WESTERN Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli is being rested for Friday night's match against Port Adelaide, while Geelong skipper Joel Selwood will miss the trip to Canberra to face GWS through injury.

Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch has also been dropped for Sunday's game against Carlton as a host of changes are made ahead of the weekend's round.

Bontempelli has been battling an ankle niggle and is being managed as one of two changes for the Bulldogs ahead of the preliminary final rematch at Adelaide Oval, with Mitch Wallis also out with his foot injury.

It will be the first game the 'Bont' has missed since late in the 2018 season.

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In the other Friday night game, Fremantle has lost six players to the health and safety protocols to face North Melbourne, but have some more-than-handy inclusions, led by ruckman Sean Darcy.

The Kangaroos have welcomed back defensive pillars Ben McKay and Aidan Corr.

Selwood (quad) is one of a number of forced changes for the Cats to face an unchanged Giants at Manuka Oval, with Max Holmes and Shaun Higgins also injured.

It paves the way for No.16 pick from the 2019 draft, Cooper Stephens, to make a debut.

Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield, who has missed the past fortnight, will also return.

Two other Brownlow medallists – Richmond duo Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin – are back for the Tigers when they face Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday.

Paddy McCartin has been whisked straight back into Sydney's team to face Gold Coast on Saturday after missing the loss against Brisbane with concussion, as has young tall forward Logan McDonald.

The Suns have been bolstered by the inclusion of defender Rory Thompson, playing his first game in almost four years, and youngster Wil Powell.

Speedster Nick Hind is back for Essendon, while midfielder Dylan Shiel is back in the Bombers' 22 for their match against Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

The Hawks have recalled young defender Denver Grainger-Barras and Josh Ward among three changes.

Crouch has been omitted after playing the first seven games of the season for the Crows, which came on the back of a nightmare 2021, in which groin injuries wiped out his entire season.

The veteran is one of three changes alongside injured pair Ned McHenry and Brodie Smith to play in an Adelaide team to be skippered by Ben Keays.

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Carlton has recalled Zac Williams into its extended 26-man squad, with the running defender trying to overcome an achilles injury.

As expected, premier Melbourne has recalled Luke Jackson, Alex Neale-Bullen, Kysaiah Pickett, Harrison Petty and Tom Sparrow from the health and safety protocols to face St Kilda on Sunday.

The Saints welcome back ruckman Rowan Marshall from his quad injury.

Friday, May 6

Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval, 7pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

In: None
Out: X.Duursma (omitted)

Last week's sub: X.Duursma (replaced M.Georgiades)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: B.Khamis, A.Scott
Out: M.Wallis (foot), M.Bontempelli (managed), J.Schache (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: J.Schache (replaced M.Wallis)

Fremantle v North Melbourne at Optus Stadium, 6.40pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: H.Young, H.Chapman, L.Henry, J.Amiss, S.Darcy
Out: G.Logue (HS protocol), B.Acres (HS protocol), T.Colyer (HS protocol), R.Lobb (HS protocol), L.Meek (HS protocol), M.Frederick (HS protocol)

Last week's sub: B.Banfield (unused)

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: A.Corr, B.McKay, J.Anderson
Out: J.Mahony (omitted), N.Larkey (suspension), A.Bonar (hamstring), M.Bergman (shoulder)

Last week's sub: A.Bosenavulagi (replaced M.Bergman in the second quarter)

Saturday, May 7

Richmond v Collingwood at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: D.Martin, T.Cotchin
Out: R.Collier-Dawkins (omitted), J.Ross (omitted), S.Stack (omitted)

Last week's sub: J.Ross (replaced D.Prestia in the third quarter)

COLLINGWOOD

In: O.Henry, T.Bianco
Out: C.Brown (omitted), J.Madgen (omitted), R.McInnes (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: R.McInnes (unused)

Sydney v Gold Coast at the SCG, 1.45pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: P.McCartin, L.McDonald
Out: H.Cunningham (abdominal), S.Reid (omitted), J.Bell (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: J.Bell (replaced H.Cunningham in the fourth quarter)

GOLD COAST

In: R.Thompson, W.Powell
Out: A.Davies (omitted), D.Macpherson (omitted), J.Sharp (injured)

Last week's sub: J.Sharp (replaced C.Budarick in the fourth quarter)

Greater Western Sydney v Geelong at Manuka Oval, 4.35pm AEST

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: None
Out: M.de Boer (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: M.de Boer (unused)

GEELONG

In: P.Dangerfield, C.Stephens, F.Evans, Q.Narkle
Out: O.Dempsey (omitted), J.Selwood (quad), M.Holmes (ankle), S.Higgins (injured), L.Dahlhaus (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: L.Dahlhaus (replaced M.Holmes in the second quarter)

Essendon v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

ESSENDON

In: N.Hind, N.Bryan
Out: J.Stringer (hamstring), N.Cox (ankle), K.Baldwin (omitted)

Last week's sub: D.Shiel (replaced N.Cox)

HAWTHORN

In: J.Ward, H.Morrison, D.Grainger-Barras
Out: L.Shiels (managed), C.Nash (managed), C.Macdonald (managed), D.Howe (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: D.Howe (replaced C.Nash in fourth quarter)

Brisbane v West Coast at the Gabba, 7.25pm AEST

BRISBANE

Brisbane's line-up will be released at 5.30pm AEST Friday

Last week's sub: J.Madden (replaced J.Daniher at half-time)

WEST COAST

West Coast's line-up will be released at 5.30pm AEST Friday

Last week's sub: A.Gaff (replaced W.Rioli at half-time)

Sunday, May 8

Melbourne v St Kilda at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST

MELBOURNE

In: H.Petty, L.Jackson, B.Laurie, A.Neal-Bullen, T.Sparrow, K.Pickett
Out: J.Smith (ankle), J.Melksham (omitted), K.Chandler (medi-sub)

Last week's sub: K.Chandler (replaced J.Smith at three-quarter time)

ST KILDA

In: R.Marshall, Z.Jones, D.Joyce, R.Byrnes
Out: J.Lienert (omitted)

Last week's sub: J.Lienert (unused)

Carlton v Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm AEST

CARLTON

In: Z.Williams, J.Motlop, P.Dow, J.Boyd
Out: L.Stocker (suspension)

Last week's sub: M.Cottrell (replaced L.Stocker in the fourth quarter)

ADELAIDE

In: W.Hamill, M.Hinge, B.Davis, J.Soligo, L.Pedlar, J.Rowe
Out: N.McHenry (concussion), M.Crouch (omitted), B.Smith (concussion)

Last week's sub: H.Schoenberg (replaced B.Smith)