ADELAIDE has made a major statement in the wake of its slow start to the season, dumping Bryce Gibbs for Saturday night's clash with North Melbourne.

Gibbs is fresh from 27 disposals in last week's loss to Geelong, with the Crows recording just one win in the first three rounds.

The selection bombshell comes as Carlton prepares to regain Charlie Curnow a week early from a knee injury, while Richmond made six changes for Saturday's trip to take on Port Adelaide.

FULL TEAMS Check 'em out here

Jack Steven (St Kilda), Jason Johannisen (Bulldogs), Callan Ward (GWS), Cale Hooker (Essendon), Tigers Dylan Grimes and Josh Caddy, and Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn) are among the big names set to return.

Jaeger O'Meara (hip) was named for the Hawks despite being on light duties at training on Thursday.

Myles Poholke and Cam Ellis-Yolmen are Adelaide's two additions, with Paul Seedsman (knee) joining Gibbs in going out of the side.

The winless Kangaroos, as forecast by AFL.com.au earlier on Thursday, have promoted midfielder Paul Ahern for his first match of the season.

Mason Wood, Jed Anderson and Cameron Zurhaar are also in for North, which omitted Ben McKay and recruits Tom Campbell and Dom Tyson and rested draftee Bailey Scott.

Collingwood made one change for Friday night's match against the Western Bulldogs, bringing Travis Varcoe in for Levi Greenwood, as had also been revealed earlier by AFL.com.au.

Johannisen is the Dogs' sole inclusion in place of Lewis Young.

Jack Henry replaces fellow defender Lachie Henderson (ankle) in Geelong's side for its showdown with Greater Western Sydney at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.

Tommy Sheridan (calf) makes way for Giants co-captain Ward.

FULL INJURY LIST Who's ruled out and who's a test?

Essendon swung the changes ahead of its attempt to be the first club to defeat Brisbane this year.

Hooker headlines four inclusions, along with Mason Redman, Mitch Brown and David Myers, who replace dropped pair Aaron Francis and Matt Guelfi and Shaun McKernan and Kobe Mutch (both hamstring).

The Lions strengthened their line-up with the addition of Allen Christensen and Nick Robertson, while Ryan Bastinac (omitted) and Zac Bailey (hamstring) go out of the team.

An unchanged Port Adelaide will host a depleted Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.

Grimes and Caddy are two of six incoming Tigers, including Bachar Houli, Liam Baker, Shai Bolton and debutant Jack Ross.

Dustin Martin (suspension), Trent Cotchin (hamstring) and Jayden Short (elbow) star teammates Alex Rance (knee), Jack Riewoldt (wrist) and Shaun Grigg (knee) on the sidelines.

Ryan Garthwaite, Dan Butler and Oleg Markov were axed.

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Former VFL footballers Sam Switkowski and Lachie Schultz are Fremantle's two inclusions for the latest Western Derby with the Eagles on Saturday night.

Nat Fyfe (concussion) and Bailey Banfield (omitted) are out for the Dockers, while West Coast swapped last week's debutant Josh Rotham for premiership player Liam Duggan.

Gold Coast is yet to drop anyone, but could include Will Brodie – who continues to dominate in the NEAFL – Sam Day, George Horlin-Smith and Aaron Young – for Sunday's game against Carlton.

On top of Charlie Curnow, the Blues are also considering picking Matthew Kennedy and Jack Silvagni, as well as potential debutant Liam Stocker, a top-20 draft pick last year.

Roughead, Dan Howe, Teia Miles and Kaiden Brand are jockeying for spots at Hawthorn, which takes on St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Steven is set to make a welcome return for the Saints after being managed last week, with Ben Long, Ben Paton and Darragh Joyce other selection options.

Thursday, April 11

Sydney v Melbourne at the SCG, 7.20pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: K.Jack, J.McInerney

Out: J.McVeigh (quad), W.Hayward (broken jaw)

New: Justin McInerney (Northern U18)

MELBOURNE

In: B.Stretch, B.Preuss

Out: K.Kolodjashnij (head knock), A.Neal-Bullen

Friday, April 12

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST

COLLINGWOOD

In: T.Varcoe

Out: L.Greenwood

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: J.Johannisen

Out: L.Young

Saturday, April 13

Geelong v Greater Western Sydney at GMHBA Stadium, 1.45pm AEST

GEELONG

In: J.Henry

Out: L.Henderson (foot)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: C.Ward

Out: T.Sheridan (calf)

Essendon v Brisbane at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST

ESSENDON

In: M.Redman, M.Brown, C.Hooker, D.Myers

Out: A.Francis, M.Guelfi, S.Mckernan (hamstring), K.Mutch (hamstring)

BRISBANE

In: A.Christensen, N.Robertson

Out: R.Bastinac, Z.Bailey (hamstring)

Port Adelaide v Richmond at Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

No changes

RICHMOND

In: D.Grimes, B.Houli, L.Baker, S.Bolton, J.Caddy, J.Ross

Out: R.Garthwaite, D.Butler, O.Markov, D.Martin (suspension), J.Short (elbow), T.Cotchin (hamstring)

New: Jack Ross (Oakleigh U18)

North Melbourne v Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: M.Wood, J.Anderson, P.Ahern, C.Zurhaar

Out: T.Campbell, D.Tyson, B.McKay, B.Scott (rested)

ADELAIDE

In: M.Poholke, C.Ellis-Yolmen

Out: P.Seedsman (knee), B.Gibbs

West Coast v Fremantle at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST

WEST COAST

In: L.Duggan

Out: J.Rotham

FREMANTLE

In: S.Switkowski, L.Schultz

Out: B.Banfield, N.Fyfe (concussion)

Sunday, April 14

Gold Coast v Carlton at Metricon Stadium, 2.40pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: W.Brodie, S.Day, G.Horlin-Smith, A.Young

Out: Nil

CARLTON

In: M.Kennedy, J.Silvagni, C.Curnow, L.Stocker

Out: Nil

New: Liam Stocker (Sandringham U18)

St Kilda v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 3.20pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: J.Steven, B.Long, B.Paton, D.Joyce

Out: Nil

HAWTHORN

In: J.Roughead, D.Howe, T.Miles, K.Brand

Out: Nil