The Brisbane Lions have made three changes to this week’s side to take on Essendon at the Gabba this Saturday, with Rohan Bewick returning from injury and new faces for 2011 Sam Sheldon and Ryan Harwood joining the Lions’ interchange bench.

Bewick injured his back in the Lions Round 5 meeting with St Kilda and is now back to full fitness.

A Round 1 debutant this year, he came to the Lions in the 2010 AFL Trade Week from WAFL club West Perth and showed outstanding early form in the Lions’ first three matches of the year.

Tough-as-nails midfielder Ryan Harwood has also been selected this week.

Harwood debuted in Round 17 of 2010 and went on to play the rest of the season, where he was consistent in the midfield with three goals, 22 tackles and 87 disposals over these six matches.

And Sam Sheldon, who earlier this year was named in the AFL’s Indigenous All Stars squad, has been named in the senior side after displaying consistent form in the Reserves.

The trio will line up in place of rover Andrew Raines, midfielder Claye Beams and utility Tom Collier.

Raines is still recovering from the concussion that saw him substituted off against the Gold Coast last weekend, Beams has pulled up with a sore ankle and Collier has been omitted.

Lions veteran Luke Power has been named in the centreline which will mark his 300th official AFL game - comprising 268 AFL premiership matches, one State of Origin match, 28 pre-season matches and three International Rules tests. This will qualify Power for automatic AFL Life Membership.

The rest of the squad remains largely unchanged.

The full Lions team for Round 8 is as follows:

B: Josh Drummond (39), Daniel Merrett (21), Ash McGrath (9)
HB: Pearce Hanley (11), Matt Maguire (36), Jed Adcock (7)
C: Tom Rockliff (38), Simon Black (20), Luke Power (6)
HF: Jesse O’Brien (34), Mitchell Clark (1), James Polkinghorne (31)
F: Todd Banfield (18), Joel Patfull (24), Bryce Retzlaff (37)
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger (23), Jack Redden (30), Daniel Rich (10)
Int: Cheynee Stiller (32), Sam Sheldon (3), Rohan Bewick (43), Ryan Harwood (26)
Emer: Broc McCauley (46), Matt Austin (8), Josh Green (42)

IN: Sam Sheldon, Rohan Bewick, Ryan Harwood
OUT: Andrew Raines (concussion), Claye Beams (ankle), Tom Collier (omitted)