- Tigers drop four and lose key ruckman Toby Nankervis

- Cats dump quartet amid five changes for Hawks clash

- De Goey back, no Howe, as Pies lose three father-sons

RICHMOND removed any doubt about how seriously it is taking Saturday's clash with Gold Coast, selecting flag heroes Dion Prestia, Bachar Houli, Jack Graham and Nathan Broad.

Coach Damien Hardwick earlier hinted the quartet might not all play in the AFL this week, but later chose to bring them straight into the senior side off injury to take on the Suns.

Ivan Soldo will also play his first match since round 21 last year in place of premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis (quad).

Tigers Jacob Townsend, Sam Lloyd, Connor Menadue and Liam Baker are headed back to the VFL, while the Suns welcome back captain Steven May and David Swallow.

Gold Coast also brought in Jesse Joyce, Ben Ainsworth, Brayden Crossley and Jarryd Lyons.

Injured trio Peter Wright, Jesse Lonergan and Sean Lemmens and omitted Max Spencer, Jacob Dawson and Jacob Heron make way.

FULL TEAMS Check 'em out here

Among the big names set to return are Geelong's Tom Stewart, Suns Steven May and David Swallow, Collingwood's Jordan De Goey, Giants Tim Taranto and Dylan Shiel, and North Melbourne's Shaun Higgins.

Geelong has made mass changes for Saturday's blockbuster clash with Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.

All Australian contender Tom Stewart is back to strengthen the Cats' backline, while in-form ruckman Rhys Stanley, James Parsons, Quinton Narkle and Mark O'Connor also come in.

Jed Bews (shoulder) didn't recover in time to play, and Jackson Thurlow, Jamaine Jones, Jordan Cunico and Ryan Abbott were all omitted.

O'Connor's fellow Irishman Conor Nash, promoted off the rookie list last month, will make his AFL debut – in place of Brendan Whitecross (illness) – for the Hawks.

St Kilda has swung the changes ahead of its latest Friday night game, bringing in Ben Paton for his first game, as well as Bailey Rice, Ben Long and big men Lewis Pierce and Rowan Marshall.

Josh Battle (concussion), Tom Hickey (hamstring) and omitted trio Luke Dunstan, Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark, who has been ill, come out for the Saints, who face an unchanged Essendon.

Jeremy Howe (concussion) won't play, but Collingwood regains Jordan De Goey, James Aish and Adam Oxley for Saturday night's important clash with Brisbane at Etihad Stadium.

Darcy Moore (hamstring) is back on the sidelines and the Pies dropped fellow sons of guns Callum Brown and Josh Daicos.

The Lions swapped in Tom Cutler, who missed the past fortnight because of suspension, for Ryan Bastinac.

Greater Western Sydney experienced joy and despair at the selection table this week ahead of its trip to Canberra to host Adelaide on Saturday night.

Dylan Shiel, Tim Taranto, Ryan Griffen and Sam Reid all return, but Dawson Simpson (ankle), Toby Greene (hamstring), Sam Taylor (hamstring) and Brett Deledio (calf) were forced outs.

The Crows recalled Kyle Cheney and Richard Douglas to cover for dual All Australian defender Daniel (leg) and Riley Knight (knee).

Shaun Higgins will return from minor right knee surgery for North Melbourne as the Roos continue their finals push against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Prized draftee Luke Davies-Uniacke is another potential inclusion, while Billy Gowers is one of four possible additions for the Bulldogs.

The Dogs rested Roarke Smith after he sustained a concussion last week.

Melbourne dasher Jayden Hunt could return to face Sydney for his first senior match since round seven as the replacement for Joel Smith (collarbone).

The MCG showdown is critical for both clubs, with the Swans including triple All Australian Dan Hannebery.

Fremantle named Sam Switkowski in its extended squad for what would be his first AFL game, with a minimum of three changes to be made.

Stephen Hill (quad), Darcy Tucker (back) and Andrew Brayshaw (jaw) are forced out.

The Dockers' opponent, Carlton, may regain Matthew Kreuzer, but will be without Matthew Kennedy (ankle) and omitted Cam O'Shea.

Friday, August 10

Essendon v St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEST

ESSENDON

No change

ST KILDA

In: B.Paton, B.Rice, L.Pierce, R.Marshall, B.Long

Out: J.Battle (concussion), T.Hickey (hamstring), L.Dunstan, N.Coffield, H.Clark

New: Ben Paton (Murray U18)

Saturday August 11

Hawthorn v Geelong at the MCG, 1.45 pm AEST

HAWTHORN

In: C.Nash

Out: B.Whitecross (illness)

New: Conor Nash (County Meath, Ireland)

GEELONG

In: T.Stewart, J.Parsons, Q.Narkle, R.Stanley, M.O'Connor

Out: J.Thurlow, J.Jones, J.Cunico, R.Abbott, J.Bews (shoulder)

Gold Coast v Richmond at Metricon Stadium, 2.10pm AEST

GOLD COAST

In: J.Joyce, S.May, D.Swallow, B.Ainsworth, B.Crossley, J.Lyons

Out: M.Spencer, J.Lonergan (injured), P.Wright (knee), S.Lemmens (hand), J.Dawson, J.Heron

RICHMOND

In: D.Prestia, B.Houli, J.Graham, N.Broad, I.Soldo

Out: T.Nankervis (quad), J.Townsend, S.Lloyd, C.Menadue, L.Baker

Port Adelaide v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACST

PORT ADELAIDE

In: D.Howard, S.Gray, A.Johnson

Out: R.Bonner, S.Powell-Pepper, J.Hombsch

WEST COAST

In: B.Ah Chee, D.Sheed

Out: W.Schofield (hamstring), A.Gaff (suspension)

Collingwood v Brisbane at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

COLLINGWOOD

In: J.Aish, J.De Goey, A.Oxley

Out: D.Moore (hamstring), C.Brown, J.Daicos

BRISBANE

In: T.Cutler

Out: R.Bastinac

Greater Western Sydney v Adelaide at UNSW Oval, 7.25pm AEST

GWS

In: D.Shiel, T.Taranto, S.Reid, R.Griffen

Out: D.Simpson (ankle), T.Greene (hamstring), S.Taylor (hamstring), B.Deledio (calf)

ADELAIDE

In: K.Cheney, R.Douglas

Out: R.Knight (knee), D.Talia (leg)

Sunday, August 12

North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST

NORTH MELBOURNE

In:S.Higgins, L.Davies-Uniacke, T.Murphy, D.Mountford

Out: -

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: B.Gowers, L.Young, M.Honeychurch, T.English, C.Porter

Out: R.Smith (rested)

New: Callum Porter (Gippsland U18)

Fremantle v Carlton at Optus Stadium, 2.40pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: T.Duman, T.Sheridan, S.Giro, S.Jones, S.Kersten, R.Nyhuis, S.Switkowski

Out: S.Hill (quad), D.Tucker (back), A.Brayshaw (jaw)

New: Sam Switkowski (Box Hill)

CARLTON

In: M.Kreuzer, S.Kerridge, J.Silvagni, P.Kerr, H.Macreadie, A.Mullett

Out: C.O'Shea, M.Kennedy (ankle)

Melbourne v Sydney at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST

MELBOURNE

In: D.Kent, M.Hannan, C.Pedersen, S.Weideman, J.Hunt

Out: J.Smith (shoulder)

SYDNEY

In: D.Cameron, D.Hannebery, G.Rohan, D.Towers

Out: -