- Bulldogs drop four premiership stars as Mitch Wallis returns
- Adelaide dumps David Mackay and Josh Jenkins for debutants
- Four Tigers axed after three defeats in a row; draftee to debut
THE WESTERN Bulldogs have dropped premiership midfielder Tom Liberatore for Friday night's clash against Geelong as Mitch Wallis returns for his first game in 10 months.
The Bulldogs reacted swiftly to Liberatore's eight-possession game against West Coast in round eight, with the hard-nosed midfielder among five changes as a host of key players return for the premiers.
In a blockbuster night of selections, Josh Bruce, Josh Schache and Josh Jenkins were dropped by their teams, while Kurt Tippett, Dayne Beams and Paddy McCartin were named.
As well as Wallis, who returns from a broken leg after two VFL games, the Bulldogs regain captain Bob Murphy, veteran defender Dale Morris and forwards Travis Cloke and Tory Dickson.
Check out all the round nine teams
The axe has also fallen on premiership players Fletcher Roberts, Zaine Cordy and Toby McLean, with veteran defender Matthew Boyd sidelined with a shoulder injury.
The Cats have made two changes, recalling Lachie Henderson and Scott Selwood to replace Rhys Stanley (knee) and George Horlin-Smith (omitted) for the crunch game at Simonds Stadium.
Sydney has made three changes for Saturday's clash against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, with Tippett joined by inclusions Dane Rampe and Gary Rohan.
Veteran Jarrad McVeigh (hamstring) and Sam Naismith (knee) are forced outs, while Harry Marsh has been dropped as the Swans aim for a third straight win to resurrect their season.
The Saints have rewarded McCartin for his outstanding VFL form at the expense of Josh Bruce, who has kicked just three goals and had 14 possessions across the past two weeks.
Midfielder Koby Stevens returns from suspension and Daniel McKenzie has been called on for his first game this season, with Jimmy Webster (hand) and Darren Minchington (omitted) making way.
Richmond has made five changes for Saturday's clash against Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium, with prized draftee Shai Bolton set to make his debut.
Bolton is joined by half-forward Sam Lloyd, key tall Ivan Soldo and midfielders Dion Prestia and Connor Menadue, with Dan Butler (groin) the only forced change.
Defender Jake Batchelor, key forward Todd Elton, half-back Oleg Markov and midfielder Corey Ellis have all been dropped as the Tigers aim to snap a three-game losing run.
GWS has made two changes, with All Australian Toby Greene returning from suspension alongside debutant Harry Perryman. Injured midfielder Stephen Coniglio (ankle) and Harrison Himmelberg (omitted) make way.
The Brisbane Lions have lost patience with Schache as speculation swirls around the key forward's future, dropping the No.2 draft pick for Saturday night's clash against Adelaide.
The Lions regain captain Dayne Beams and midfielder Hugh McCluggage, with rookie Matthew Hammelmann called on for his first game this season. Star midfielder Tom Rockliff (shoulder) is a forced change, with Rohan Bewick dropped.
The Crows have named No.15 draft pick Jordan Gallucci to make his debut, with the midfielder joined by Hugh Greenwood, a former US college basketballer who has been promoted from the rookie list for his first game.
Defender Jake Lever returns, with forward Troy Menzel (quad) forced out and Jenkins and David Mackay dropped.
Hawthorn has named free agent recruit Ty Vickery for Saturday night's clash against Collingwood at the MCG.
The injury-ravaged Hawks made four forced changes, with Brendan Whitecross, Taylor Duryea and Kaiden Brand called on to replace injured James Frawley (toe), Cyril Rioli (knee), Ben Stratton (knee) and Jack Fitzpatrick (concussion).
Collingwood has made just one change, with star midfielder Adam Treloar returning from a one-week ankle injury and replacing versatile tall Ben Reid (quad).
North Melbourne has made two changes at this stage for Sunday's clash against Melbourne at the MCG, with Trent Dumont (concussion) and Jy Simpkin (AC joint) forced out through injury.
Tall forward Jarrad Waite returns from suspension alongside former captain Andrew Swallow, who has been named on the extended interchange bench alongside inclusions Aaron Mullett, Taylor Garner and Dylan Mountford.
Melbourne has included Jake Melksham, Alex Neal-Bullen and James Harmes in its 25-man squad, with all named on the extended bench.
Carlton has made one change at this stage for Sunday's clash against Fremantle at Domain Stadium, with Simon White omitted.
Inclusions Dennis Armfield, Blaine Boekhorst, David Cuningham and Liam Jones have all been named on the seven-man bench, which will trimmed to four at 5pm AEST on Friday.
Fremantle has regained Stephen Hill, with inclusions Nick Suban and Tommy Sheridan named on the extended bench with no omissions at this stage.
Essendon and West Coast have named unchanged teams at this stage for Sunday's clash at Etihad Stadium, both placing their inclusions on the extended benches.
The Bombers have named Craig Bird, Tom Bellchambers and Jackson Merrett in their 25-man squad, with the Eagles adding Drew Petrie, Jamie Cripps and Jackson Nelson.
Friday, May 19
Geelong v Western Bulldogs at Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
GEELONG
In: S.Selwood, L.Henderson
Out: G.Horlin-Smith, R.Stanley (ankle)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: R.Murphy, D.Morris, M.Wallis, T.Dickson, T.Cloke
Out: M.Boyd (shoulder), T.Liberatore, F.Roberts, Z.Cordy, T.McLean
Saturday, May 20
St Kilda v Sydney at Etihad Stadium, 1.45pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: D.Rampe, K.Tippett, G.Rohan
Out: J.McVeigh (hamstring), S.Naismith (knee), H.Marsh
ST KILDA
In: K.Stevens, D.McKenzie, P.McCartin
Out: J.Webster (hand), J.Bruce, D.Minchington
Greater Western Sydney v Richmond at Spotless Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
In: H.Perryman, T.Greene
Out: S.Coniglio (ankle), H.Himmelberg
New: Harry Perryman (Collingullie-Glenfield Park)
RICHMOND
In: S.Lloyd, D.Prestia, C.Menadue, S.Bolton, I.Soldo
Out: J.Batchelor, T.Elton, O.Markov, C.Ellis, D.Butler (groin)
New: Shai Bolton (South Fremantle)
Brisbane Lions v Adelaide at the Gabba, 7.25pm AEST
BRISBANE LIONS
In: D.Beams, H.McCluggage, M.Hammelmann
Out: T.Rockliff (shoulder), J.Schache, R.Bewick
ADELAIDE
In:H.Greenwood, J.Lever, J.Gallucci
Out: D.Mackay, T.Menzel (quad), J.Jenkins
New: Hugh Greenwood (Lauderdale), Jordan Gallucci (Eastern U18)
Collingwood v Hawthorn at the MCG, 7.25pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: A.Treloar
Out: B.Reid (quad)
HAWTHORN
In:B.Whitecross, T.Vickery, T.Duryea, K.Brand
Out: J.Frawley (toe), C.Rioli (knee), B.Stratton (knee), J.Fitzpatrick (concussion)
Sunday, May 21
Essendon v West Coast at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
ESSENDON
In: C.Bird, T.Bellchambers, J.Merrett
Out: -
WEST COAST
In:D.Petrie, J.Cripps, J.Nelson
Out: -
Melbourne v North Melbourne at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: J.Melksham, A.Neal-Bullen, J.Harmes
Out: -
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: J.Waite, A.Swallow, A.Mullett, T.Garner, D.Mountford
Out: T.Dumont (concussion), J.Simpkin (AC joint)
Fremantle v Carlton at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: S.Hill, T.Sheridan, N.Suban
Out: -
CARLTON
In: D.Armfield, B.Boekhorst, D.Cuningham, L.Jones
Out: S.White
