- Ex-skipper, big forward back for North

- Two star Demons out injured

- Injured Boyd missing for Bulldogs

INJURY-PRONE project Majak Daw is back for North Melbourne as it seeks to inflict a third-straight defeat on the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Daw has battled a series of injuries this year, but his strong VFL form has forced the Kangaroos' hand, with former skipper Andrew Swallow and Jamie Macmillan returning as well. Macmillan was a late withdrawal in last week's clash with St Kilda.

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North has dropped defender Lachie Hansen – who is out of contract at season's end – and Jed Anderson, while small forward Kayne Turner is set to miss up to six weeks with a knee injury.

The Bulldogs are also losing key personnel, with Lin Jong (knee) and Tom Boyd (calf) forced outs. They have turned to tall timber Tom Campbell and Jack Redpath in their place.

Spare-parts big man Shaun McKernan is the man Essendon has entrusted with filling in on Friday night for Cale Hooker, who dislocated a finger mid-week at training.

Third-year forward Kyle Langford also returns for his first match since round four, at omitted teammate David Myers' expense.

The Bombers' opponent, Sydney, added young pair Lewis Melican and Oliver Florent for Harry Marsh (omitted) and hard nut Zak Jones (suspension).

Collingwood welcomes back experienced duo Ben Reid (quad) and Tyson Goldsack (shoulder) for its crunch match with Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Smith and Matt Scharenberg have made way for them.

Jasper Pittard's SANFL stint lasted just one week, with the defender back in the Port Adelaide senior squad to replace Jared Polec (hamstring).

Defender Nick Haynes' long absence with a hamstring injury is set to end, with Greater Western Sydney naming him to face the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday.

The Giants dropped Harry Perryman to accommodate for Haynes, whose most-recent appearance was in round six.

Alex Witherden will make his AFL debut for the Lions, who also promoted Rohan Bewick. Ryan Harwood (foot) and Marco Paparone (omitted) are the outs.

Jack Watts (hamstring) failed to sufficiently recover from a hamstring issue and will join Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones in not making the trip west to face the Eagles.

But ruckman Max Gawn (hamstring) will make his long-awaited return and Billy Stretch is also back.

West Coast brought back Josh Hill and Malcolm Karpany to cover Mark LeCras (hip) and Jackson nelson (hamstring) for the Saturday night showdown.

Geelong key forward Tom Hawkins returns from a one-week suspension for his jumper punch on Adelaide's Matt Crouch.

Mark Blicavs, George Horlin-Smith and Jordan Cunico could also join him in the Cats' line-up against Fremantle at Simonds Stadium on Sunday. Nakia Cockatoo (hamstring) is their only confirmed out.

The Dockers could hand 201cm Cobden product Sean Darcy his debut as they deal with their ruck crisis.

Aaron Sandilands (hamstring) has been sidelined since round nine and incumbent Jonathon Griffin will also miss with a calf injury.

Darcy, Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) – in for his first game of 2017 – Nick Suban, promoted rookie Josh Deluca, Ethan Hughes and Griffin Logue are the potential inclusions.

Joining Griffin out of the side are Cameron Sutcliffe (omitted) and Brady Grey (hamstring).

Billie Smedts, Sam Kerridge, Nick Graham and ex-Giant Jarrod Pickett are potential Carlton inclusions for their clash with Richmond.

Defender Tom Williamson (back) is the sole confirmed out so far.

Forgotten ruckman Ivan Maric – who last played in round 15 last year – heads the list of the Tigers' possible ins, which includes Ben Lennon and Oleg Markov.

St Kilda has recalled Shane Savage, Jack Steele and 2014 No.1 pick Paddy McCartin for Sunday's contest with Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium.

The Suns could make as many as seven changes, with Jarrod Harbrow, Rory Thompson, Matt Shaw, Touk Miller, Callum Ah Chee, Brayden Fiorini and Darcy MacPherson in line to return.

They will be without Matt Rosa (suspension), Brandon Matera (foot), Michael Barlow (broken leg) and Aaron Hall (hamstring).

Thursday, June 22

Adelaide v Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST

ADELAIDE

In: L.Brown

Out: R.Knight (omitted)

HAWTHORN

In: L.Hodge, G.Birchall, L.Breust, R.Schoenmakers

Out: J.Gibson (groin), B.Whitecross, K.Stewart, J.Cousins

Friday, June 23

Sydney v Essendon at the SCG, 7.50pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: L.Melican, O.Florent

Out: Z.Jones (suspended), H.Marsh



ESSENDON

In: S.McKernan, K.Langford

Out: C.Hooker (finger), D.Myers

Saturday, June 24

Collingwood v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST

COLLINGWOOD

In: B.Reid, T.Goldsack

Out: J.Smith, M.Scharenberg

PORT ADELAIDE

In: J.Pittard

Out: J.Polec (hamstring)

Brisbane Lions v Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba, 4.35pm AEST

BRISBANE LIONS

In: R.Bewick, A.Witherden

Out: R.Harwood (foot), M.Paparone

New: Alex Witherden (Geelong U18s)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: N.Haynes

Out: H.Perryman

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: T.Campbell, J.Redpath

Out: L.Jong (knee), T.Boyd (calf)



NORTH MELBOURNE

In: A.Swallow, J.Macmillan, M.Daw

Out: L.Hansen, J.Anderson, K.Turner (knee)

West Coast v Melbourne at Domain Stadium, 5.40pm AWST

WEST COAST

In: J.Hill, M.Karpany

Out: M.LeCras (hip), J.Nelson (hamstring)

MELBOURNE

In: M.Gawn, B.Stretch

Out: N.Jones (leg), J.Watts (hamstring)

Sunday, June 25

Geelong v Fremantle at Simonds Stadium, 1.10pm AEST

GEELONG

In: T.Hawkins, M.Blicavs, G.Horlin-Smith, J.Cunico

Out: N.Cockatoo (hamstring)



FREMANTLE

In: H.Ballantyne, N.Suban, J.Deluca, E.Hughes, G.Logue, S.Darcy

Out: J.Griffin (calf), B.Grey (hamstring), C.Sutcliffe

New: Josh Deluca (Subiaco), Sean Darcy (Geelong U18s)

Richmond v Carlton at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: B.Lennon, I.Maric, O.Markov

Out:



CARLTON

In: B.Smedts, S.Kerridge, N.Graham, J.Pickett

Out: T.Williamson (back)

St Kilda v Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium, 4.40pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: S.Savage, J.Steele, P.McCartin

Out:



GOLD COAST

In: J.Harbrow, R.Thompson, M.Shaw, T.Miller, C.Ah Chee, B.Fiorini, D.Macpherson

Out: M.Rosa (suspended), B.Matera (foot), M.Barlow (leg), A.Hall (hamstring)