ESSENDON has lost a series of stars for Friday night's finals tune-up against Collingwood at the MCG.

The Bombers sealed their September spot last week with a road victory over Fremantle, but will be without David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell, Jake Stringer and Orazio Fantasia in the final round.

Cale Hooker, Tom Bellchambers and Jayden Laverde headline Essendon's five inclusions as John Worsfold's men try to earn a home elimination final.

The Magpies are a much more settled line-up, with Darcy Moore returning to replace Steele Sidebottom (ruptured testicle).

There is also carnage at Greater Western Sydney, where Toby Greene (calf), Nick Haynes (throat) and Dawson Simpson (general soreness) go out.

But the good news for the Giants is Coleman Medal contender Jeremy Cameron, Jeremy Finlayson, Shane Mumford and Sam Taylor are among the six additions to face Gold Coast.

The Suns recalled Aaron Young for George Horlin-Smith.

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Retirement-bound Jarrad McVeigh and milestone man Lance Franklin are confirmed ins for Sydney's SCG clash with St Kilda on Saturday.

James Bell and Ryan Clarke make way for the Swans, while ex-Blue Sam Rowe will make his season debut for the Saints in what will be his 100th career game.

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Mason Wood returns from his VFL demotion as North Melbourne's sole change, replacing Jed Anderson (hamstring).

The Kangaroos' opponent, Melbourne, has brought in Jayden Hunt and Braydon Preuss – to take on his old side – at Kade Chandler's (finger) and Kyle Dunkley's (omitted) expense.

Geelong welcomes back Gary Rohan and Rhys Stanley for Saturday's game against Carlton at GMHBA Stadium.

They take the places of injured pair Jake Kolodjashnij and Tom Atkins.

Jacob Weitering and David Cuningham will bolster the Blues' bid for an upset, but Darcy Lang (ankle) and Mick Gibbons (shoulder) go out of the side.

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Hawthorn defender Jack Scrimshaw will play his first senior match since round 10 as one of two Hawks inclusions for the trip west to face the Eagles.

Dan Howe also comes in after being managed last week, while Changkuoth Jiath and the retired Jarryd Roughead are out.

West Coast picked Chris Masten and Liam Duggan to replace Mark Hutchings (hamstring) and Josh Rotham (dropped).

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The Western Bulldogs look set to regain the services of Tim English for Sunday's must-win clash with Adelaide at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.

Only the injured Tory Dickson is a confirmed out at this stage.

Hugh Greenwood and Alex Keath are among the possible inclusions for the Crows, who need to beat the Dogs and rely on other results to clinch an unlikely finals berth.

WHO'S HANGING UP THE BOOTS? Your club's retirements and delistings

Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin is named to return for the Tigers' top-four battle with Brisbane at the MCG, with potential first-gamer Jake Aarts also in the squad.

The Lions have lost Allen Christensen (hamstring) and will choose from Josh Walker, Cedric Cox, Lewis Taylor, Rhys Mathieson and Brandon Starcevich as his replacement.

Port Adelaide will make at least three changes in the wake of last week's humiliating defeat to North Melbourne.

Tom Clurey (foot) is unavailable, while the axe fell on Peter Ladhams and Zak Butters.

Scott Lycett, Xavier Duursma and Willem Drew are among the contenders to come into the Power's final 22 to play Fremantle.

Retiring duo Aaron Sandilands and Hayden Ballantyne go out of the Dockers' team, with Bailey Banfield, Travis Colyer and Ryan Nyhuis three potential inclusions.

Friday, August 23

Collingwood v Essendon at the MCG, 7.50pm AEST

COLLINGWOOD

In: D.Moore

Out: S.Sidebottom (ruptured testicle)

ESSENDON

In: C.Hooker, J.Begley, T.Jok, J.Laverde, T.Bellchambers, D.Clarke

Out: B.Zerk-Thatcher, D.Zaharakis (ankle), D.Heppell (foot), J.Stringer soreness), Z.Clarke (bone stress), O.Fantasia (hip)

New: Tom Jok (Collingwood VFL)

Saturday, August 24

Sydney v St Kilda at the SCG, 1.45pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: J.McVeigh, L.Franklin

Out: J.Bell, R.Clarke

ST KILDA

In: S.Rowe

Out: B.Paton

New: Sam Rowe (Carlton)

North Melbourne v Melbourne at Blundstone Arena, 2.10pm AEST

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: M.Wood

Out: J.Anderson (hamstring)



MELBOURNE

In: J.Hunt, B.Preuss

Out: K.Chandler (finger), K.Dunkley



Geelong v Carlton at GMHBA Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

GEELONG

In: G.Rohan, R.Stanley

Out: J.Kolodjashnij (injured), T.Atkins (hand)



CARLTON

In: J.Weitering, D.Cuningham

Out: D.Lang (ankle), M.Gibbons (shoulder)



Gold Coast v Greater Western Sydney at Metricon Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: A.Young

Out: G.Horlin-Smith



GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: S.Mumford, J.Finlayson, J.Cameron, D.Lloyd, S.Taylor, I.Cumming

Out: T.Greene (calf), N.Haynes (throat), D.Simpson (general soreness), Z.Sproule, J.Caldwell, J.Stein



West Coast v Hawthorn at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST

WEST COAST

In: C.Masten, L.Duggan

Out: M.Hutchings (hamstring), J.Rotham



HAWTHORN

In: J.Scrimshaw, D.Howe

Out: C.Jiath, J.Roughead (retired)

Sunday, August 25

Western Bulldogs v Adelaide at Mars Stadium, 1.10pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: T.English, R.West, C.Porter, B.Williams, R.Smith

Out: T.Dickson (hamstring)

New: Callum Porter (Gippsland)

ADELAIDE

In: H.Greenwood, R.Knight, A.Keath, A.Otten

Out: Nil



Richmond v Brisbane at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: T.Cotchin, K.McIntosh, J.Aarts, N.Balta

Out: Nil

New: Jake Aarts (Richmond VFL)

BRISBANE

In: J.Walker, C.Cox, L.Taylor, R.Mathieson, B.Starcevich

Out: A.Christensen (hamstring)



Port Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

In: X.Duursma, S.Lycett, S.Mayes, B.Frampton, W.Drew, C.Sutcliffe, T.McKenzie

Out: T.Clurey (foot), P.Ladhams, Z.Butters

New: Sam Mayes (Brisbane)

FREMANTLE

In: B.Banfield, B.Bewley, S.Jones, T.Colyer, R.Nyhuis, J.Carter

Out: H.Ballantyne (rested), A.Sandilands (rested)

