The Dogs have brought back a host of senior players - after resting them for last week's trip to Bunbury - including new skipper Matthew Boyd, Shaun Higgins, Lindsay Gilbee, Barry Hall, Daniel Giansiracusa, Tom Williams, Ben Hudson, Dale Morris and Callan Ward.
Scott McMahon returns to the North Melbourne side just three weeks after breaking his cheekbone at training. He is joined in the squad by Andrew Swallow, Todd Goldstein, Daniel Wells, Liam Anthony, Leigh Adams and Aaron Edwards.
Geelong has also loaded up its team with talent, naming premiership players Joel Selwood, Joel Corey, Jimmy Bartel, Andrew Mackie, Brad Ottens, Cameron Mooney and Travis Varcoe for the clash against the Blues.
Varcoe is playing his first pre-season game since injuring his shoulder in the International Rules series in Ireland.
Carlton has brought back Lachlan Henderson and Andrew Carrazzo while Eddie Betts, David Ellard, Marc Murphy, Bret Thornton and Robert Warnock have been rested.
Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions will go into their clash at the Gabba this weekend without their respective captains.
Jonathan Brown and Gary Ablett will start the home and away season without playing at all in the pre-season after battling knee and groin injuries respectively.
Gold Coast deputy Campbell Brown will also sit out the game, as will Jared Brennan, missing a chance to have his first outing against his former side.
The Lions have brought back Matthew Leuenberger, who has missed the past two weeks, as well as Todd Banfield, who was rested in last week's win over Melbourne.
West Coast has rested Darren Glass and Nic Naitanui for its game against Fremantle, while the injured Mitch Brown also makes way.
First-year player Jack Darling has been recalled after he was dropped last week for a minor discipline breach.
Sam Fisher will sit out for St Kilda this week after injuring his cheekbone last week while Adam Schneider is another yet to be named in a match this season after he was again left out of the clash with the Sydney Swans.
And Rugby League convert Israel Folau has been officially named to make his first appearance in an AFL game when Greater Western Sydney plays Port Adelaide on Saturday at Willaston Oval.
