GEELONG has loaded up for its first crack at Essendon since coaches Mark Thompson and Brendan McCartney traded hoops for the red and black, bringing in six players for Saturday night's Etihad Stadium clash.
The Cats have regained Jimmy Bartel, Josh Hunt, James Kelly and Mathew Stokes for the match - the first time they've faced the Bombers since round 12, 2010 - and have given their ruck stocks a big shot in the arm with the return of Brad Ottens and Nathan Vardy.
Bartel returns from concussion, and Hunt and Stokes from suspension. Kelly, Ottens and Vardy are back after having a rest in round 14.
The Cats have lost Shannon Byrnes to a hamstring injury while Travis Varcoe is having a week off and is training in Perth with suspended teammate Joel Selwood.
Taylor Hunt will miss with soreness while Tom Hawkins, Dawson Simpson and Tom Gillies have been omitted.
In response, the Bombers have made four changes but three were compulsory with Jobe Watson (hamstring), David Myers (hamstring) and Sam Lonergan (knee) out injured.
Tom Bellchambers has been omitted with James Hird abandoning his three-tall project for the second time this season.
Kyle Reimers, Travis Colyer, Kyle Hardingham and Stewart Crameri are the inclusions.
The Western Bulldogs have made four changes for their clash with Melbourne at Etihad Stadium but Brian Lake is not one of them and is destined for his sixth VFL game this year.
Jarrad Grant and Andrew Hooper have been named after kicking eight and four goals respectively in the VFL last Saturday while Sam Reid and Lukas Markovic have been recalled.
Will Minson, Christian Howard and Jayden Schofield have been omitted while Justin Sherman will serve the first week of his four-game suspension for his racial vilification of a Gold Coast player in the VFL.
The Demons have given light midfielder Sam Blease his first game after he was drafted two-and-a-half years ago, but have lost Joel Macdonald to a knee injury.
Damien Hardwick has swung the axe at Richmond with five players omitted; Luke McGuane, David Gourdis, Jeromey Webberley, Reece Conca and Brad Miller the casualties from last week's 27-point loss to Melbourne.
Will Thursfield, Jayden Post, Ben Griffiths and Brad Helbig have been recalled while Jake King returns from suspension to face Carlton at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues get back Jarrad Waite from the hamstring that has kept him out for three weeks while Jeremy Laidler returns from a four-week knee complaint.
Mitch Robinson was a late withdrawal last week with general soreness while Simon White has been recalled after good form in the VFL.
They've lost defender Michael Jamison to a four-week knee injury while Mark Austin, Dennis Armfield and Rhys O'Keeffe have been dropped.
Fremantle has lost Aaron Sandilands again to his on-going toe problem but has named Luke McPharlin, despite the key defender sitting out the second half against the Brisbane Lions last week with groin soreness.
The inclusions for its Saturday afternoon clash with Gold Coast at Patersons Stadium are Antoni Grover, Hayden Ballantyne, Tendai Mzungu and Jonathon Griffin while Kepler Bradley, Clancee Pearce and Clayton Hinkley have been omitted.
Gold Coast won't take Harley Bennell west after the leadership group again decided not to reinstate him to the senior side (punishment for returning to Queensland a day late and missing a training session after the Suns' last trip to Perth in round 11).
The Suns have made five changes - two required, with Michael Rischitelli (adductor) and Tom Lynch (rested) - and Maverick Weller, Nathan Krakouer and Charlie Dixon omitted.
Trent McKenzie, Brandon Matera, Sam Day, Daniel Gorringe and Seb Tape come in, with Matera to return from the groin complaint that has kept him out since round 10.
Adelaide will blood former Calder Cannon and its first-round draft pick from 2009 Daniel Talia in its clash with the Sydney Swans on Saturday night at AAMI Stadium.
Talia, David Mackay, Brad Moran, Brad Symes, Matthew Jaensch and Richard Tambling are the six inclusions to Neil Craig's side that was easily beaten by Geelong last Sunday.
Ricky Henderson (concussion) and Chris Schmidt (knee) are injured but Shaun McKernan, Chris Knights, Jack Gunston and Luke Thompson have been dumped.
The Swans, who were beaten by six points by Collingwood last Saturday night, have brought in Ted Richards - who was a late withdrawal against the Pies - Lewis Jetta, Luke Parker and Alex Johnson.
They've lost Kieren Jack to an ankle and Nick Malceski to a groin, while Lewis Johnston and Andrejs Everitt have been dropped.
The first of the Sunday games will see a Daniel Rich-less Brisbane Lions' outfit take on Port Adelaide at the Gabba.
Rich is the only omission for the Lions at this stage with a two-to-three week foot injury while Jed Adcock has been named to return after missing two matches with a broken finger.
Matt Austin, Amon Buchanan and Josh Green are on an extended bench.
The Power have added Steven Salopek, Nick Salter, Brett Ebert, Mitch Banner and Cameron Hitchcock to their squad but have lost Alipate Carlile (hip) and Jasper Pittard (hamstring) to injury.
Collingwood has named ruckman Darren Jolly to start in the centre in what will be his first game since Anzac Day. Simon Buckley and Alex Fasolo have been listed on an extended bench along with potential debutants Luke Rounds and Tom Young, who have been pushing for selection with their past two performances in the VFL.
The Pies will meet an undermanned Hawthorn side on Sunday at the MCG, with the Hawks losing another three players - Jordan Lewis (suspension), Brad Sewell (knee) and Cyril Rioli (hamstring) - last week against Essendon.
However, they have two significant ins with Lance Franklin to return from suspension and Tom Murphy named in the backline after he missed one week with a shoulder.
Clinton Young and Riley Milne have been named on the extended bench along with potential first-gamers Luke Lowden and Will Sierakowski.
North Melbourne have added Scott McMahon, Daniel Pratt, Lachie Hansen and Ben McKinley to its squad set to face St Kilda on Sunday while Luke Delaney is out with a shoulder injury.
McMahon missed last week's trip to Adelaide owing to the imminent birth of his first child while Pratt has been out since round 10 with a broken thumb. Hansen has missed two games with concussion sustained against Gold Coast in round 12.
The Saints have added Andrew McQualter, Tom Lynch, Tom Ledger and Dean Polo to their expanded squad and have lost Justin Koschitzke to suspension.
