The Western Bulldogs have ruled out key recruit Tim O’Brien for Friday night’s crunch clash against Sydney.
The Dogs are without four players, including O’Brien, but are boosted by the returns of Ed Richards, Tim English and Mitch Hannan.
Sydney, meanwhile, will be without Tom Hickey due to illness, while key forward Logan McDonald is out.
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Gold Coast will have in-form forward Isaac Rankin in the decider against Richmond.
Rankine has entered health and safety protocols along with Oleg Markov, with Sam Day and Jack Lukosius among the Suns.
Josh Gibcus will miss the Tigers due to illness, while Dustin Martin and Kane Lambert are injured.
The Brisbane Lions have made seven forced changes ahead of Sunday’s game against Essendon.
Three players are out due to health and safety protocols, including Keidean Coleman after a career-best performance last week.
Melbourne and Geelong have made eerily similar inclusions for their battle for top spot, each getting their own captain and rising superstar.
As flagged earlier in the week, the Demons have named rucks Max Gawn (syndesmosis) and Luke Jackson (knee) to return from injury.
Without the pair, Melbourne lost a hit by 44 against Adelaide, although their dominant midfield still won by five.
The starting height means Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has overhauled his forward line, with both Sam Weideman and Mitch Brown dropping. Last week’s sub Adam Tomlinson is in distress again.
Meanwhile, the Cats will welcome back evergreen midfielder Joel Selwood and young defender Sam De Koning.
The former managed to beat North Melbourne last week, the latter a late withdrawal who now replaces the injured Jake Kolodjashnij.
Quinton Narkle is omitted to make way for Selwood in midfield, while last week’s substitute Shaun Higgins leaves the 26-man squad entirely.
AFL TEAMS ROUND 17 AND ADJUSTED (all times AEST)
GEELONG CATS vs. MELBOURNE
Thursday 7th July, 19:20 at GMHBA Stadium
CATS
B: Z. Guthrie, S. De Koning, J. Bews
HB: J.Henry, M.Blicavs, Z.Tuohy
C: M.Duncan, J.Cameron, I.Smith
HF: T.Atkins, T.Hawkins, P.Dangerfield
F: B.Close, G.Rohan, T.Stengle
FOLLOWED BY: R.Stanley, C.Guthrie, J.Selwood
I/C: S. Menegola, M. Holmes, M. O’Connor, G. Miers
EMG: F.Evans, Q.Narkle, M.Knevitt, S.Neale
IN: S. De Koning, J. Selwood
OUT: Q.Narkle (out), S.Higgins (sub), J.Kolodjashnij (injured)
DEMONS
B: H.Petty, J.Lever, S.May
HB: C. Salem, M. Hibberd, J. Bowey
C: A.Brayshaw, C.Oliver, E.Langdon
HF: K.Pickett, L.Jackson, T.Bedford
F: A.Neal-Bullen, B.Brown, C.Spargo
FOLLOWED BY: M.Gawn, C.Petracca, J.Viney
I/C: J. Harmes, J. Jordon, B. Fritsch, T. Sparrow
EMG: J.Melksham, A.Tomlinson, S.Weideman, J.Hunt
IN: L.Jackson, M.Gawn
OUT: S.Weideman, M.Brown (both out), A.Tomlinson (sub)
SYDNEY SWANS vs. WESTERN BULLDOGS
Friday 8th July, 7.50pm at the SCG
THE SWAN
B: R.Fox, T.McCartin, D.Rampe
HB: J.Lloyd, P.McCartin, J.McInerney
C: E.Gulden, C.Mills, O.Florent
HF: I.Heeney, L.Franklin, W.Hayward
F: T.Papley, S.Reid, J.Amartey
FOLLOWED BY: P.Ladhams, L.Parker, J.Rowbottom
I/C: C.Warner, D.Stephens, B.Campbell, N.Blakey
EMG: R.Clarke, L.McDonald, J.Bell, H.Cunningham
IN: J. Amartey, P. Ladhams
OUT: L.McDonald (out), R.Clarke (sub), T.Hicky (illness)
BULLDOGS
B: Richards, Gardner, Scott
HB: Williams, Keath, Dale
C: Hunter, Macrae, Bedendo
HF: Johannisen, Ugle-Hagan, Liberatore
F: Bontempelli, Naughton, Weightman
FOLL: English, Dunkley, Treloar
I/C: West, Hannan, Garcia, Schache
EMG: O’Brien, McComb, Cleary, Sweet
IN: Richards, English, Hannan
OUT: O’Brien, Sweet, Crozier, McComb (all omitted)
COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE
Saturday 9 July, 1.45pm at the MCG
MAGPIES
B: Pendlebury, Howe, Quaynor
HB: Murphy, Maynard, Crisp
C: Sidebottom, N.Daicos, Hoskin-Elliott
HF: Elliott, De Goey, Mihocek
F: McCreery, Cameron, Noble
FOLL: Cox, Daicos, Adams
I/C: Lipinski, Ruscoe, Ginnivan, Henry
EMG: Brown, Macrae, Kelly, Carmichael
IN: Howe
OUT: Moore (injured), Chugg (sub)
KANGAROOS
B: Scott, McKay, Young
HB: McDonald, Corr, Lazzaro
C: Powell, Davies-Uniacke, Greenwood
HF: Curtis, Larkey, Stephenson
F: Zurhaar, Ziebell, Taylor
FOLL: Goldstein, Simpkin, Anderson
I/C: Bonar, Coleman-Jones, Spicer, Perez
EMG: Mahony, Walker, Ford, Dawson
IN: Scott, Ziebell, Bonar, Coleman-Jones, Perez
OUT: Mahony, Bosenavulagi, Walker (all out), Turner, Hall, Xerri (all injured)
GOLD COAST SUNS vs. RICHMOND
Saturday 9th July, 4.35pm at Metricon Stadium
SUN
B: Lemmens, Collins, Graham
HB: Bowes, Ballard, Ellis
C: Swallow, Anderson, Sharp
HF: Rosas, Ainsworth, Casboult
F: Holman, Chol, Day
FOLL: Witts, Rowell, Miller
I/C: Fiorini, Flanders, Lukosius, Oea
EMG: Atkins, Burgess, Tsitas, Macpherson
IN: Sharp, Day, Lukosius
OUT: Tsitas (out), Budarick (injured), Rankine, Markov (both HS Protocol)
TIGERS
B: Miller, Tarrant, Grimes
HB: Baker, Broad, Rioli
C: Pickett, Short, McIntosh
HF: Rioli, Bolton, Aarts
F: Riewoldt, Edwards, Lynch
FOLLOW: Nankervis, Prestia, Ross
I/C: Ralphsmith, Soldo, Graham, Chestnut
EMG: Mansell, Sonsie, Dow, Cumberland
IN: Miller, Aarts, Prestia
OUT: Vlastuin (suspended), Gibcus (illness), Martin, Lambert (both injured)
ST KILDA v FREMANTLE
Saturday July 9, 7.25pm at Marvel Stadium
SAINTS
B: Battle, Joyce, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Highmore, Webster
C: Hill, Ross, Billings
HF: Crouch, Membrey, Jones
F: Higgins, King, Marshall
FOLLOWING: Ryder, Steele, Gresham
I/C: Wanganeen-Milera, Windhager, Wood, Butler
EMG: Long, Byrnes, Lienert, Sharman
IN: Joyce
OUT: Howard, Clark (both injured)
DOCKERS
B: Aish, Pearce, Young
HB: Cox, Ryan, Walker
C: Clark, Brayshaw, Hughes
HF: Schultz, Fyfe, Logue
F: Taberner, Lobb, Walters
FOLL: Darcy, Brodie, Serong
I/C: Mundy, Frederick, Colyer, Wilson
EMG: Banfield, Crowden, Meek, Henry
IN: The Nile
OUT: Banfield (substitute)
PORT ADELAIDE v GWS GIANTS
Saturday 9th July, 7.30pm at Adelaide Oval
POWER SUPPLY
B: Burton, Jonas, McKenzie
HB: Byrne-Jones, Alier, Houston
C: Amon, Drew, Farrell
HF: Butters, Marshall, Rozee
F: Gray, Dixon, Powell-Pepper
FOLL: Finlayson, Wines, Boak
I/C: Bergman, Georgiades, Burgoyne, Mead
EMG: McEntee, Duursma, Clurey, Mayes
IN: Butters
OUT: Jones (injured), Motlop (out)
GIANT
B: Kennedy, Taylor, Cumming
HB: Haynes, Davis, Keeffe
C: Bruhn, Green, Kelly
HF: Peatling, Himmelberg, Whitfield
F: Lloyd, Hogan, Greene
FOLL: Flynn, Ash, Coniglio
I/C: Ward, Brown, Taranto, Wehr
EMG: Sproule, Hopper, Riccardi, O’Halloran
IN: Keeffe, Peatling
OUT: Idun (HS Protocol), O’Halloran (omitted), Sproule (sub)
BRISBANE LIONS vs. ESSENDON
Sunday July 10, 1.10pm at the Gabba
LVI
B: Andrews, Payne, Answerth
HB: Bailey, Adams, Starcevich
C: Robinson, McCarthy, Tunstill
HF: McCluggage, Hipwood, Rayner
F: Lester, Daniher, Cameron
FOLL: McInerney, Lyons, Neale
I/C (from): Kakadu, T.Berry, Madden, Fullarton, Sharp, Fort, Mathieson, Michael
IN: Robinson, Lester, Kakadu, T.Berry, Madden, Fullaraton, Fort, Sharp, Mathieson, Michael
OUT: Rich, Zorko, J.Berry, Prior (all injured), Ah Chee, McStay, Coleman (all HS Protocol)
BOMBERS
B: Zerk-Thatcher, Laverde, Heppell
HB: D’Ambrosio, Hind, Redman
C: McGrath, Merrett, Martin
HF: Langford, Guelfi, Hobbs
F: Wright, Stringer, Jones
FOLL: Draper, Shiel, Parish
I/C (from): Kelly, Caldwell, Waterman, Phillips, Durham, Ham, Ridley, Snelling
IN: McGrath, Waterman, Ham
OUT: Nil
HAWLEY v ADELAIDE CROWS
Sunday 10th July, 3.20pm at Marvel Stadium
hawks
B: Blanck, Scrimshaw, Grainger-Barras
HB: Impey, Sicily, Hardwick
C: Jiath, Newcombe, Morrison
HF: Breust, Nash, Lewis
F: Koschitzke, McEvoy, Moore
FOLL: Reeves, Mitchell, O’Meara
I/C (from): Howe, Shiels, Macdonald, Ward, Maginness, Serong, Morris, Hartigan
IN: Grainger-Barras, McEvoy, Howe, Ward, Serong, Maginness, Morris, Hartigan
OUT: Day (suspended), Bramble, Worpel, Butler (all injured), Gunston (personal reason)
CROWS
B: Doedee, Butts, Dawson
HB: Smith, Murray, Parnell
C: Hately, Laird, Jones
HF: McAdam, Fogarty, Soligo
F: McHenry, Walker, Rowe
FOLL: O’Brien, Keays, Berry
I/C (from): Crouch, Himmelberg, Thilthorpe, Murphy, Davis, Milera, Schoenberg, Hamill
IN: McAdam, McHenry, Crouch, Himmelberg, Davis, Hamill
OUT: Pant (HS Protocol), Rachele (injured), Sholl (sub)
WEST COAST EAGLES vs. CARLTON
Sunday 10th July, 4.40pm at Optus Stadium
AQUILINE
B: Hurn, Barrass, Bazzo
HB: Jones, Edwards, Duggan
C: Hough, Kelly, Redden
HF: Rioli, Darling, Cripps
F: Waterman, Kennedy, Ryan
FOLL: Naitanui, Shuey, Gaff
I/C (from): Petrevski-Seton, Petruccelle, Witherden, Trew, Foley, Williams, Clark, Culley
IN: Edwards, Kennedy, Witherden, Foley, Clark, Culley
OUT: Yeo, West (both injured), Rotham (omitted)
BLUES
B: Saad, Young, Plowman
HB: Newman, Weitering, Docherty
C: O’Brien, Cripps, Kennedy
HF: Cottrell, C. Curnow, Silvagni
F: Motlop, McKay, Oats
FOLL: King, Walsh, Hewett
I/C (from): Newnes, Cerra, Fisher, C.Durdin, Honey, Hayes, Setterfield, S.Durdin
IN: Weitering, Owies, Hayes, S. Durdin
OUT: Camping (omitted)
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