- Six dropped as Carlton swings the axe after loss to Lions
- Melbourne dumps No.1 draft pick Jack Watts and two others
- Ex-Demon speedster Sam Blease to make debut for Geelong
CARLTON has reacted savagely to its loss to the Brisbane Lions last week, dropping six players for its clash with Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.
Melbourne has also swung the axe, dropping No.1 pick Jack Watts, but two young Tigers might be set to make their AFL debuts.
Forward recruit Liam Jones heads the list of dumped Blues, alongside a host of youngsters in Dylan Buckley, Nick Graham, Clem Smith, Blaine Boekhorst and Mark Whiley.
Andrew Walker will also miss the Giants clash after having a setback with a knee injury.
Chris Yarran returns from a three-week suspension, while Troy Menzel, Andrew Carrazzo, Simon White, Matthew Watson, Matt Dick and Jason Tutt will play.
By contrast, the Giants will enter the twilight game at Etihad Stadium unchanged after their breakthrough win over the Hawks last week.
Dustin Fletcher has returned for game No.398 for the Bombers against North Melbourne on Friday night, but Essendon will be without fellow veterans Paul Chapman (leg) and Adam Cooney (hamstring) as they continue to manage strains.
James Gwilt has made way for Fletcher, while David Zaharakis (ankle) and Wil Hams (omitted) are also out. Jason Ashby and Kyle Langford come into the Essendon line-up.
Jake Carlisle, who was sent to hospital for scans on his neck after a training incident on Wednesday, remains in contention to play after recovering well from a pinched nerve.
Emergency Shaun McKernan appears the likely inclusion should the Bombers make a late change.
The Roos have made just one change, resting Mason Wood and recalling Jamie Macmillan.
The Sydney Swans have made only one change for their important game against Geelong on Saturday night, replacing the injured Isaac Heeney with Dean Towers.
The Cats welcome back Mathew Stokes from an Achilles injury and former Melbourne speedster Sam Blease will play his first game for the club.
Josh Cowan is out with his hamstring strain and Nakia Cockatoo has been omitted, but Mitch Clark has been named to play.
Ex-Demon James Frawley will line up for Hawthorn against his old side after recovering from a pectoral tear. He joins Angus Litherland as inclusions for the Hawks, with Brendan Whitecross and Jed Anderson both omitted.
Watts leads the group of dumped Dees, alongside Ben Newton and Cameron Pedersen. Jay Kennedy-Harris will miss the Saturday afternoon game at the MCG with a groin complaint.
Rohan Bail, Jack Grimes, Viv Michie and Matt Jones are in.
St Kilda will travel to Adelaide with an unchanged line-up after its brilliant win over the Western Bulldogs last week.
The Crows will be without star midfielder Rory Sloane, who has been replaced by Ricky Henderson.
Gold Coast welcomes back suspended Suns Harley Bennell, Brandon Matera, Danny Stanley and Trent McKenzie to face the Eagles on Saturday night in Perth.
They are among five changes for the Suns, with Rory Thompson (hip), Adam Saad (hamstring) and Josh Glenn (ankle) to miss through injury. Former Hawk Mitch Hallahan has been dropped.
West Coast has replaced Jackson Nelson with Mark Hutchings, but Matt Rosa has not returned despite a two-week layoff with a hamstring injury.
Paul Seedsman is one of four inclusions for the Pies ahead of their clash with Richmond on Sunday, alongside No.5 pick Jordan De Goey, Alex Fasolo and Corey Gault.
Tony Armstrong (omitted) is the only player to make way from last week's loss to Geelong.
The Tigers have named six players – including possible debutants Liam McBean and Connor Menadue – in an extended bench.
Veteran Chris Newman (groin) is out, while Nathan Godron and David Astbury have been dropped.
Veteran Matthew Boyd and Lin Jong return for the Western Bulldogs after missing last week with injury, while Bailey Dale is a chance to make his debut against Fremantle.
Clay Smith (knee) is the only out at this stage for Luke Beveridge's side.
Dockers defender Luke McPharlin has been selected to make the trip to Melbourne, while Tom Sheridan and Hayden Crozier are also in the 25-man squad.
Brisbane Lions academy product Liam Dawson continues to push for a senior debut as one of three players added to the Lions' squad ahead of the final game of the round against Port Adelaide.
James Aish and Rohan Bewick are the others, while the Power will be without defender Alipate Carlile who will miss with a back injury. Aaron Young has been cut.
Cam O'Shea, Jake Neade, Sam Colquhoun, Jarman Impey and possible debutant Karl Amon will challenge for the free spots.
Friday, May 15
Essendon v North Melbourne, Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
Essendon
In: J.Ashby, K.Langford, D.Fletcher
Out: J.Gwilt, D.Zaharakis (ankle), W.Hams
North Melbourne
In: J.Macmillan
Out: M.Wood (rested)
Saturday, May 16
Adelaide v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval, 1.15pm ACST
Adelaide
In: R.Henderson
Out: R.Sloane (cheekbone)
St Kilda
No change
Hawthorn v Melbourne, MCG, 2.10pm AEST
Hawthorn
In: J.Frawley, A.Litherland
Out: B.Whitecross, J.Anderson
Melbourne
In: R.Bail, J.Grimes, V.Michie, M.Jones
Out: J.Watts, B.Newton, C.Pedersen, J.Kennedy-Harris (groin)
Carlton v Greater Western Sydney, Etihad Stadium, 4.35pm AEST
Carlton
In: A.Carrazzo, T.Menzel, S.White, C.Yarran, M.Watson, M.Dick, J.Tutt
Out: A.Walker (knee), L.Jones, D.Buckley, N.Graham, C.Smith, B.Boekhorst, M.Whiley
Greater Western Sydney
No change
Sydney Swans v Geelong, ANZ Stadium, 7.20pm AEST
Sydney Swans
In: D.Towers
Out: I.Heeney (knee)
Geelong
In: M.Stokes, S.Blease
Out: J.Cowan (hamstring), N.Cockatoo
West Coast v Gold Coast, Domain Stadium, 5.40pm AWST
West Coast
In: M.Hutchings
Out: J.Nelson
Gold Coast
In: D.Stanley, T.McKenzie, B.Matera, H.Bennell, J.Leslie
Out: R.Thompson (hip), M.Hallahan, C.Cameron (calf), A.Saad (hamstring), J.Glenn (ankle)
Sunday, May 17
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
Western Bulldogs
In: M.Boyd, M.Wallis, L.Jong, B.Dale
Out: C.Smith (knee)
New: Bailey Dale (Dandenong U18)
Fremantle
In: L.McPharlin, T.Sheridan, H.Crozier
Out: -
Richmond v Collingwood, MCG, 3.20pm AEST
Richmond
In: T.Vickery, T.Elton, M.Dea, L.McBean, C.Ellis, C.Menadue
Out: C.Newman (groin), N.Gordon, D.Astbury
New: Liam McBean (Calder U18), Connor Menadue (Western U18)
Collingwood
In: J.De Goey, A.Fasolo, C.Gault, P.Seedsman
Out: T.Armstrong
Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, Gabba, 4.40pm AEST
Brisbane Lions
In: R.Bewick, J.Aish, L.Dawson
Out: -
New: Liam Dawson (Aspley)
Port Adelaide
In: C.O'Shea, J.Neade, S.Colquhoun, J.Impey, K.Amon
Out: A.Carlile (back), A.Young
New: Karl Amon (Sandringham U18)
