TWO OF the most exciting sides in the game meet as Adelaide welcomes Melbourne in the opening game of Saturday’s action.
Adelaide has put a slow start to the season and a series of close losses behind it with seven wins in its past nine matches including a rollicking victory over the Western Bulldogs.
The Crows blew away the in-form Dogs with a nine-goal first-term blitz that also brushed aside any lingering doubts over their ability to claim a big scalp and lifted last year’s minor premiers into the top six.
Melbourne avenged its horror loss to Essendon earlier in the year with a convincing victory over the same side last week before tougher tests against Adelaide and Hawthorn either side of a bye.
The Demons are yet to prove they can win on the road after four defeats in as many matches outside Victoria this year, including when first facing the Bombers at Adelaide Oval during Gather Round.
Adelaide welcomes back defender Mark Keane, along with Izak Rankine and Taylor Walker. Josh Worrell (illness), Luke Pedlar (hamstring) and Toby Murray (omitted) come out of the side.
For the Demons, Caleb Windsor returns from a tow issue, while Matt Jefferson and Tom McDonald have been recalled. Harry Petty (hamstring) and L.Cooke (face) miss through injury, and Bailey Laurie has been omitted.
Greater Western Sydney takes on Carlton as both teams look to push into finals territory.
GWS continued its rollercoaster season as it backed up rousing triumphs over top-four hopefuls Brisbane and Melbourne to return from a bye with a lacklustre defeat to St Kilda.
The Giants failed to get their highly regarded ball movement flowing from the back half or their pressure dialled up with a season-low 45 tackles another concern to address if they are to stay in the finals race.
Carlton will hope it can maintain its momentum from four victories in as many matches under caretaker coach Josh Fraser before it had a week off with a bye.
The unexpected return to form has pushed the Blues firmly into the mix for wildcard finals spots and they can now aim to even up their win-loss record with winnable games against the Giants, Eagles and Tigers to come next.
The Giants regain experienced midfielder Stephen Coniglio, who comes in for the injured Toby McMullin.
Matt Cottrell returns for the Blues, with Flynn Young omitted.
Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide in the night match on Saturday with both sides looking to bounce back from losses in their last games.
Collingwood returns from a bye that it will hope can rejuvenate its season after it won only once in the past six matches and tumbled out of the finals places and down to 13th.
The Magpies now need to get their campaign back on track and work their way back up the ladder across a stretch of more winnable games against the Power, Tigers, Suns, Kangaroos and Blues.
Port Adelaide has been stuck in a recurring nightmare as a heartbreaking loss to Sydney was its fifth by three points or fewer this season.
The Power paid the price for failing to take their chances early but can take positives from challenging the high-flying Swans ahead of a clash with the Magpies at a venue where they have lost their past four meetings by an average 53 points.
Collingwood is giving veteran Scott Pendlebury an extended break in the middle of the season, resting him for the clash. However, fellow veteran Steele Sidebottom returns along with Ned Long, while Sam Swadling makes his debut.
Brayden Maynard (shoulder) and Angus Anderson (omitted) join Pendlebury on the sidelines.
Port welcomes back Jack Lukosius and Josh Lai, but loses rebounding defender Kane Farrell to injury and Ollie Wines has been managed.
