BOTH Fremantle and West Coast will start 2022 without their captains after Nat Fyfe and Luke Shuey failed to recover in time for the first weekend of the season.
Fyfe didn’t train at Cockburn on Thursday and won't face Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, while Shuey has been battling soft tissue issues and won't face Gold Coast at Optus Stadium.
After confirming the eagerly anticipated debut of father-son recruit Nick Daicos and the first game of off-season acquisition Patrick Lipinski on Wednesday morning, new Collingwood coach Craig McRae has picked Mason Cox for the season-opener after the American fell out of favour under Nathan Buckley and Robert Harvey in 2021.
>> KEEP SCROLLING OR CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL TEAMS AND EMERGENCIES
St Kilda will expose two debutants to AFL football for the first time on Friday night after Brett Ratten picked SANFL star Jack Hayes and Next Generation Academy graduate Mitch Owens for the clash at Marvel Stadium.
Essendon will be without star forward Jake Stringer for the clash against Geelong, along with Will Snelling who finished third in the Bombers' best and fairest last season.
The Dons will have two debutants when they face the Cats at the MCG on Saturday with pre-season supplemental selection period signing Nick Martin picked alongside Kaine Baldwin who was announced on Wednesday.
Former Adelaide and Richmond small forward Tyson Stengle will make his first appearance since being signed by Geelong as a delisted free agent late last year, with Shaun Higgins and Luke Dahlhaus both selected to start the year in Chris Scott's 22.
Greater Western Sydney will be without injury-plagued key forward Jesse Hogan for the clash against crosstown rivals Sydney at Accor Stadium Australia on Saturday, with delisted Eagle Jarrod Brander named to take his place in Leon Cameron's side.
Superstar Lance Franklin will be the star attraction in the harbour city as he aims to become just the sixth player in the history of the game to reach the magical 1000-goal milestone, but Swans Jake Lloyd and Chad Warner are both missing.
All-Australian Power spearhead Charlie Dixon won't make the trip to his home state to face Brisbane at the Gabba after undergoing ankle surgery last month.
Former Greater Western Sydney forward Jeremy Finlayson will help fill some of the void left by Dixon.
Former No.1 pick Cam Rayner will play his first AFL game since tearing his AFL on the eve of last season, joining ex-Cat Darcy Fort in the Lions' 22 for the clash against the Power.
While dual Brownlow Medallist Fyfe won't captain Fremantle this weekend, Justin Longmuir will also be without ruckman Sean Darcy, but off-season signings Jordan Clark and Will Brodie have been selected for the trip to South Australia.
Adelaide will unveil two first-gamers in Rising Star contender Josh Rachele and Jake Soligo, as well as gun recruit Jordan Dawson, who the Crows lured to West Lakes from Sydney last October.
No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis will make his debut for North Melbourne on Sunday, with David Noble rewarding the pre-season form of ruckman Tristan Xerri in favour of recruit Callum Coleman-Jones.
Hawthorn will be without captain Ben McEvoy and gun forward Luke Breust due to health and safety protocols, but new coach Sam Mitchell will unveil first-round pick Josh Ward and Connor Macdonald, along with former Collingwood ruckman Max Lynch, who will partner Ned Reeves against the Kangaroos.
Thursday, March 17
Carlton v Richmond at the MCG, 7.25pm AEDT
CARLTON
B: A.Saad 42 O.McDonald 39 J.Weitering 23
HB: Z.Williams 6 M.McGovern 11 S.Docherty 15
C: M.Kennedy 7 A.Cerra 5 L.O'Brien 4
HF: M.Owies 44 H.McKay 10 J.Martin 21
F: J.Silvagni 1 C.Curnow 30 C.Durdin 19
Foll: M.Pittonet 27 P.Cripps - C 9 G.Hewett 29
I/C: N.Newman 24 W.Setterfield 43 T.De Koning 12 Z.Fisher 25
Emerg: Le.Young 33 T.Williamson 31 J.Carroll 16 L.Fogarty 8
New faces: Cerra, Hewett
Notable absentees: Walsh, E.Curnow, Stocker
RICHMOND
B: D.Grimes - C 2 R.Tarrant 6 N.Balta 21
HB: J.Short 15 N.Broad 35 D.Rioli 17
C: J.Ross 5 T.Cotchin 9 M.Pickett 50
HF: S.Bolton 29 L.Baker 7 S.Edwards 10
F: T.Lynch 19 I.Soldo 20 J.Riewoldt 8
Foll: T.Nankervis 25 D.Prestia 3 D.Martin 4
I/C: J.Gibcus 28 J.Graham 34 J.Aarts 16 J.Castagna 11
Emerg: H.Ralphsmith 45 R.Mansell 31 T.Dow 27 M.Parker 37
New faces: Gibcus, Tarrant
Notable absentees: McIntosh, Vlastuin, Lambert
Friday, March 18
St Kilda v Collingwood at Marvel Stadium, 7.50pm AEDT
ST KILDA
B: D.Howard 20 B.Paton 33 C.Wilkie 44
HB: B.Hill 8 J.Battle 26 J.Sinclair 35
C: D.McKenzie 36 J.Gresham 4 R.Byrnes 13
HF: D.Butler 16 M.Wood 32 J.Higgins 22
F: T.Membrey 28 M.King 12 D.Kent 25
Foll: R.Marshall 19 J.Steele - C 9 S.Ross 6
I/C: J.Webster 29 M.Owens 24 B.Crouch 5 J.Hayes 47
Emerg: N.Wanganeen-Milera 7 J.Lienert 31 B.Long 21 T.Campbell 38
New faces: Hayes, Owens
Notable absentees: Ryder, Clark, Billings, Jones, Geary
COLLINGWOOD
B: I.Quaynor 3 D.Moore 30 J.Madgen 44
HB: S.Pendlebury - C 10 J.Howe 38 N.Daicos 35
C: J.Daicos 7 T.Adams 13 S.Sidebottom 22
HF: T.Bianco 8 B.Mihocek 41 B.McCreery 31
F: O.Henry 16 J.De Goey 2 J.Elliott 5
Foll: B.Grundy 4 P.Lipinski 1 J.Crisp 25
I/C: M.Cox 46 J.Noble 9 T.Brown 6 J.Ginnivan 33
Emerg: T.Wilson 12 C.Brown 17 D.Cameron 14 H.Harrison 36
New faces: Daicos, Lipinski
Notable absentees: Roughead, Hoskin-Elliott, Maynard
Saturday, March 19
Geelong v Essendon at the MCG, 2.10pm AEDT
GEELONG
B: J.Kolodjashnij 8 S.De Koning 16 J.Henry 38
HB: Z.Tuohy 2 T.Stewart 44 M.Blicavs 46
C: M.Holmes 9 C.Guthrie 29 I.Smith 7
HF: T.Stengle 18 E.Ratugolea 17 B.Parfitt 3
F: J.Cameron 5 T.Hawkins 26 S.Higgins 4
Foll: R.Stanley 1 P.Dangerfield 35 J.Selwood - C 14
I/C: Z.Guthrie 39 L.Dahlhaus 40 B.Close 45 T.Atkins 30
Emerg: C.Stephens 12 F.Evans 31 Q.Narkle 19 C.Whyte 11
New faces: Stengle
Notable absentees: Duncan, Menegola, Rohan, Ceglar, O'Connor
ESSENDON
B: J.Stewart 17 J.Laverde 15 J.Kelly 29
HB: N.Hind 19 J.Ridley 14 D.Heppell - C 21
C: A.McGrath 1 Z.Merrett 7 N.Cox 13
HF: A.Perkins 16 K.Baldwin 26 D.Shiel 9
F: B.Ham 33 P.Wright 20 D.Smith 5
Foll: S.Draper 2 D.Parish 3 K.Langford 4
I/C: J.Caldwell 6 M.Guelfi 35 N.Martin 37 M.Redman 27
Emerg: T.Cutler 12 A.Phillips 34 B.Hobbs 8 A.Francis 10
New faces: Kelly, Baldwin, Martin
Notable absentees: Stringer, Jones, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Snelling
GWS Giants v Sydney at Accor Stadium, 5.10pm AEDT
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
B: L.Keeffe 25 P.Davis 1 I.Cumming 13
HB: L.Whitfield 6 S.Taylor 15 H.Perryman 36
C: X.O'Halloran 33 J.Hopper 2 L.Ash 7
HF: T.Taranto 14 H.Himmelberg 27 D.Lloyd 38
F: B.Hill 37 J.Riccardi 26 J.Brander 31
Foll: M.Flynn 30 S.Coniglio 3 J.Kelly - C 22
I/C: C.Ward 8 T.Green 12 C.Idun 39 M.de Boer 24
Emerg: T.Bruhn 5 K.Briggs 32 J.Stein 42 R.Angwin 9
New faces: Brander
Notable absentees: Greene, Preuss, Daniels, Haynes, Hogan
SYDNEY
B: P.McCartin 39 D.Rampe 24 H.Cunningham 7
HB: B.Campbell 16 T.McCartin 30 J.McInerney 27
C: J.Rowbottom 8 J.Kennedy 12 D.Stephens 3
HF: E.Gulden 21 I.Heeney 5 W.Hayward 9
F: S.Wicks 15 L.Franklin 23 H.McLean 2
Foll: T.Hickey 31 L.Parker 26 O.Florent 13
I/C: A.Sheldrick 29 L.McDonald 6 C.Mills - C 14 N.Blakey 22
Emerg: S.Reid 20 C.O'Riordan 38 C.Sinclair 18 J.Bell 32
New faces: P.McCartin, Sheldrick
Notable absentees: Papley, Ladhams, C.Warner, Lloyd
Brisbane v Port Adelaide at the Gabba, 7.10pm AEST
BRISBANE
B: D.Gardiner 27 H.Andrews 31 M.Adams 24
HB: B.Starcevich 37 D.Rich 10 C.Ah Chee 4
C: M.Robinson 5 D.Zorko - C 15 H.McCluggage 6
HF: Z.Bailey 33 D.McStay 25 L.McCarthy 11
F: C.Rayner 16 J.Daniher 3 C.Cameron 23
Foll: O.McInerney 46 J.Lyons 17 L.Neale 9
I/C: J.Berry 7 N.Cockatoo 12 D.Fort 32 N.Answerth 43
Emerg: J.Madden 14 T.Fullarton 21 H.Sharp 22 R.Mathieson 36
New faces: Fort
Notable absentees: Hipwood, Coleman
PORT ADELAIDE
B: R.Burton 3 T.McKenzie 12 A.Aliir 21
HB: R.Bonner 26 T.Jonas - C 1 D.Byrne-Jones 33
C: D.Houston 5 O.Wines 16 K.Amon 15
HF: Z.Butters 18 M.Georgiades 19 C.Rozee 20
F: J.Finlayson 11 T.Marshall 4 R.Gray 9
Foll: S.Lycett 29 W.Drew 28 T.Boak 10
I/C: S.Powell-Pepper 2 L.Jones 34 X.Duursma 7 J.Mead 44
Emerg: S.Motlop 6 S.Hayes 25 S.Mayes 32 S.Skinner 31
New faces: Finlayson, Mead
Notable absentees: Dixon, Fantasia
Hawthorn v North Melbourne at the MCG, 1.10pm AEDT
HAWTHORN
B: B.Hardwick 15 S.Frost 8 D.Grainger-Barras 24
HB: H.Morrison 1 J.Sicily 6 J.Scrimshaw 14
C: J.Ward 25 J.Newcombe 44 L.Shiels 26
HF: C.Wingard 20 D.Moore 13 J.Worpel 5
F: J.Gunston 19 M.Lewis 2 C.Macdonald 31
Foll: M.Lynch 18 J.O'Meara - C 10 T.Mitchell 3
I/C: F.Maginness 32 D.Howe 17 C.Jiath 9 C.Nash 11 T.Phillips 21 E.Jeka 39 N.Reeves 37 K.Hartigan 28
New faces: Ward, Macdonald, Lynch
Notable absentees: McEvoy, Breust, Day, Impey
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: J.Ziebell - C 7 A.Corr 4 K.Turner 28
HB: L.McDonald 11 B.McKay 23 A.Hall 43
C: J.Polec 13 J.Simpkin 12 H.Greenwood 18
HF: C.Taylor 5 N.Larkey 20 J.Stephenson 2
F: J.Horne-Francis 6 C.Zurhaar 44 T.Xerri 38
Foll: T.Goldstein 22 L.Davies-Uniacke 9 T.Thomas 26
I/C: J.Mahony 1 B.Scott 8 La.Young 17 J.Walker 19 C.Coleman-Jones 21 T.Powell 24 C.Lazzaro 35 K.Hayden 37
New faces: Horne-Francis, Greenwood, Coleman-Jones
Notable absentees: Cunnington, Anderson, Phillips
Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 3.40pm ACDT
ADELAIDE
B: T.Doedee 39 J.Butts 41 L.Brown 16
HB: B.Smith 33 N.Murray 28 C.Jones 1
C: J.Dawson 12 R.Sloane - C 9 M.Hinge 20
HF: N.McHenry 25 E.Himmelberg 34 B.Keays 2
F: J.Rachele 8 D.Fogarty 32 R.Thilthorpe 7
Foll: R.O'Brien 43 H.Schoenberg 26 M.Crouch 5
I/C: J.Rowe 31 L.Gollant 44 J.Soligo 14 L.Sholl 38 B.Cook 15 W.Milera 30 A.McPherson 36 B.Frampton 22
New faces: Dawson, Rachele, Soligo
Notable absentees: Laird, Walker, Seedsman, Murphy
FREMANTLE
B: L.Ryan 13 A.Pearce 25 H.Chapman 27
HB: H.Young 26 B.Cox 36 J.Clark 6
C: A.Brayshaw 8 W.Brodie 17 M.Walters 10
HF: D.Mundy - C 16 B.Acres 9 L.Schultz 5
F: M.Frederick 32 R.Lobb 37 L.Henry 23
Foll: L.Meek 22 C.Serong 3 S.Switkowski 39
I/C: J.Treacy 35 B.Banfield 41 M.Crowden 12 D.Tucker 18 G.Logue 2 N.Erasmus 28 B.Walker 31 T.Colyer 33
New faces: Clark, Brodie, Erasmus
Notable absentees: Taberner, Fyfe, Darcy
West Coast v Gold Coast at Optus Stadium, 4.40pm AWST
WEST COAST
B: S.Hurn 25 T.Barrass 37 J.Rotham 35
HB: J.Nelson 30 J.McGovern 20 L.Foley 29
C: S.Petrevski-Seton 10 J.Redden 8 Z.Langdon 7
HF: J.Petruccelle 21 H.Dixon 41 W.Rioli 44
F: L.Ryan 1 J.Kennedy 17 J.Waterman 2
Foll: N.Naitanui - C 9 X.O'Neill 24 A.Gaff 3
I/C: B.Hough 19 I.Winder 22 J.Jones 31 B.Williams 32 J.Williams 34 C.Jamieson 40 H.Edwards 42 P.Naish 43
New faces: Petrevski-Seton, Hough, Naish, J.Williams, Jamieson, Dixon
Notable absentees: Darling, Kelly, Shuey, Yeo, Sheed, Allen, Duggan, Cripps, Chesser, Witherden
GOLD COAST
B: D.Swallow 24 S.Collins 25 S.Lemmens 23
HB: L.Weller 14 C.Ballard 10 W.Powell 27
C: J.Sharp 20 T.Miller - C 11 B.Ellis 4
HF: N.Holman 7 L.Casboult 30 J.Lukosius 13
F: I.Rankine 22 M.Chol 1 B.Ainsworth 9
Foll: J.Witts 28 M.Rowell 18 N.Anderson 15
I/C: C.Burgess 29 A.Davies 5 B.Fiorini 8 S.Flanders 26 C.Graham 46 D.Macpherson 44 N.Moyle 49 A.Sexton 6
New faces: Chol, Casboult, Moyle
Notable absentees: King, Bowes
