Ball heads a long list of big-name ins for round eight, with Daniel Kerr back in West Coast's side, Brent Stanton and Paddy Ryder returning to Essendon's line-up, Jarrad Waite back for Carlton and Trent Cotchin in for Richmond.
Ball is one of four inclusions for the Magpies, with Jordan Russell, Jarrod Witts and Marley Williams the others to win a call-up.
But the Pies have lost Dale Thomas to an ankle injury and Heath Shaw to suspension.
The Cats have brought back veterans Joel Corey and Josh Hunt. Corey missed last weekend with a minor knee problem, while Hunt has finally earned his first AFL game for the season after missing most of the pre-season with glandular fever.
Geelong has lost James Kelly to suspension and Taylor Hunt to a broken collarbone.
The Eagles have made four changes in all for their match against North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium on Friday night, with Kerr, Adam Selwood, Beau Waters and Chris Masten all returning.
Mitch Brown, Bradd Dalziell, Ashley Smith and Mark Hutchings have all been dropped.
Key defender Nathan Grima is back for the Kangaroos. Will Sierakowski has been omitted.
Essendon has made four changes for its clash with the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Stanton and Ryder join youngsters Elliott Kavanagh and Jackson Merrett as the Bombers' inclusions.
Alwyn Davey is out with a hamstring strain, while Nathan Lovett-Murray, Scott Gumbleton and Kyle Hardingham have been dropped.
Brent Staker will line up for the Brisbane Lions for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in round 23, 2011.
The Lions have dropped Josh Green.
Former West Coast and Sydney Swans player Matt Spangher will play his first game for Hawthorn when the Hawks take on Greater Western Sydney in Launceston on Saturday.
Josh Gibson is out with an ankle injury.
The Giants have made four changes, with New South Welshman Mark Whiley to play his first senior game.
Gold Coast has been forced to leave Tom Murphy out of its team to play the Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium on Saturday after he failed a concussion test.
Murphy has been replaced by Luke Russell.
The Dogs have welcomed Brett Goodes back from suspension and have also included top-five draft picks Jake Stringer and Jackson Macrae.
Mitch Wallis is among four players dropped from the Bulldogs' team.
Star Shane Mumford headlines the ins at the Sydney Swans, who play Fremantle at the SCG on Saturday night.
Mitch Morton and Tommy Walsh have also come into the Swans' side, while Jesse White, Jed Lamb and Tony Armstrong have been dropped.
The Dockers have replaced Jon Griffin (knee) and Tendai Mzungu (omitted) with Zac Clarke and Nat Fyfe.
Zac Clarke will play his first game for Freo this season on Saturday night. Picture: AFL Media
Waite is a key inclusion for Carlton, which takes on Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
But the Blues have lost Eddie Betts to suspension and Chris Yarran to injury.
The Power have dropped Daniel Stewart and Campbell Heath, with Dominic Cassisi and Paul Stewart among the five players brought into their 25-man squad.
Although Richmond has included Cotchin in its side to play Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, the Tigers have decided to give ruckman Ivan Maric the weekend off as he has been struggling to overcome an ankle problem.
Former North Melbourne forward Aaron Edwards has been included in Richmond's extended squad.
Elevated rookie James Magner has been named in Melbourne's squad.
The Demons have also pulled a surprise by naming Jack Trengove, who was expected to miss another week with a calf problem.
Shannon Byrnes is out of the Dees' line-up with a wrist injury.
Adelaide has brought Matthew Jaensch, Ian Callinan and Ricky Henderson into its extended squad for Sunday's twilight clash with St Kilda at AAMI Stadium.
West Coast v North Melbourne
Patersons Stadium, Friday May 17, 6.40pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: D.Kerr, A.Selwood, B.Waters, C.Masten
Out: M.Brown, B.Dalziell, A.Smith, M.Hutchings
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: N.Grima
Out: W.Sierakowski
Essendon v Brisbane Lions
Etihad Stadium, Saturday May 18, 1.45pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: B.Stanton, P.Ryder, E.Kavanagh, J.Merrett
Out: N.Lovett-Murray, A.Davey (hamstring), S.Gumbleton (rested), K.Hardingham
BRISBANE LIONS
In: B.Staker
Out: J.Green
Hawthorn v Greater Western Sydney
Aurora Stadium, Saturday May 18, 2.10pm AEST
HAWTHORN
In: M.Spangher
Out: J.Gibson (ankle)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: A.Miles , T.Bugg , T.Golds , M.Whiley
Out: S.Reid, A.Treloar, J.Townsend (calf), Z.Williams (ankle)
Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs
Metricon Stadium, Saturday May 18, 4.40pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: L.Russell
Out: T.Murphy (concussion)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: B.Goodes, K.Stevens, J.Stringer, J.Macrae
Out: D.Addison, M.Austin, J.Tutt, M.Wallis
Collingwood v Geelong
MCG, Saturday May 18, 7.40pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: L.Ball, J.Russell, J.Witts, M.Williams
Out: D.Thomas (ankle) , H.Shaw (suspension), M.Clarke (illness), C.Mooney
GEELONG
In: J.Corey , J.Hunt
Out: J.Kelly (suspension), T.Hunt (shoulder)
Sydney Swans v Fremantle
SCG, Saturday May 18, 7.40pm AEST
SYDNEY SWANS
In: M.Morton, S.Mumford, T.Walsh
Out: J.White, T.Armstrong, J.Lamb
FREMANTLE
In: Z.Clarke, N.Fyfe
Out: J.Griffin (knee), T.Mzungu
Carlton v Port Adelaide
Etihad Stadium, Sunday May 19, 1.10pm AEST
CARLTON
In: J.Waite, S.Rowe, A.Joseph, T.Menzel, T.Bell, J.Bootsma
Out: E.Betts (suspension), D.Ellard (lower leg), C.Yarran (hamstring)
PORT ADELAIDE
In: D.Cassisi, T.Logan, M.Lobbe, P.Stewart, C.Hitchcock
Out: D.Stewart, C.Heath
Richmond v Melbourne
MCG, Sunday May 19, 3.20pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: A.Edwards, M.White, T.Cotchin, T.Vickery, M.Arnot, M.Dea
Out: S.Tuck (shoulder), C.Knights (knee), I.Maric (ankle)
MELBOURNE
In: M.Jamar, J.Magner, J.Trengove, N.Jetta, T.Davis, J.Toumpas
Out: S.Byrnes (wrist), C.Sylvia (suspension), J.Viney (toe)
Adelaide v St Kilda
AAMI Stadium, Sunday May 19, 4.10pm ACST
ADELAIDE
In: M.Jaensch, I.Callinan, R.Henderson
Out:
ST KILDA
In: J.Blake, B.Maister, C.Jones, S.Dunell
Out: N.Wright (jaw)
