Cats welcome back premiership heroes

Updated August 16, 2012 19:40:31

Geelong stars Paul Chapman, Joel Corey and James Kelly are among five premiership players back for Friday night's clash with St Kilda at Docklands.

Trent West and Josh Hunt will also return from injury, while key forward Tom Hawkins has confirmed he will face the Saints despite being concussed last weekend.

Further tipping the balance the Cats' way, St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt will miss the match with a knee injury, although Jason Blake and Adam Schneider are set to return.

Essendon has been given a huge boost for Saturday's MCG encounter with Carlton, regaining stars Patrick Ryder, Brent Stanton and David Zaharakis from injury.

Captain Chris Judd returns from suspension for the Blues.

Hawthorn has included key forwards Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead to play Gold Coast at the MCG on Sunday.

But Cyril Rioli (shoulder) and Josh Gibson (ankle) were forced out.

The Suns were forced into five changes, including losing David Swallow (knee) and Trent McKenzie (club suspension).

Adelaide has named key forward Kurt Tippett to return from concussion against Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night, pending a medical clearance on Friday.

Defender Matt Maguire returns for the Lions.

North Melbourne lost Daniel Wells, Leigh Adams and Nathan Grima to injury for Saturday night's match with unchanged Collingwood at Docklands.

But Jack Ziebell and Lindsay Thomas return from suspension, with defender Luke Delaney the other inclusion.

Sydney star forward Sam Reid will come back from a knee injury against Western Bulldogs at Docklands on Sunday, while Adam Cooney has been included on the home side's extended interchange bench.

Fremantle welcome back Nathan Fyfe and Luke McPharlin for Saturday's Subiaco Oval meeting with Richmond.

Ruckman Aaron Sandilands, out since round 11 with a toe injury, was named as an emergency.

Melbourne has regained Jack Watts and James Frawley for Saturday's fixture with Greater Western Sydney at Manuka Oval, but dropped midfielder Brent Moloney.

Port Adelaide has lost Troy Chaplin (knee) and Hamish Hartlett (suspension) for Sunday's match against West Coast at Football Park.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, geelong-3220

First posted August 16, 2012 19:34:40

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Premiership stars return for Pies-Cats re-match

Updated May 18, 2012 06:14:00

Collingwood has been strengthened for Friday's grand final re-match against Geelong by the return of premiership trio Dale Thomas, Darren Jolly and Chris Dawes.

The Magpies also regain forward Alex Fasolo for the MCG blockbuster while Peter Yagmoor, Paul Seedsman and ruckman Cameron Wood have been omitted and Nathan Brown is out with a knee injury.

While the Magpies have assumed favouritism, Geelong get its premiership stars Jimmy Bartel, Matthew Scarlett and Mathew Stokes back from injury and Orren Stephenson plays his first game since round three.

The Cats left out Allen Christensen (calf), Tom Gillies (knee), Billie Smedts and Shannon Byrnes.

North Melbourne made three changes for Saturday's trip to play Port Adelaide after Kangaroos' coach Brad Scott had questioned his players' work ethic in last week's loss to Western Bulldogs.

Two of the changes are forced because of injuries to Hamish McIntosh (knee) and Sam Wright (shoulder) while midfielder Liam Anthony has been dropped.

Ben Warren, Levi Greenwood and Nathan Grima have been recalled.

Port is on a six-match losing streak and coach Matt Primus has dropped David Rodan, Tom Logan, Simon Phillips and Daniel Stewart while Aaron Young has an ankle injury.

Matt Thomas, Danyle Pearce, Darren Pfeiffer, Chad Wingard and Jay Schulz have been included.

Hawthorn regained defender Josh Gibson for Saturday's game against Fremantle in Launceston.

Jay Van Berlo returns for the Dockers and Adam McPhee is out with a calf complaint.

Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah, who faced court on Thursday on assault charges, has been recalled for his first senior game of 2012.

The winless Demons have also recalled ex-skipper Brad Green, Jack Watts and Sam Blease for Saturday's game against Sydney at the SCG.

Sydney named Irishman Tommy Walsh for his AFL debut among three changes with Mike Pyke and Lewis Roberts-Thomson returning.

Richmond did not recall ruck/forward Ty Vickery - who had faced a fitness test for an injured calf - and named an unchanged team for Saturday night's Dreamtime game against Essendon at the MCG as part of the AFL's indigenous-themed round.

Star forward Michael Hurley is back from a hamstring injury for the Bombers.

Western Bulldogs regain Nathan Djerrkura and Liam Jones for Saturday night's clash with Gold Coast in Darwin.

The Suns have made six changes, losing Charlie Dixon (cheekbone) and David Swallow (knee) to injury and dropping four players including Jared Brennan.

Queenslander Alex Sexton, 18, will make his debut.

Chris Yarran returns from a toe injury to boost Carlton's defence in Sunday's clash with Adelaide at Docklands.

The Crows lose key forward Taylor Walker to suspension and Jarryd Lyons has been dropped.

Ruckman Nic Naitanui is the big inclusion among six players recalled to West Coast's 25-man squad for Sunday's game against St Kilda at Subiaco Oval.

Defender Jason Gwilt, who suffered a serious knee injury in round 17 last year, has been recalled to St Kilda's senior squad.

Greater Western Sydney named potential debutants Sam Darley, Matt Buntine and Sam Schulz in their 25-man squad for Sunday's clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.

Jed Adcock is among four inclusions in Brisbane's squad.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, collingwood-3066, vic, australia, geelong-3220

First posted May 17, 2012 18:57:00

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