HAWTHORN will wait at least another week to bring James Sicily back from his hip problem, with the captain left out of the team to face North Melbourne despite training on Thursday.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has made a huge statement at the selection table, dropping premiership defender Jake Lever, while Sydney will be without injured Joel Amartey for Friday night’s match against the Western Bulldogs.
In other round 16 team news, Sean Darcy is back to give Fremantle a one-two ruck punch alongside red-hot Luke Jackson, with captain Alex Pearce (shin) still missing.
The Hawks have recalled young midfielder Cam Mackenzie with Henry Hustwaite making way, while James Worpel remains unavailable after suffering a corked quad.
Lever is one of three Demons left out by Goodwin to face Gold Coast at People First Stadium on Saturday, with Jacob van Rooyen and Caleb Windsor also omitted following three straight losses.
Jake Lloyd is back to face the Bulldogs alongside Ollie Florent after big performances in the VFL, with Luke Beveridge recalling Ryley Sanders after illness forced him to withdraw late last weekend.
Brady Hough is back for West Coast to face a Collingwood team that has selected Charlie West for a debut following his after-the-siren game-winner in the VFL last weekend.
In Sunday’s match at the MCG, James Peatling has been named in Adelaide’s 26-man squad to face Richmond after serving his one-match suspension.
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
Sydney v Western Bulldogs at the SCG, 7.40pm AEST
SYDNEY
In: J.Lloyd, O.Florent
Out: J.Amartey (hamstring), R.Bice (omitted)
R15 sub: Riley Bice
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: J.Johannisen, R.Sanders
Out: A.Treloar (calf), J.Dolan (omitted)
R15 sub: Buku Khamis
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Gold Coast v Melbourne at People First Stadium, 1.20pm AEST
GOLD COAST
In: A.Sexton
Out: N.Holman (omitted)
R15 sub: Nick Holman
MELBOURNE
In: M.Jefferson, K.Tholstrup, H.Sharp
Out: J.Lever (omitted), C.Windsor (omitted), J.van Rooyen (omitted)
R14 sub: Xavier Lindsay
Hawthorn v North Melbourne at UTAS Stadium, 4.15pm AEST
HAWTHORN
In: C.Mackenzie
Out: H.Hustwaite (omitted)
R14 sub: Changkuoth Jiath
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: W.Dawson
Out: C.Comben (shoulder)
R15 sub: Zac Fisher
Collingwood v West Coast at Marvel Stadium, 7.35pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: C.Dean, C.West
Out: B.Frampton (calf), B.McCreery (hamstring)
R15 sub: Lachie Sullivan
WEST COAST
In: B.Hough, J.Shanahan
Out: O.Allen (leg), T.Dewar (hamstring)
R14 sub: Clay Hall
SUNDAY, JUNE 29
Richmond v Adelaide at the MCG, 3.15pm AEST
RICHMOND
In: J.Trezise, M.Lefau, J.Blight
Out: Nil
R15 sub: Jasper Alger
ADELAIDE
In: C.Burgess, J.Peatling, C.Jones, Z.Taylor
Out: L.Pedlar (quad)
R14 sub: Brodie Smith
Fremantle v St Kilda at Optus Stadium, 3.10pm AWST
FREMANTLE
In: O.McDonald, S.Darcy, I.Dudley
Out: Nil
R15 sub: James Aish
ST KILDA
In: H.Garcia, L.Henry, J.Carroll, H.Boyd
Out: J.Webster (managed)
R15 sub: Tobie Travaglia
