SAM Draper will miss Essendon's match against West Coast on Saturday night with injury, capping a big week in the news for the Bombers' ruckman.

Premiership player Dom Sheed has been dropped by the Eagles for the match, while St Kilda has recalled tall timber Max King, Mason Wood and Jack Hayes to face North Melbourne.

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In other round eight selection news, Carlton has dropped four players for its blockbuster against a Collingwood team that has lost Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell through injury, while Gary Rohan will play his first game of 2024 for unbeaten Geelong.

Saturday's Sydney Derby also has some huge inclusions, with the Giants regaining suspended skipper Toby Greene and All-Australian full-back Sam Taylor from concussion, while Dane Rampe is back for the Swans.

Luke Parker has not been selected for his first game of the season though.

But it's Draper who finds himself in the news for the second time this week, missing through a knee injury just days after his comments about Luke Beveridge forced an apology from the Bombers to the Western Bulldogs.

The struggling Saints have been bolstered by King's return from a knee problem to face a Kangaroos team that has dropped four players including former top 10 draft picks Dylan Stephens and Will Phillips.

Friday night's blockbuster at the MCG has plenty of new faces, with Michael Voss regaining Adam Cerra and David Cunningham from injury, along with Orazio Fantasia from illness, while also recalling Alex Cincotta.

Rohan has been named after kicking seven goals in the past fortnight in the VFL and will face an unchanged Melbourne.

In Sunday's games, Jayden Short is back for Richmond as it faces Fremantle, although the Tigers will be missing midfielder Jack Graham with a hamstring injury.

Brisbane will unveil a 23-year-old debutant in the QClash against Gold Coast, with Papua New Guinea-born Bruce Reville to run out in the AFL for the first time.

The Suns have rested second-year midfielder Bailey Humphrey.

Jamara Ugle-Hagan is back for the Bulldogs, along with Tom Liberatore, set to face a Hawthorn team that has named Nick Watson in its extended squad, along with Massimo D'Ambrosio.

FRIDAY, MAY 3

Carlton v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.40pm AEST

CARLTON

In: A.Cincotta, D.Cuningham, O.Fantasia, A.Cerra
Out: B.Kemp (omitted), O.Hollands (omitted), J.Binns (omitted), J.Carroll (omitted)

R7 sub: Jaxon Binns

COLLINGWOOD

In: O.Markov, L.Sullivan
Out: J.De Goey (groin), T.Mitchell (foot)

R7 sub: Harvey Harrison

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Sydney v Greater Western Sydney at the SCG, 1.45pm AEST

SYDNEY

In: D.Rampe
Out: B.Campbell (omitted)

R7 sub: Braeden Campbell

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: S.Taylor, T.Greene
Out: L.Aleer (omitted), X.O'Halloran (omitted)

R7 sub: Brent Daniels

St Kilda v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 4.35pm AEST

ST KILDA

In: J.Webster, M.Wood, M.King, J.Hayes
Out: Z.Cordy (managed), J.Higgins (suspension), A.Caminiti (omitted), C.Sharman (omitted)

R7 sub: Angus Hastie

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: T.Pink, L.Shiels, J.Archer, J.Stephenson
Out: C.Lazzaro (omitted), B.Nyuon (omitted), W.Phillips (omitted), D.Stephens (omitted)

R7 sub: Zac Fisher

Melbourne v Geelong at the MCG, 7.30pm AEST

MELBOURNE

In: None
Out: None

R7 sub: Bailey Laurie 

GEELONG

In: T.Stewart, G.Rohan, J.Clark
Out: M.O'Connor (managed), P.Dangerfield (hamstring), B.Parfitt (managed)

R7 sub: Tom Atkins

West Coast v Essendon at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST

WEST COAST

In: T.Barrass, N.Long, H.Reid, H.Johnston
Out: H.Edwards (omitted), J.Hunt (knee), D.Sheed (omitted), T.Brockman (omitted)

R7 sub: Dom Sheed

ESSENDON

In: A.Perkins, M.Guelfi
Out: S.Draper (knee soreness), N.Hind (omitted)

R7 sub: Nick Hind

SUNDAY, MAY 5

Richmond v Fremantle at the MCG, 1pm AEST

RICHMOND

In: J.Short, S.Green, K.McAuliffe, T.Sonsie, S.Ryan
Out: J.Hopper (hamstring), J.Graham (hamstring)

R7 sub: Kamdyn McIntosh

FREMANTLE

In: J.Amiss, E.Hughes, N.Erasmus
Out: None

R7 sub: Cooper Simpson

Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, 4pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: J.Ugle-Hagan, C.Clarke, T.Liberatore, O.Baker, C.Poulter
Out: C.Weightman (elbow), R.West (suspension)

R7 sub: Caleb Daniel

HAWTHORN

In: N.Watson, M.D'Ambrosio, E.Phillips, J.Ward, C.Dear
Out: M.Chol (suspension), J.Serong (omitted)

R7 sub: Max Ramsden

Brisbane v Gold Coast at the Gabba, 7.10pm AEST

BRISBANE

In: O.McInerney, L.Morris, J.Lyons, H.Sharp, B.Reville
Out: J.Tunstill (omitted), C.Ah Chee (hamstring)

R7 sub: James Tunstill

GOLD COAST

In: A.Sexton, E.Read, B.Long, J.Jeffrey
Out: B.Humphrey (managed)

R7 sub: David Swallow