UNDERFIRE North Melbourne has swung the axe ahead of its Friday night clash with Port Adelaide, dropping Paul Ahern, Jy Simpkin and Bailey Scott.

In another selection highlight, Greater Western Sydney co-captain Phil Davis has been named for the Giants despite battling a left ankle issue, with brilliant forward Toby Greene also brought in to face Sydney.

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For the Roos, backman Luke McDonald and draftee Tarryn Thomas have been recalled after being suspended and rested respectively from the Good Friday loss to Essendon that saw them fall to 1-4, alongside Nick Larkey.

Port Adelaide will go in unchanged against North Melbourne, in what will be Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard's first game against their former club.

Davis' presence will be important as the Giants' designated Lance Franklin stopper. GWS is 5-1 when keeping the spearhead to three goals or fewer, but are 0-5 when the eight-time All Australian bags four or more.

Key defender Aidan Corr is also in the side, with Matt Buntine and unlucky youngster Jackson Hately left out.

The Swans have reinforcements at either end of the ground, with Nick Blakey and Lewis Melican in for Ben Ronke (omitted) and Kieren Jack (hip).

Brisbane, already without hamstrung duo Harris Andrews and Rhys Mathieson, has dumped Allen Christensen and Nick Robertson.

Lewis Taylor is in for his first game of the season, coming in with Ryan Lester and Tom Cutler, while draftee Noah Answerth will debut.

Gold Coast will also have its own first-gamer in spring-heeled forward Josh Corbett, who was delayed by a knee problem during the pre-season, with Chris Burgess omitted.

Versatile Bulldog Jackson Trengove will play his first game of 2019, replacing Bailey Williams for the trip west to take on the Dockers.

Mobile Fremantle forward Cam McCarthy returns after battling a virus that kept him out of the magnificent upset over GWS, with Ryan Nyhuis also set to play.

Brennan Cox has been dropped and Taylin Duman was unavailable after being banned for striking Lachie Whitfield.

Hard-nosed St Kilda defender Daniel McKenzie returns from concussion to replace inspirational skipper Jarryn Geary, who will miss several games as he recovers from surgery for compartment syndrome in his right quad.

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For Adelaide, Myles Poholke is in for speedster Wayne Milera, who will miss at least a month as he deals with a left shoulder concern after a bone-rattling collision with Pearce Hanley in last Sunday's thumping of Gold Coast.

That means dumped big man Josh Jenkins will be out of the side for a second straight match.

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Rebounding defender Zach Tuohy has been named in Geelong's squad to face reigning premiers West Coast in what would be his first outing of 2019, having dealt with knee surgery in the off-season.

Big-bodied onballer Charlie Constable appears likely to return in place of young gun Brandan Parfitt, who is nursing a left quad strain, while first-year sensation Jordan Clark has been rested.

Ruckmen Darcy Fort and Ryan Abbott are also in contention for the 22, along with Zach Guthrie and James Parsons.

West Coast has brought in Josh Rotham, Jarrod Brander, Daniel Venables and Josh Smith.

Emerging superstar Charlie Curnow will bolster the Carlton line-up that broke a 59-game drought and finally cracked the ton in last week's pressure-relieving victory over the Western Bulldogs after overcoming knee bone bruising.

Scoring will be made tougher for the Blues if Hawthorn captain Ben Stratton plays, after missing the Easter Monday loss to Geelong with concussion.

Liam Shiels has been named to return from a hamstring injury, alongside Jonathon Ceglar and Tim O'Brien, while in-form ruckman Ben McEvoy was included despite adductor soreness.

Friday, April 26

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

No changes

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: L.McDonald, N.Larkey, T.Thomas

Out: J.Simpkin, P.Ahern, B.Scott

Saturday, April 27

Gold Coast v Brisbane at Metricon Stadium, 1.45pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: J.Corbett

Out: C.Burgess

New: Josh Corbett (Werribee VFL)

BRISBANE

In: T.Cutler, L.Taylor, R.Lester, N.Answerth

Out: N.Robertson, A.Christensen, H.Andrews (hamstring), R.Mathieson (hamstring)

New: Noah Answerth (Oakleigh U18)

St Kilda v Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: D.McKenzie

Out: J.Geary (quad)

ADELAIDE

In: M.Poholke

Out: W.Milera (shoulder)

Sydney v Greater Western Sydney at the SCG, 7.25pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: L.Melican, N.Blakey

Out: K.Jack (hip), B.Ronke

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: T.Greene, A.Corr

Out: M.Buntine, J.Hately

Fremantle v Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: C.McCarthy, R.Nyhuis

Out: T.Duman (suspension), B.Cox

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: J.Trengove

Out: B.Williams

Sunday, April 28

Hawthorn v Carlton at UTAS Stadium, Launceston, 3.20pm AEST

HAWTHORN

In: B.Stratton, T.O'Brien, L.Shiels, J.Ceglar

Out: -

CARLTON

In: D.Cuningham, M.Kennedy, J.Garlett, C.Curnow

Out: -

Geelong v West Coast at GMHBA Stadium, 4.40pm AEST

GEELONG

In: Z.Tuohy, D.Fort, C.Constable, Z.Guthrie, R.Abbott, J.Parsons

Out: J.Clark (managed), B.Parfitt (quad)

New: Darcy Fort (Central District SANFL)

WEST COAST

In: J.Brander, D.Venables, J.Rotham, J.Smith

Out: -