Geelong West has welcomed seven players as it looks to stay in touch with the top five against Inverleigh at West Oval.
Matthew Sondergeld, Aaron Hutchison, Justin Carey, Harry Fraser, Oscar Miller, Oscar Fraatz and Harry Smith are all back after spending varying periods on the sidelines.
The experienced trio of Sondergeld, Hutchison, and Carey have played a combined five games in the opening six rounds, with Round 1 being the only time they were on the same team.
Callum Roberts, Abwi Deng, Lachlan Frawley, Daniel Pollard, Michael Facey, Lachlan Turner, and Stirling Keane all return to the reserves.
As of this afternoon, the Hawks, whose dream of consecutive premierships appears far from reality, had yet to confirm their 22.
Mason Dickson (corked thigh) and Ryan Bell (ankle) didn’t see out the draw with Corio last week.
Co-coach Chris Moore believes his team can still challenge at the pointy end of the season.
“Any side can get on a roll and be hard to stop,” he said.
“We’re still confident that if we stay in touch, we can do something.”
Bannockburn will welcome back talented youngster Leigham Elzinga after spending the past two games in concussion protocols.
Elzinga is one of two inclusions for the meeting with the unbeaten Belmont Lions at Victoria Park.
Brayden Vicars is set to play his first senior game of the season after earning a promotion from the reserves.
Elzinga and Vicars replace Doug Thomas (calf) and Brodie Harding.
The Lions have lost Brock Mahoney, Shaun Jubber, Mikali Harrison and reigning best-and-fairest Harry Thompson.
Ben McPherson returns after missing two games, Jesse Stapleton has been recalled after being dropped for the win over Winchelsea, and Sam Jones and Scott Michell will play their first senior games of the season.
Thomson great Sam Jacka and off-season acquisition Nick Lynch will play their first senior games since the opening round when the Tigers host Corio at Godfrey Street.
The Tigers have also promoted Charlie Russell from the reserves.
Jack Green is back from a broken arm for the Devils, who will be without playing co-coach Joel Bennett for the remainder of the season after he suffered three spinal fractures in last week’s draw with Inverleigh.
Trent Smith was named for his first senior game of the season, while Aaron Taylor joined Bennett on the sidelines.
Jayden Fanning, Ali Maas and Billy Andrew return for an East Geelong lineup chasing a sixth consecutive win when it travels to Anakie.
They replace vice-captain Jack Beardsell (hamstring), Will Jozipovic (dislocated elbow) and Sam Brunt.
North Geelong has lost Luke Schwennesen (elbow) and Cam Bily (ribs) to injury, while a points squeeze has seen Noah Penny return to the reserves for the clash with the impressive Werribee Centrals at Keith Barclay Oval.
The Magpies welcome back Cooper Pasque and Zack Baker, with Flynn Sheldon to play his first senior game of 2024.
Tyler Crennan and Ben Leonard are handy additions for the Centurions, who can maintain a two-game buffer inside the top five with victory.
They replace Bryce Campbell, who suffered a concussion in last week’s win over Bannockburn at Victoria Park, and Tate Camilleri (soreness).
Winchelsea and Bell Post Hill made multiple changes before their meeting at Eastern Reserve.
The Blues have lost Tavae Sauni for up to a month with a hamstring issue, while Brayden O’Hanlon (shoulder) and Tom Stephenson (back) are set to miss only a week.
Shaun Morris has been dropped.
Captain Jordan Huff, Luke Henry, Riley Berg and Fin Kirsopp-Cole return for Winchelsea.
The Panthers have lost captain Jack Yates (ankle) among five changes.
Sam Quinn is looking at least four weeks on the sidelines with a calf, and Cody Chircop will miss a minimum of two weeks with a quad.
Max Martin is unavailable and veteran Justin Rodriguez will line up at noon.
Angus Martin will debut, Tyler Edwards has been recalled from the reserves, while Tyran Lynch, Brody Hecker and Ben Muir return.
