ESSENDON has suffered an injury nightmare on the eve of its crucial clash with the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, losing six players ahead of the Marvel Stadium match.
In other selections news, Geelong has dropped two veterans for its encounter with North Melbourne, while Gold Coast has axed a wanted star ahead of the QClash.
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Five of the Bombers' six changes are enforced, with the team losing Darcy Parish, Aaron Francis, Adam Saad, Will Snelling and Matt Guelfi. They have also dropped Michael Hartley.
Parish is dealing with concussion, Francis suffered a knock during last week's loss to Port Adelaide, Saad has a hamstring strain, while Guelfi is out for the season with a knee injury.
In positive news, Essendon regains captain Dyson Heppell, while David Myers, Mark Baguley, Shaun McKernan, Ben McNiece and Josh Begley also return.
The Western Bulldogs have also lost an important duo, with defender Caleb Daniel (hamstring) and midfielder Tom Liberatore (knee) replaced by Taylor Duryea and Will Hayes.
Greater Western Sydney's forward line will be much-changed for its Friday night clash with Hawthorn, regaining Jeremy Cameron but losing Jeremy Finlayson (hamstring) and Harry Himmelberg (calf) to injury.
Cameron returns alongside Adam Kennedy and Dawson Simpson, with last week's debutant Connor Idun omitted from the side ahead of its clash in the nation's capital.
The Hawks have handed a debut to Changkuoth Jiath, but lost important duo Ben McEvoy and Grant Birchall to injury. Jonathon Ceglar replaces McEvoy in the ruck.
Ben McEvoy will miss Friday night's clash against the Giants.
Collingwood will turn to ex-basketballer Jack Magden to help solve its injury woes, with the Pies losing Mason Cox to an eye injury for its clash with Melbourne on Saturday.
The Demons made one change, with Steven May replacing Braydon Preuss.
Port Adelaide has made no changes for its clash with Sydney, meaning co-captain Ollie Wines and gun recruit Scott Lycett will line up in the SANFL.
Scott Lycett has been left out of the senior side again.
The Swans have made two changes, recalling their own co-captain Dane Rampe and debutant James Bell in place of Kieren Jack and James Rose.
Gold Coast has axed uncontracted star Jack Martin in a move that is bound to fuel speculation around his future, with Academy graduate Caleb Graham named for his debut.
Promising young forward Peter Wright has also been dropped for the clash at the Gabba, with Jacob Heron taking his place in the team.
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The Lions have made no changes for that contest, meaning captain Dayne Zorko has been named despite battling a hamstring complaint throughout the week.
Geelong has dropped veteran duo Scott Selwood and Lachie Henderson for its clash with North Melbourne, with the pair among four changes for the Cats.
Gary Rohan has hurt his knee, while Jordan Clark has an injured elbow. In their place, Harry Taylor, Brandan Parfitt, Luke Dahlhaus and Quinton Narkle return.
The Roos recalled Jed Anderson and Shaun Atley for Luke Davies-Uniacke and Sam Durdin.
St Kilda will make at least three changes as it hosts Fremantle on Sunday, with star midfielder Jack Steven and gun recruit Dan Hannebery named in an extended squad.
Jade Gresham and Doulton Langlands are injured, while Dan McKenzie has been dropped.
Jack Steven looks set to make his AFL return this week.
The Dockers have made no changes yet with Cam McCarthy among four fresh faces in their extended squad.
Carlton has a star-studded list of inclusions for its clash with Richmond at the MCG, led by the return of Mitch McGovern and injured ruckman Matthew Kreuzer.
McGovern has missed the last four weeks due to conditioning issues, with the Blues also recalling Liam Jones, Dale Thomas and Jarrod Garlett within an extended squad.
The Tigers could hand Marlion Pickett a debut, despite just one VFL game under his belt, with the talented mid-season draftee named in the club's 26-man squad.
He's one of a number of handy inclusions, with Sydney Stack, Jack Ross, Toby Nankervis and Kamdyn McIntosh also in the mix.
West Coast forward Jamie Cripps is one of four inclusions to the Eagles' extended squad to face Adelaide on Sunday.
The Crows are yet to make an omission, but have included veteran ruckman Sam Jacobs and uncontracted midfielder Hugh Greenwood within an extended squad.
Sam Jacobs hasn't played a senior game since round two. 
Friday, August 9
Greater Western Sydney v Hawthorn at UNSW Canberra Oval, 7.50pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: A.Kennedy, J.Cameron, D.Simpson
Out: C.Idun, J.Finlayson (hamstring), H.Himmelberg (calf)
HAWTHORN
In: J.Cousins, J.Ceglar, C.Jiath
Out: B.McEvoy (injured), G.Birchall (hamstring), C.Nash
New: Changkuoth Jiath (Gippsland U18)
Saturday, August 10
Melbourne v Collingwood at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: S.May
Out: B.Preuss
COLLINGWOOD
In: J.Madgen
Out: M.Cox (eye)
Port Adelaide v Sydney at Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm ACST
PORT ADELAIDE
No changes
SYDNEY
In: D.Rampe, J.Bell
Out: K.Jack, J.Rose
New: James Bell (Swans Academy)
Brisbane v Gold Coast at the Gabba, 4.35pm AEST
BRISBANE
No changes
GOLD COAST
In: C.Graham, J.Heron
Out: J.Martin, P.Wright
New: Caleb Graham (Suns Academy)
Essendon v Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: B.McNiece, S.McKernan, M.Baguley, D.Heppell, D.Myers, J.Begley
Out: M.Hartley, A.Francis (whiplash), A.Saad (hamstring), D.Parish (concussion), W.Snelling (foot), M.Guelfi (knee)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: T.Duryea, W.Hayes
Out: C.Daniel (hamstring), T.Liberatore (knee)
Geelong v North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, 7.25pm AEST
GEELONG
In: H.Taylor, B.Parfitt, L.Dahlhaus, Q.Narkle
Out: L.Henderson, S.Selwood, G.Rohan (knee), J.Clark (elbow)
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: J.Anderson, S.Atley
Out: L.Davies-Uniacke (shoulder), S.Durdin
Sunday, August 11
St Kilda v Fremantle at Marvel Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
ST KILDA
In: B.Acres, D.Hannebery, J.Newnes, B.Paton, J.Steven, B.Rice, S.Rowe
Out: J.Gresham (eye socket), D.McKenzie, D.Langlands (groin)
New: Sam Rowe (Carlton)
FREMANTLE
In: C.McCarthy, H.Ballantyne, R.Nyhuis, T.Colyer
Out: -
Richmond v Carlton at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: S.Stack, J.Ross, T.Nankervis, K.McIntosh, M.Pickett
Out: D.Butler
New: Marlion Pickett (South Fremantle)
CARLTON
In: J.Garlett, L.Jones, M.Kreuzer, M.McGovern, D.Thomas
Out: A.Schumacher
West Coast v Adelaide at Optus Stadium, 3.20pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: J.Cripps, J.Rotham, M.Hutchings, B.Ah Chee
Out: -
ADELAIDE
In: S.Jacobs, H.Greenwood, P.Seedsman, C.Jones
Out: -
