Port Adelaide have named Jake Neade, Andrew Moore and Paul Stewart in the AFL side to play Melbourne on Saturday afternoon in Alice Springs.
It will be the first AFL game each has played this season after weeks of good form for the Magpies in the SANFL.
They replace the suspended Hamish Hartlett and injury-hampered Angus Monfries and Dom Cassisi.
The Crows have included Andy Otten, Mitch Grigg and Jared Petrenko in a squad of 25 for their Indigenous Round clash with Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Acting co-captain Patrick Dangerfield (back soreness) has been named and is expected to play.
The squad will be trimmed to 22 on Friday afternoon.
Among the other matches, Richmond welcome back big man Ivan Maric for their Dreamtime at the MCG blockbuster against Essendon on Saturday night.
FRIDAY
St Kilda v Collingwood at Etihad Stadium 7.20pm
Head to Head: Saints 57 Magpies 155 drawn 2
Last clash: Round 6 2013 – Magpies 15.13 (103) bt Saints 11.11 (77) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Saints $10.00 Magpies $1.05
Sportingbet: Saints $9.50 Magpies $1.05
Collingwood spearhead Travis Cloke’s lack of form and goals remains a talking point, but his side have looked potent while climbing to sixth on the ladder. St Kilda enjoyed the bye last weekend, but it’s hard to mount a serious argument for a boilover here.
Key: Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt has been a standout in all three of his team’s wins this season. The champion forward will need to produce some sort of effort to drag them over the line.
Tip: Magpies by 43 points
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SATURDAY
Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Traeger Park 1.10pm
Head to Head: Demons 11 Power 15
Last clash: Round 1 2013 – Power 19.19 (133) bt Demons 8.6 (54) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Demons $8.00 Power $1.08
Sportingbet: Demons $7.00 Power $1.10
Port Adelaide top the table as the undisputed form team of the competition, having toppled reigning premiers Hawthorn last Saturday. Melbourne’s new-found defensive steel will be given a thorough test in the first regular-season match in Alice Springs, with the Power leading the league in inside-50s and boasting an abundance of match-winners up forward.
Key: Utility James Frawley returns for the Demons, but he’s likely to play as a forward in the absence of suspended Chris Dawes. If so, it’s going to make it even harder for Melbourne to shutdown Power forward Jay Schultz and his many offsiders.
Tip: Power by 38 points
Brisbane Lions v Carlton at Gabba 4.10pm
Head to Head: Lions 16 Blues 27
Last clash: Round 9 2013 – Blues 13.20 (98) bt Lions 12.13 (85) at Gabba
Tab Sportsbet: Lions $3.05 Blues $1.38
Sportingbet: Lions $2.80 Blues $1.43
Aside from a clash with GWS in round 13, this shapes as Brisbane’s best chance to record a win this season at the Gabba. But given how listless the Lions were in their last-start 87-point loss to North Melbourne, it’s hard to see it happening. The returns of Tom Rockliff and Joel Patfull should at least help them be competitive against a team that have won four of their past five.
Key: Brisbane are averaging a league-worst 8.9 goals this season. How will they kick a winning score? Are they capable of moving the ball in the sort of fashion that will give Jonathan Brown a chance of kicking a bag?
Tip: Blues by 14 points
Essendon v Richmond at MCG 7.15pm
Head to Head: Bombers 103 Tigers 86 drawn 4
Last clash: Round 23 2013 – Tigers 15.14 (104) bt Bombers 9.11 (65) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Bombers $1.68 Tigers $2.20
Sportingbet: Bombers $1.62 Tigers $2.30
Two of the season’s early letdowns will take centre stage for the annual Dreamtime at the ‘G match, the showpiece of the AFL’s indigenous round. Richmond belted GWS by 113 points to buy a week’s grace, but this game will be a better indication of how slim their finals hopes are. Essendon, outclassed by Sydney in their last start, are coming off a bye.
Key: Ivan Maric has not played this season because of ankle surgery and the ruckman has been sorely missed by Richmond. Maric is back after impressing in the VFL. Can the cult hero not only give his midfielders first use, but exert the same influence across the ground that he did in 2012?
Tip: Tigers by 2 points
SUNDAY
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Adelaide v Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval 12.40pm
Head to Head: Crows 5 Suns 0
Last clash: Round 14 2013 – Crows 16.15 (111) bt Suns 11.17 (83) at Metricon Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Crows $1.65 Suns $2.25
Sportingbet: Crows $1.75 Suns $2.10
Gold Coast have impressed in a 7-2 start to the season, but now start a testing run including games against Sydney, West Coast, Geelong and Hawthorn. It’s hard to get a read on how true the Suns’ form has been, with eight-placed North Melbourne being their greatest scalp. Adelaide are coming off a loss to Carlton, the latest low in an up-and-down campaign.
Key: With the match review panel giving Gary Ablett the all clear, two of the league’s most exciting and explosive midfielders might go head to head here. Can a bruised and battered Patrick Dangerfield have as big an effect on the game as the Gold Coast captain?
Tip: Crows by 13 points
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle at Etihad Stadium 2.50pm
Head to Head: Bulldogs 14 Dockers 10
Last clash: Round 2 2013 – Dockers 16.10 (106) bt Bulldogs 11.12 (78) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Bulldogs $6.25 Dockers $1.12
Sportingbet: Bulldogs $5.50 Dockers $1.14
Fremantle’s last-start win over Geelong in Perth was their most meaningful victory of the season. The Dockers will also be refreshed after the bye and regain veteran key defender Luke McPharlin, who hasn’t played since round seven. They will start heavy favourites against a side that have dropped four of their past five.
Key: The Bulldogs will need to curb the influence of Freo midfielders David Mundy, Nat Fyfe, Stephen Hill and Michael Barlow to be any chance here. Incumbent All-Australian ruckman Will Minson’s battle with Dockers beanpole Aaron Sandilands will also be crucial.
Tip: Dockers by 27 points
Hawthorn v Greater Western Sydney at MCG 4.10pm
Head to Head: Hawks 2 Giants 0
Last clash: Round 8 2013 – Hawks 21.14 (140) bt Giants 9.3 (57) at Aurora Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Hawks $1.01 Giants $16.00
Sportingbet: Hawks $1.01 Giants $16.00
Reeling from consecutive 100-point losses, GWS confront the reigning premiers after a rare loss. Hawthorn were highly competitive against table-topping Port Adelaide last Saturday despite their injury crisis, and regain Jarryd Roughead. This has all the makings of an old-fashioned touch up.
Key: What impact will the absence of two-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome this week, have on the Hawks?
Tip: Hawks by 90 points
West Coast v North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium 7.10pm
Head to Head: Eagles 24 Kangaroos 19
Last clash: Round 8 2013 – Eagles 12.18 (90) bt Kangaroos 13.10 (88) at Patersons Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eagles $1.60 Kangaroos $2.35
Sportingbet: Eagles $1.64 Kangaroos $2.25
North Melbourne’s improved interstate form this year has impressed many, but inconsistency and slow starts have been a recurring concern for coach Brad Scott. Brent Harvey continued his stellar form last week but his side put in an “appalling effort” in the 20-point loss to Geelong according to Scott. West Coast are ninth, but the Eagles in Perth are never an easy proposition.
Key: North defender Nathan Grima remains sidelined with a foot injury and Joel Tippett joined him this week due to a torn pectoral. Do the visitors have enough defensive depth to cope with Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and the returning Mark LeCras?
Tip: Kangaroos by 11 points.
