Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray has been named in the squad for Sunday’s Showdown, with Karl Amon and Cam O’Shea also added to the extended 25-man team.
Adelaide has dropped defender Kyle Hartigan, who struggled against the Bulldogs’ six-goal forward Jake Stringer last weekend. He’s replaced by solid new defender Kyle Cheney, who will play in his first Showdown after returning from injury.
Also added to the extended Crows squad are young midfielders Mitch Grigg and Matt Crouch, and pacy forward Charlie Cameron.
The Showdown squads will be trimmed to 22 tonight.
Interstate, Carlton’s Chris Judd will return and Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan appears ready for tonight’s MCG clash.
Judd missed last week’s first win of the season with back tightness and will return against the Magpies.
Swan was wearing a moon boot earlier this week after suffering a sprained ankle in the Anzac Day win over Essendon.
Coach Nathan Buckley said they would not wait until Friday to decide on Swan’s availability.
The match will mark Mick Malthouse’s record 715th game as an AFL coach.
Goodes, the two-time Brownlow Medallist, has played in the reserves for the last two games.
Star first-year Swans player Isaac Heeney has an ankle injury and is among three omissions for Saturday’s home game against the Western Bulldogs.
Richmond have recalled Ty Vickery and Troy Chaplin among five changes for Saturday’s match against Geelong at the MCG.
But star utility Brett Deledio remains out of the side with a calf muscle injury.
The Cats have also lost star recruit Mitch Clark, who has a foot injury.
Brisbane dropped James Aish for the second time this season ahead of Saturday’s bottom-of-the-table match against Gold Coast.
Liam Shiels and Ryan Schoenmakers will come into Hawthorn’s side for the big Saturday night game against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
They lost Brian Lake with a knee injury and left out Brendan Whitecross.
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt failed to prove his fitness as he recovers from a calf muscle injury.
But Essendon veteran Paul Chapman has a groin injury and is out of the side for Sunday’s game against the Saints.
FRIDAY, May 1
Carlton v Collingwood at MCG 7.50pm
Head to Head: Blues 125 Magpies 120 drawn 4
Last clash: Round 15 2014 – Magpies 13.13 (91) bt Blues 11.10 (76) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Blues $2.60 Magpies $1.50
William Hill: Blues $2.45 Magpies $1.55
Mick Malthouse will break Jock McHale’s long-standing coaching record on Friday night, but all he’ll be concerned with is getting the four premiership points. Carlton broke through for their first win of the season last week but they had their hands full with St Kilda early. Collingwood were impressive in downing Essendon on Anzac Day, with Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan key contributors. The Blues regain their own midfield gun in Chris Judd, who returns after missing one match with a back injury.
Key: Paul Seedsman won the Anzac Day Medal for his 31-possession performance off half-back and the Blues must try to curb his damaging run from the back half.
Tip: Magpies by 15 points
SATURDAY, May 2
Richmond v Geelong at MCG 1.45pm
Head to Head: Tigers 85 Cats 100 drawn 3
Last clash: Round 7 2014 – Cats 11.15 (81) bt Tigers 12.4 (76) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Tigers $2.00 Cats $1.80
William Hill: Tigers $2.05 Cats $1.78
The Tigers were desperately disappointing in losing to Melbourne, with a furious Damien Hardwick labelling them “insipid”. They’ll be keen to bounce back but will have to do so without Brett Deledio, who is still recovering from a calf injury. Geelong are also looking to get back on the winners’ list after dropping a home match against the Roos, with coach Chris Scott looking for more support in the midfield for skipper Joel Selwood. Mitch Clark (foot) is a big loss for the Cats.
Key: The aerial power of Tom Hawkins will worry the Tigers’ defence. Alex Rance had his colours lowered by Demons young gun Jesse Hogan and he’ll need a big game if Richmond are to get the points.
Tip: Cats by 22 points
Sydney v Western Bulldogs at SCG 2.10pm
Head to Head: Swans 76 Bulldogs 77 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 22 2014 – Swans 20.10 (130) bt Bulldogs 9.13 (67) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Swans $1.13 Bulldogs $6.00
William Hill: Swans $1.17 Bulldogs $5.00
The Bulldogs were the talk of Melbourne after they destroyed Adelaide under the roof at Etihad Stadium, but Sydney at the SCG are a different prospect altogether. The blazing speed and stifling pressure that brought the Crows undone was a delight to watch and Luke Beveridge’s young pups will need to bring the same appetite for the contest. The Swans came storming back against Fremantle after a one-goal first half at Domain Stadium and just fell short. The Dogs are riding high but John Longmire’s team has won the past six encounters between the sides. Adam Goodes has earned a recall after two weeks in the NEAFL.
Key: Lance Franklin only managed two goals against the Dockers and looms as a key factor here. Michael Talia shut out Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker and should get another huge role this week.
Tip: Swans by 17 points
Gold Coast v Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium 4.35pm
Head to Head: Suns 2 Lions 6
Last clash: Round 18 2014 – Lions 16.14 (110) bt Suns 8.8 (56) at Gabba
Tab Sportsbet: Suns $1.70 Lions $2.15
William Hill: Suns $1.81 Lions $2.00
These sides are crawling into the Queensland derby as the only winless teams in the league after four rounds. Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch urged fans to stick by his team but there’s been little to cheer about with the Lions struggling to kick a winning score in the post-Jonathan Brown era. The Suns fare better in attack but are leaking goals at a rate that must be a huge concern to coach Rodney Eade. The Lions have dropped James Aish again.
Key: The Suns were widely tipped to be a finals contender this season. That can still be the case given their talent, but they need to find a much better work ethic and fast.
Tip: Suns by 5 points
North Melbourne v Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium 7.20pm
Head to Head: Kangaroos 75 Hawks 92 drawn 2
Last clash: Round 16 2014 – Kangaroos 16.12 (108) bt Hawks 13.10 (88) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Kangaroos $3.15 Hawks $1.36
William Hill: Kangaroos $3.05 Hawks $1.38
North will be buoyed by their impressive win against the Cats in Geelong last week, while the Hawks are reeling from a first-quarter blitz from the Power. Brian Lake will spend a month on the sidelines after injuring his knee in that match, leaving his side short on key defenders. The Roos aren’t without their own issues as Daniel Wells misses again because of an Achilles injury.
Key: It’s up to Drew Petrie, Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown to make the most of Hawthorn’s lack of height down back. The tall forward trio could prove the difference.
Tip: Hawks by 3 points
West Coast v Greater Western Sydney at Domain Stadium 7.40pm
Head to Head: Eagles 3 Giants 0
Last clash: Round 8 2014 – Eagles 30.8 (188) bt Giants 12.5 (77) at Domain Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eagles $1.55 Giants $2.45
William Hill: Eagles $1.55 Giants $2.45
The Giants have never won at Domain Stadium but they’re a different proposition this season. Leon Cameron has tightened up his defence, while onballers Dylan Shiel and Adam Treloar have taken huge leaps forward in their development. Josh Kennedy leads the race for the Coleman Medal after four rounds and GWS will need to find a way to limit supply to the dangerous West Coast forward.
Key: The Eagles had well-documented key defender issues early in the season but have done well to cover the absence of Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown. The Giants will need big performances from star forward Jeremy Cameron and rising star Cam McCarthy to maintain their hold on second spot.
Tip: Eagles by 24 points
SUNDAY, May 3
Melbourne v Fremantle at MCG 1.10pm
Head to Head: Demons 13 Dockers 19
Last clash: Round 16 2014 – Dockers 15.7 (97) bt Demons 4.10 (34) at TIO Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Demons $5.25 Dockers $1.16
William Hill: Demons $5.00 Dockers $1.17
The Demons’ work rate in the wet against Richmond last Friday night was a key to their 32-point win and they’ll need to roll their sleeves up again. Ross Lyon’s teams are famous for their stingy defences, but this one has added greater attacking flair. The Dockers went top of the ladder with last week’s win over Sydney and Paul Roos will see this as an excellent opportunity to see just how far his young Demons side has come.
Key: Fremantle onballer Nat Fyfe played another blinder last week, which could tempt Roos to unleash Bernie Vince on the Dockers’ superstar in a bid to unsettle him in the same way he knocked Patrick Dangerfield off his game.
Tip: Dockers by 39 points
St Kilda v Essendon at Etihad Stadium 3.20pm
Head to Head: Saints 65 Bombers 139 drawn 4
Last clash: Round 5 2014 – Saints 11.15 (81) bt Bombers 9.11 (65) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Saints $5.50 Bombers $1.15
William Hill: Saints $5.00 Bombers $1.17
The Saints have impressed with their intensity and work rate, but still suffer the sorts of lapses that meant they finished bottom last year. After troubling Carlton early last week, they were their own worst enemies at times and gifted the Blues 11 goals from turnovers. Essendon were favoured to beat the Pies on Anzac Day but suffered another second-half fade out. With Nick Riewoldt out again, St Kilda continue to rely on youngsters like Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey to kick a winning score.
Key: Essendon’s Joe Daniher and Jake Carlisle didn’t have much impact last week in tough conditions for tall forwards, but they’ll have no such excuse under the roof at Etihad. If the pair get better service from down the field they could be in for big days.
Tip: Bombers by 35 points
Adelaide v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval 4.40pm
Head to Head: Crows 17 Power 20
Last clash: Round 15 2014 – Crows 14.15 (99) bt Power 10.16 (76) at Adelaide Oval
Tab Sportsbet: Crows $2.35 Power $1.60
William Hill: Crows $2.30 Power $1.62
The Crows were embarrassed by the slick Bulldogs last week and looked slow in comparison. Port are no slouches either and are capable of similarly slicing up Adelaide with their speed on the outside. Showdowns are always hotly contested and the Crows must rekindle their desire to win the hard ball at stoppages. The Power ran rings around the reigning premiers last week and look to have found their mojo after a slow start to the season.
Key: Sam Jacobs will have his hands full against Matthew Lobbe and Paddy Ryder, but he’ll need to find a way to give his onballers first use of the ball if the Crows are to deny the Power’s outside run.
Tip: Power by 16 points
– with AAP
