- Kangaroos, Dockers and Dogs all rest multiple players
- Tigers and Eagles at full strength for final match before finals
- Dustin Fletcher fails to prove fitness, set to retire on 400

TODD Goldstein, Nick Dal Santo and Jarrad Waite are among nine changes for North Melbourne's clash with Richmond on Friday night, with the Kangaroos controversially keen to enter the finals with a fresh list to pick from.

A further six Roos – including Andrew Swallow (knee) and Shaun Higgins (knee) were listed as having picked up ailments over the past week.

At least 16 players from the eight finals-bound teams have been strategically omitted this weekend, with all games essentially dead rubbers given only the order of the top eight can change.

Click here for the full round 23 teams

Fremantle forecasted up to 11 changes earlier in the week and didn't disappoint, naming as many for Saturday's away clash with Port Adelaide. 

Crosstown rivals West Coast went with a vastly different approach and will go into its home game against St Kilda at almost full strength, as Richmond will when facing the Roos. 

In other teams news, Essendon's Dustin Fletcher looks set to end his career on 400 games after failing to come up from a persistent groin injury for Sunday's clash with Collingwood, on a weekend where many players will be farewelled.

Brent Staker is one, with the big forward to run out for the last time for the Brisbane Lions on Saturday against the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba after being named along with Rohan Bewick.

The Lions have lost Luke McGuane – who has also retired – to a knee injury and omitted Hugh Beasley. 

Despite claiming otherwise earlier in the week, Dogs captain Bob Murphy won't make the trip north with the club citing "general soreness" for his omission. 

Fellow veterans Matthew Boyd and Dale Morris are in the same boat, with coach Luke Beveridge clearly casting his eye to the first week of finals. 

Fletcher Roberts, Brett Goodes and Caleb Daniel have been named as their replacements, with prized forward Tom Boyd to remain in the VFL.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin returns from a back issue for Matt Thomas, with the Tigers clearly not keen to flirt with their winning form when they face the Kangaroos.

Michael Firrito (knee), Sam Wright (knee), Ben Cunnington (knee) and Scott Thompson (ankle) are the Roos' other omissions.

Joel Tippett, Majak Daw, Aaron Mullett, Aaron Black, Brad McKenzie, Mason Wood, Trent Dumont, Luke McDonald and Kayne Turner have been called up for the final hit-out before finals.

For what's sure to be an emotional day at Simonds Stadium, Geelong has named Josh Cowan and George Horlin-Smith to join Mathew Stokes for his farewell outing against Adelaide.

Jed Bews, Darcy Lang (Achilles) and Jordan Murdoch (finger) are out for what will also be James Kelly's last game, and possibly Steve Johnson's.

The Crows, who are playing for the chance to host their final should the depleted Roos upset the Tigers, remain unchanged with 11 goals in the SANFL last week not enough for James Podsiadly to force his way in. 

Jay Schulz could line up for Port Adelaide for the last time after being named for the Powers' clash with Fremantle at Adelaide Oval.

Schulz, who has been linked to the Dockers, has been picked to return from a back injury along with Jake Neade, who missed last week for personal reasons.

Angus Monfries and Aaron Young have been omitted

As expected, Matthew Pavlich, Luke McPharlin, Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Stephen Hill and Lee Spurr are out of the Dockers' side, with Cam Sutcliffe (shoulder), Michael Johnson, Danyle Pearce, Chris Mayne and Jonathon Griffin (hamstring) also to miss.

Connor Blakely, Brady Grey and rookie Ethan Hughes will make their debut, while Jack Hannath, Zac Clarke, Max Duffy, Hayden Crozier, Matt Tabener, Tanner Smith, Alex Pearce and Lachie Weller are the Dockers' other inclusions.

Hawthorn has regained Sam Mitchell from illness and Paul Puopolo from an ankle injury for Saturday's clash with Carlton at the MCG.

Luke Breust (rested) can take a load off this week while Billy Hartung has been omitted.

Meanwhile, the Blues waved the white flag early this week when they made it known they had just 25 players available for selection.

They've lost Chris Yarran to a hamstring, with the half-back likely to have played his last game in the navy blue, and Sam Docherty to a hip while Brad Walsh has been omitted.

Andrew Carrazzo has been called in for his farewell game after missing with a toe injury last week, along with Nick Holman and Clem Smith. 

The Eagles haven't been caught up in the resting craze with the return of Chris Masten, Sam Butler and Sharrod Wellingham strengthening their side for Saturday's clash with the Saints. 

Jackson Nelson is their other inclusion, meaning Will Schofield will miss again, while Murray Newman, Patrick McGinnity, Jamie Bennell and Tom Barrass have been omitted.

Defender Jeremy McGovern has been named despite being subbed out last week after a shoulder knock last week.

Farren Ray and Jack Lonie have been called in for the Saints for their last game for the year, with Adam Schneider (retired) and Tom Hickey (omitted) out.

Hickey's omission after he was subbed out last week means US import Jason Holmes will largely ruck alone against the big Eagles in just his third AFL game.

The Sydney Swans also haven't subscribed to the mass management of players theory, having made just one forced change to their side set to face Gold Coast on Saturday night at the SCG.

Nick Smith is out with a hamstring strain with Jake Lloyd his replacement, which leaves Ben McGlynn to gather more time in the NEAFL.

The Suns have given Greg Broughton a final AFL game and Trent McKenzie has been called up, with Harley Bennell (calf) and Clay Cameron (concussion) forced out.

Melbourne has named four potential inclusions for Sunday's clash with Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium. 

Angus Brayshaw, James Harmes, rookie Mitch White and Jay Kennedy-Harris have been selected with just Matt Jones omitted at this stage, although Nathan Jones, Heritier Lumumba, Chris Dawes and Jake Spencer face fitness tests before the team is finalised.

As expected, the Giants have lost Ryan Griffen to a knee while Stephen Coniglio has a hamstring injury.

Leon Cameron has named a debutant for Sunday with Jake Barrett to play his first AFL game, while Jacob Townsend, Jack Steele, Rory Lobb and Paul Ahern have been added to the squad. 

Collingwood may also use its last game for the year to have a look at a new player, with Matthew Goodyear named in an extended squad for Sunday's clash with Essendon at the MCG.

Alan Toovey, Jarrod Witts, Adam Oxley, Ben Kennedy and Paul Seedsman have also been named, with Dane Swan (knee), Ben Sinclair (hand) and Marley Williams (hamstring) out of last week's side.

Fletcher is the notable absentee from the Bombers' line up, but that hasn't stopped interim coach Matt Egan from naming a large squad.

They've lost Paul Chapman to retirement, Courtenay Dempsey to suspension, Michael Hibberd to a knee and Nick O'Brien to a hamstring.

Tayte Pears has been named for what could be his second AFL game for the year, along with Alex Browne, Elliot Kavanagh, Shaun Edwards, Ariel Steinberg, Jason Ashby and Kyle Langford also in the squad.  

All the ins and outs for round 23

Friday, August 28

Richmond v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEST

Richmond
In: T.Cotchin
Out: M.Thomas 

North Melbourne
In: J.Tippett, M.Daw, A.Mullett, A.Black, B.McKenzie, M.Wood, T.Dumont, L.McDonald, K.Turner
Out: N.Dal Santo (managed), J.Waite (managed), M.Firrito (knee), A.Swallow (knee), S.Higgins (knee), T.Goldstein (managed), S.Wright (knee), B.Cunnington (knee), S.Thompson (ankle) 

Saturday, August 29

Geelong v Adelaide at Simonds Stadium, 1.05pm AEST

Geelong
In: M.Stokes, J.Cowan, G.Horlin-Smith
Out: J.Bews, D.Lang (Achilles), J.Murdoch (finger)

Adelaide
No changes

Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs at the Gabba, 1.45pm AEST

Brisbane Lions
In: B.Staker, R.Bewick
Out: L.McGuane (knee), H.Beasley

Western Bulldogs
In: F.Roberts, B.Goodes, C.Daniel
Out: M.Boyd (general soreness), R.Murphy (general soreness), D.Morris (general soreness)

Port Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 3.20pm ACST

Port Adelaide
In: J.Schulz, J.Neade
Out: A.Monfries, A.Young

Fremantle
In: J.Hannath, Z.Clarke, M.Duffy, H.Crozier, M.Taberner, T.Smith, A.Pearce, C.Blakely, L.Weller, B.Grey, E.Hughes
Out: M.Pavlich (rested), L.McPharlin (rested), A.Sandilands (rested), M.Johnson (rested), D.Mundy (rested), L.Spurr (rested), D.Pearce (rested), J.Griffin (hamstring), S.Hill (rested), C.Mayne (rested), C.Sutcliffe (shoulder)
New: Connor Blakely (Swan Districts), Brady Grey (Burnie Dockers), Ethan Hughes (Swan Districts)

Hawthorn v Carlton at the MCG, 4.40pm AEST

Hawthorn
In: S.Mitchell, P.Puopolo
Out: L.Breust (rested), B.Hartung 

Carlton
In: A.Carrazzo, N.Holman, C.Smith
Out: C.Yarran (hamstring), S.Docherty (hip), B.Walsh

Sydney Swans v Gold Coast at the SCG, 7.20pm AEST

Sydney Swans
In: J.Lloyd
Out: N.Smith (hamstring) 

Gold Coast
In: G.Broughton, T.McKenzie
Out: H.Bennell (calf), C.Cameron (Concussion)

West Coast v St Kilda at Domain Stadium, 5.40pm AWST

West Coast
In: C.Masten, S.Wellingham, J.Nelson, S.Butler
Out: M.Newman, P.McGinnity, J.Bennell, T.Barrass

St Kilda
In: F.Ray, J.Lonie
Out: A.Schneider (retired), T.Hickey

Sunday, August 30

Melbourne v Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST

Melbourne
In: J.Kennedy-Harris, J.Harmes, A.Brayshaw, M.White
Out: M.Jones
New: Mitch White (Dandenong U18)

Greater Western Sydney
In: J.Barrett, J.Townsend, J.Steele, R.Lobb, P.Ahern
Out: R.Griffen (knee), S.Coniglio (hamstring)
New: Jake Barrett (NSW-ACT U18)

Collingwood v Essendon at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST

Collingwood
In: A.Toovey, J.Witts, A.Oxley, B.Kennedy, P.Seedsman, M.Goodyear 
Out: D.Swan (knee), B.Sinclair (hand), M.Williams (hamstring)
New: Matthew Goodyear (Calder U18)

Essendon
In: T.Pears, A.Browne, E.Kavanagh, S.Edwards, A.Steinberg, J.Ashby, K.Langford
Out: P.Chapman (retired), C.Dempsey (suspended), M.Hibberd (knee), N.O'Brien (hamstring)