including 2015 No.1 draft pick Jacob Weitering after a fortnight in VFL purgatory.
Jack Silvagni could also return against Melbourne on Sunday, while untried key forward Patrick Kerr and Gold Coast discard Matt Shaw are the other options.
Suspended midfielder Ed Curnow is the sole Blue out at this stage.
Demons co-captain Jack Viney will play his first match since round 21 last year after recovering from a long-term foot injury.
Forward-ruck Sam Weideman (calf) is a confirmed out, while out-of-favour forward Jeff Garlett, Cameron Pedersen, Jayden Hunt and Tim Smith could also come in.
Hawthorn midfielder O'Meara failed to recover from a corked calf suffered in last week's loss to Sydney and won't take on Brisbane at the Gabba on Sunday.
But tall forward Mitchell Lewis will play his first game, while triple premiership forward Paul Puopolo – fit again after a hamstring injury – David Mirra, James Cousins and James Worpel are possible additions.
The Lions could bring in Ben Keays, Josh Walker, Sam Mayes and Jake Barrett.
Friday, May 18
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: K.Hartigan, S.Gibson, D.Fogarty, L.Murphy
Out: L.Brown (adductor), M.Crouch (hamstring), M.McGovern (ankle), T.Walker (glute)
New: Sam Gibson (North Melbourne)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Trengove, E.Wood, J.Roughead
Out: A.Naughton (ankle), L.Young, M.Honeychurch
Saturday, May 19
North Melbourne v Greater Western Sydney at Blundstone Arena, 1.45pm AEST
NORTH MELBOURNE
Unchanged
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: T.Mohr, H.Perryman
Out: P.Davis (concussion), M.de Boer (hamstring)
Gold Coast v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Arena at Jiangwan Stadium (Shanghai), 3.15pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: J.Heron
Out: S.Day (suspended)
New: Jacob Heron (Suns Academy)
PORT ADELAIDE
Unchanged
Essendon v Geelong at the MCG, 4.35 pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: J.Ridley, M.Guelfi, D.Clarke, K.Langford, M.Dea
Out: M.Hurley (hamstring), K.Mutch (rested), D.Myers (hip), D.Parish, B.McNiece
New: Jordan Ridley (Oakleigh U18), Dylan Clarke (Eastern U18)
GEELONG
In: T.Hawkins
Out: E.Ratugolea (injured)
Sydney v Fremantle at the SCG, 7.35pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: L.Franklin, D.Hannebery
Out: D.Robinson, D.Towers
FREMANTLE
In: N.Wilson, M.Walters
Out: T.Duman, D.Pearce
St Kilda v Collingwood at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: B.Rice, J.Sinclair, J.Lonie
Out: J.Carlisle (concussion), B.Acres (groin), S.Gilbert (thumb)
New: Bailey Rice (Dandenong U18)
COLLINGWOOD
In: A.Fasolo, T.Langdon, S.Pendlebury
Out: D.Moore (hamstring), C.Brown, B.Crocker
Sunday, May 20
Carlton v Melbourne at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
CARLTON
In: M.Murphy, P.Kerr, J.Weitering, J.Silvagni, M.Shaw
Out: E.Curnow (suspended)
New: Pat Kerr (Oakleigh U18), Matt Shaw (Gold Coast)
MELBOURNE
In: J.Viney, C.Pedersen, J.Hunt, J.Garlett, T.Smith
Out: S.Weideman (calf)
Brisbane v Hawthorn at The Gabba, 3.20pm AEST
BRISBANE
In: B.Keays, J.Walker, S.Mayes, J.Barrett
Out: -
HAWTHORN
In: M.Lewis, J.Cousins, D.Mirra, P.Puopolo, J.Worpel
Out: J.O'Meara (calf)
New: Mitchell Lewis (Calder U18)
West Coast v Richmond at Optus Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: J.McGovern, D.Sheed, L.Jetta, N.Naitanui, K.Mutimer
Out: F.McInnes
RICHMOND
In: B.Ellis, S.Grigg, I.Soldo, T.Stengle
Out: -
