Richmond champion Dustin Martin and Hawthorn skipper James Sicily are among the big-name outs for round 17, but Melbourne forward Jake Melksham has been named to return from his ACL tear.
In other notable selection calls, Dylan Shiel is back to inspire Essendon, Brennan Cox and Michael Walters return for Fremantle, and Western Bulldogs forward Cody Weightman is injured again.
Martin will miss the trip to Perth to face Fremantle on Saturday night after suffering a back injury in last week's loss to Carlton.
Noah Cumberland replaces Martin in Richmond's only change.
Fremantle's defence has been boosted by the return of Cox, who will play his first AFL match since tearing his hamstring in round one.
Walters returns after spending three weeks on the sidelines with his own hamstring injury.
Brandon Walker (shoulder) and Hugh Davies (dropped) go out for the Dockers.
Melbourne lost Harrison Petty (hamstring) for Sunday's match with West Coast, but Melksham's return from the knee injury he suffered on the eve of last year's finals is a feel-good story.
Christian Salem (knee) and Jake Bowey (corked back) could also return for the Demons.
West Coast ruled out ruckman Matt Flynn (ankle).
Shiel, who had knee and foot surgery during the off-season, made his sole appearance of the season for Essendon in round 10 when he came on as the sub against North Melbourne.
The 31-year-old will play his second AFL match of the year when he lines up against Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.
"Dyl's put in a mountain of work. He's a really close mate of mine, and I've seen him go through a really, really difficult time in his career," Shiel's teammate Andrew McGrath said.
"He's spent a lot of time out of the game, he's been injured. But his attitude and his impact on the whole playing group has been the best I've seen it, which is a credit to him."
Dyson Heppell and Todd Goldstein have been rested by the Bombers, but Jake Kelly and Nate Caddy are back.
Collingwood get Lachie Schultz back from illness and former Hawk Ned Long will make his Magpies debut, but John Noble (concussion) and Beau McCreery (calf) were ruled out.
Weightman, who has dealt with serious elbow issues this year, has now been ruled out with a groin injury for the Bulldogs' clash with Port Adelaide in Adelaide on Saturday.
Liam Jones (knee) is also out for the Dogs, but Nick Coffield will play after recovering from the dislocated shoulder he suffered in round two.
Port have brought in Jase Burgoyne and Francis Evans, with Willie Rioli to make his return via the SANFL.
Sicily will miss Hawthorn's crunch clash with Geelong on Saturday after dislocating his right shoulder for the second time this season.
Luke Breust and Mitch Lewis return for the in-form Hawks, while Geelong included Shaun Mannagh following his six-goal haul in the VFL, along with Ollie Henry.
St Kilda suffered a triple injury blow, with Max King (knee) ruled out for the season, and Anthony Caminiti (ankle) and Paddy Dow (ankle) also forced out of Sunday's match against Sydney.
Mattaes Phillipou, Dougal Howard and Tim Membrey are all set to return for the Saints.
The Swans will be without Harry Cunningham, who will miss two weeks with a hamstring injury.
North Melbourne will be without dashing defender Zac Fisher (foot) against Gold Coast on Saturday, but rising star Colby McKercher is back from a foot injury.
Ned Moyle replaces injured Suns ruckman Jarrod Witts (fractured vertebrae).
Carlton axed Marc Pittonet and George Hewett to make way for Tom De Koning and Matthew Cottrell for Saturday night's mach against GWS.
The Giants lost Josh Kelly (calf) and dropped Callum Brown, but former No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman is back.
