REIGNING Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell has been named for his first game of the year, Sydney superstar Isaac Heeney returns from injury, as does Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson.
Meanwhile, former Port Adelaide captain Ollie Wines returns for his first match of 2026 after being named an emergency for last week’s shock loss to West Coast, and Essendon’s Nik Cox is in the mix for his first match since round 22, 2024.
Rowell had surgery on a fractured finger after the AAMI AFL Origin match in February and has missed the Suns’ first three matches, but he will return to face Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday. Gold Coast will be without Christian Petracca (hamstring) and Bailey Humphrey (suspension).
The Demons have opted against recalling premiership defender Trent Rivers, with defender Daniel Turner named on the extended bench after recovering from a finger injury. Changkuoth Jiath and debutant Paddy Cross are out injured.
Heeney replaces Caiden Cleary in Sydney’s side to face West Coast at Optus Stadium. The Eagles have lost Elliot Yeo (adductor) and Deven Robertson (suspension), with small forwards Matt Owies and Malakai Champion among those to come in.
Dawson joins veteran Taylor Walker and ruck Reilly O’Brien among the Crows’ ins to face an unchanged Fremantle at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, with Jordon Butts (concussion) joining dropped trio Chayce Jones, Luke Nankervis and Finnbar Maley.
In the Good Friday clash at Marvel Stadium, Carlton has recalled Nic Newman and Adam Cerra alongside debutant Wade Derksen to face a North Melbourne side that brings in Jack Darling and Zac Banch for suspended ruck Tristan Xerri and rested youngster Lachie Dovaston.
Wines and Miles Bergman are two of Port Adelaide’s three inclusions for its clash with Richmond at the MCG on Saturday, with the injured Esava Ratugolea, Will Brodie and Jackson Mead (both dropped) on the sidelines.
Noah Balta is out injured for the Tigers, but experienced defender Nathan Broad comes into the side amid four changes to face the Power.
Essendon will make at least one change with injured forward Nate Caddy going out of the side. Cox joins young tall Kayle Gerreyn and Jayden Nguyen among the potential ins.
The Western Bulldogs will make two changes with Tom Liberatore and Cooper Hynes out, but Adam Treloar won’t be among the inclusions after failing to make the extended squad.
The teams for the Easter Monday clash between Hawthorn and Geelong will be released at 5pm AEST on Sunday.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
North Melbourne v Carlton at Marvel Stadium, 3.15pm AEDT
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: J.Darling, Z.Banch
Out: T.Xerri (suspension), L.Dovaston (rested)
CARLTON
In: N.Newman, W.Derksen, J.Boyd, A.Cerra
Out: H.Dean (concussion), C.Chesser (omitted), Z.Williams (rib), H.O’Keeffe (omitted)
Adelaide v Fremantle at Adelaide Oval, 6.45pm ACDT
ADELAIDE
In: J.Borlase, J.Dawson, T.Walker, R.O’Brien
Out: J.Butts (concussion), C.Jones (omitted), L.Nankervis (omitted), F.Maley (omitted)
FREMANTLE
In: None
Out: None
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
Richmond v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 4.15pm AEDT
RICHMOND
In: K.McAuliffe, S.Ryan, N.Broad, L.Fawcett
Out: N.Balta (injured), H.Ralphsmith (injured), J.Alger (knee), H.Armstrong (foot)
PORT ADELAIDE
In: M.Bergman, O.Wines, M.Zadow
Out: E.Ratugolea (ankle), W.Brodie (omitted), J.Mead (omitted)
West Coast v Sydney at Optus Stadium, 4.35pm AWST
WEST COAST
In: M.Owies, M.Champion, S.Brock
Out: E.Yeo (adductor), J.Newton (foot), D.Robertson (suspension)
SYDNEY
In: I.Heeney
Out: C.Cleary (omitted)
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
Melbourne v Gold Coast at the MCG, 3.15pm AEST
MELBOURNE
In: D.Turner, B.Laurie, J.Melksham, M.Heath, L.Kentfield
Out: C.Jiath (calf), P.Cross (thumb)
GOLD COAST
In: M.Rowell, J.Walter, L.Gulbin, O.Adams, J.Farrar
Out: B.Humphrey (suspension), C.Petracca (hamstring)
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Marvel Stadium, 7.20pm AEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: L.McNeil, L.Emmett, J.Dolan, W.Lewis, A.Jones
Out: T.Liberatore (hamstring), C.Hynes (omitted)
ESSENDON
In: N.Cox, K.Gerreyn, J.Nguyen, T.Edwards
Out: N.Caddy (concussion)
