Melbourne have been dealt a blow with forward Ben Brown reportedly out of Friday night’s clash with the Bombers.
According to the Herald Sun, Brown has been deemed a close contact of an Omicron case.
The Demons will bring in Sam Weideman to replace him.
West Coast, meanwhile, is reportedly facing more Covid woes with multiple outlets reporting forward Willie Rioli will miss the Western Derby due to the protocols.
Ten’s Lachy Reid reported Liam Duggan was believed to be in isolation, and that Luke Shuey is also expected to miss.
The Eagles-Dockers teams will be confirmed on Saturday evening.
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In confirmed news, Port Adelaide has swung the axe on young gun Xavier Duursma and trade recruit Jeremy Finlayson.
Facing an 0-3 start if they lose to Adelaide on Friday, the Power have omitted Duursma, Finlayson and last week’s debutant Josh Sinn, with defender Sam Mayes one of the inclusions.
Essendon has also made a big call at selection, omitting veteran Devon Smith, but will welcome back midfielder Dylan Shiel as the side looks to cover for the loss of Zach Merrett to injury.
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Carlton will be without defenders Mitch McGovern (hamstring/hip) and Oscar McDonald (back) for Sunday’s game against Hawthorn, with the pair out due to injury.
Adam Cerra and Jack Martin are two of the side’s inclusions after undergoing isolation following the round one win over Richmond.
North Melbourne has brought Jaidyn Stephenson back in a week after dropping him from the side.
Key defender Ben McKay also returns for the Roos, who have lost Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tarryn Thomas to injury.
Richmond has named Dylan Grimes and Jack Riewoldt in its Sunday squad ahead of its clash with St Kilda on Sunday.
The Saints have been bolstered by some big inclusions of their own, naming Paddy Ryder and Dougal Howard.
Adelaide will welcome back best and fairest winner Rory Laird for Friday night’s Showdown, but lose captain Rory Sloane to injury.
Collingwood will debut 2020 draft pick Reef McInnes in Saturday’s game against Geelong, while defender Brayden Maynard also returns.
Opponents Geelong have brought in young defender Sam De Koning and veteran recruit Shaun Higgins while omitting Zach Guthrie and Luke Dahlhaus.
The West Coast-Fremantle teams will be announced on Saturday evening after the AFL gave both clubs more time due to Covid issues.
ROUND 3 AFL FIXTURE (All times AEDT/AEST from Sunday)
WESTERN BULLDOGS v SYDNEY SWANS
Thursday March 31, 7:20pm at Marvel Stadium
BULLDOGS
B: E.Richards, A.Keath, T.Duryea
HB: C.Daniel, R.Gardner, B.Dale
C: J.Macrae, J.Dunkley, L.Hunter
HF: C.Weightman, Z.Cordy, B.Smith
F: M.Hannan, A.Naughton, J.Ugle-Hagan
FOLL: T.English, A.Treloar, M.Bontempelli
I/C: R.Smith, T.Liberatore, A.Scott, L.Vandermeer
EMG: B.Williams, R.McComb, J.Sweet, M.Wallis
IN: B.Smith
OUT: H.Crozier (managed), B.Williams (sub)
SWANS
B: H.Cunningham, D.Rampe, P.McCartin
HB: J.Lloyd, T.McCartin, J.Kennedy
C: N.Blakey, L.Parker, D.Stephens
HF: H.McLean, L.Franklin, W.Hayward
F: E.Gulden, I.Heeney, S.Wicks
FOLL: T.Hickey, C.Mills, J.Rowbottom
I/C: B.Campbell, O.Florent, C.Warner, J.Amartey
EMG: P.Ladhams, J.Bell, B.Ronke, S.Reid
IN: J.Amartey
OUT: L.McDonald (omitted), A.Sheldrick (sub)
MELBOURNE v ESSENDON
Friday April 1, 7:20pm at the MCG
DEMONS
B: T.Rivers, A.Tomlinson, S.May
HB: J.Hunt, J.Smith, J.Jordon
C: T.Sparrow, C.Petracca, E.Langdon
HF: L.Jackson, T.McDonald, J.Viney
F: B.Fritsch, Sam Weideman, C.Spargo
FOLL: M.Gawn, C.Oliver, K.Pickett
I/C: J.Harmes, A.Brayshaw, J.Bowey, A.Neal-Bullen
EMG: T.Bedford, J.Melksham, S.Weideman, L.Dunstan
IN: Nil
OUT: T.Bedford (sub)
BOMBERS
B: J.Stewart, J.Laverde, J.Kelly
HB: M.Redman, D.Heppell, N.Hind
C: A.McGrath, J.Caldwell, T.Cutler
HF: J.Stringer, M.Guelfi, N.Martin
F: A.Perkins, P.Wright, T.Wanganeen
FOLL: S.Draper, D.Parish, S.Durham
I/C: J.Ridley, D.Shiel, B.Ham, A.Phillips
EMG: B.Hobbs, B.Zerk-Thatcher, D.Smith, A.Waterman
IN: N.Martin, D.Shiel, A.Phillips
OUT: D.Smith, A.Francis (both omitted), Z.Merrett, N.Cox (both injured)
ADELAIDE CROWS v PORT ADELAIDE
Friday April 1, 8:20pm at Adelaide Oval
CROWS
B: B.Frampton, J.Butts, L.Brown
HB: B.Smith, T.Doedee, C.Jones
C: J.Dawson, R.Laird, L.Sholl
HF: N.McHenry, E.Himmelberg, J.Rowe
F: J.Rachele, D.Fogarty, L.Gollant
FOLL: R.O’Brien, B.Keays, M.Crouch
I/C: H.Schoenberg, L.Murphy, B.Cook, M.Hinge
EMG: L.Pedlar, J.Soligo, N.Murray, J.Hately
IN: B.Frampton, R.Laird, L.Murphy
OUT: N.Murray, L.Pedlar (both omitted), R.Sloane (injured), J.Soligo (sub)
POWER
B: R.Burton, T.McKenzie, S.Skinner
HB: R.Bonner, T.Jonas, D.Byrne-Jones
C: D.Houston, O.Wines, K.Amon
HF: Z.Butters, M.Georgiades, C.Rozee
F: S.Mayes, T.Marshall, S.Powell-Pepper
FOLL: S.Lycett, W.Drew, T.Boak
I/C: S.Motlop, J.McEntee, L.Jones, J.Mead
EMG: M.Frederick, X.Duursma, T.Dumont, S.Hayes
IN: S.Mayes, J.McEntee
OUT: J.Sinn, J.Finlayson, X.Duursma (all omitted)
GWS GIANTS v GOLD COAST SUNS
Saturday April 2, 4:35pm at Giants Stadium
GIANTS
B: C.Idun, S.Taylor, I.Cumming
HB: L.Whitfield, N.Haynes, H.Perryman
C: X.O’Halloran, C.Ward, L.Ash
HF: T.Taranto, H.Himmelberg, S.Coniglio
F: B.Hill, J.Hogan, M.de Boer
FOLL: B.Preuss, J.Kelly, T.Green
I/C: J.Peatling, T.Bruhn, L.Keeffe, J.Stein
EMG: L.Aleer, M.Flynn, A.Kennedy, J.Brander
IN: B.Preuss, J.Peatling, L.Keeffe, J.Stein
OUT: J.Riccardi, M.Flynn, J.Brander (all omitted), P.Davis, D.Lloyd (both injured)
SUNS
B: D.Swallow, S.Collins, S.Lemmens
HB: L.Weller, C.Ballard, W.Powell
C: J.Sharp, T.Miller, B.Ellis
HF: N.Holman, L.Casboult, J.Lukosius
F: A.Sexton, M.Chol, B.Ainsworth
FOLL: J.Witts, M.Rowell, N.Anderson
I/C: A.Davies, B.Fiorini, C.Graham, R.Atkins
EMG: C.Burgess, J.Corbett, D.Macpherson, J.Farrar
IN: L.Weller
OUT: S.Flanders, D.Macpherson (both omitted)
COLLINGWOOD v GEELONG CATS
Saturday April 2, 7:25pm at the MCG
MAGPIES
B: I.Quaynor, D.Moore, J.Madgen
HB: J.Crisp, J.Howe, B.Maynard
C: O.Henry, T.Adams, J.Daicos
HF: J.De Goey, B.Mihocek, S.Sidebottom
F: D.Cameron, J.Elliott, J.Ginnivan
FOLL: B.Grundy, P.Lipinski, S.Pendlebury
I/C: J.Noble, W.Hoskin-Elliott, N.Daicos, R.McInnes
EMG: C.Brown, M.Cox, T.Brown, T.Wilson
IN: B.Maynard, R.McInnes
OUT: B.McCreery, N.Kreuger (both injured), T.Brown (omitted)
CATS
B: J.Bews, S.De Koning, T.Stewart
HB: T.Atkins, M.Blicavs, J.Henry
C: M.Duncan, J.Selwood, I.Smith
HF: T.Stengle, T.Hawkins, S.Higgins
F: E.Ratugolea, J.Cameron, B.Close
FOLL: R.Stanley, P.Dangerfield, C.Guthrie
I/C: J.Kolodjashnij, B.Parfitt, Z.Tuohy, M.Holmes
EMG: M.O’Connor, Z.Guthrie, M.Knevitt, L.Dahlhaus
IN: S.De Koning, S.Higgins
OUT: Z.Guthrie, L.Dahlhaus (both omitted), Q.Narkle (sub)
BRISBANE LIONS v NORTH MELBOURNE
Saturday April 2, 8:00pm at the Gabba
LIONS
B: D.Gardiner, H.Andrews, M.Adams
HB: B.Starcevich, D.Rich, C.Ah Chee
C: J.Berry, D.Zorko, H.McCluggage
HF: Z.Bailey, D.McStay, L.McCarthy
F: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, C.Cameron
FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Lyons, L.Neale
I/C: M.Robinson, N.Cockatoo, D.Fort, N.Answerth
EMG: D.Robertson, J.Prior, T.Fullarton, H.Sharp
IN: M.Robinson
OUT: H.Sharp, J.Prior (both omitted)
KANGAROOS
B: J.Ziebell, B.McKay, A.Corr
HB: L.McDonald, J.Walker, A.Hall
C: J.Polec, H.Greenwood, B.Scott
HF: K.Turner, N.Larkey, J.Stephenson
F: J.Horne-Francis, T.Goldstein, C.Zurhaar
FOLL: T.Xerri, J.Simpkin, C.Taylor
I/C: J.Mahony, La.Young, T.Powell, E.Ford
EMG: A.Bonar, C.Coleman-Jones, K.Hayden, F.Perez
IN: B.McKay, J.Stephenson, E.Ford
OUT: C.Lazzaro, A.Bonar (both omitted), L.Davies-Uniacke, T.Thomas (both injured)
CARLTON v HAWTHORN
Sunday April 2, 1:10pm at the MCG
BLUES
B: Z.Williams, J.Weitering, N.Newman
HB: A.Saad, Le.Young, S.Docherty
C: W.Setterfield, P.Cripps, L.O’Brien
HF: M.Owies, C.Curnow, C.Durdin
F: J.Silvagni, H.McKay, Z.Fisher
FOLL: T.De Koning, S.Walsh, G.Hewett
I/C (from): M.Kennedy, J.Martin, J.Boyd, L.Parks, L.Fogarty, A.Cerra, M.Pittonet, L.Plowman
IN: Le.Young, J.Martin, J.Boyd, L.Parks, A.Cerra
OUT: O.McDonald, M.McGovern (both injured)
HAWKS
B: B.Hardwick, S.Frost, D.Grainger-Barras
HB: H.Morrison, J.Sicily, J.Scrimshaw
C: J.O’Meara, J.Worpel, J.Ward
HF: C.Macdonald, D.Moore, L.Breust
F: C.Wingard, M.Lewis, J.Gunston
FOLL: B.McEvoy, J.Newcombe, T.Mitchell
I/C (from): F.Maginness, C.Nash, C.Jiath, N.Reeves, N.Long, D.Howe, J.Koschitzke, W.Day
IN: D.Howe, N.Long, J.Koschitzke, W.Day
OUT: T.Phillips (omitted)
ST KILDA v RICHMOND
Sunday April 2, 3:20pm at Marvel Stadium
SAINTS
B: C.Wilkie, D.Howard, J.Webster
HB: B.Hill, J.Battle, J.Sinclair
C: B.Paton, D.McKenzie, N.Wanganeen-Milera
HF: T.Membrey, J.Higgins, S.Ross
F: D.Butler, M.King, P.Ryder
FOLL: R.Marshall, J.Gresham, J.Steele
I/C (from): J.Lienert, B.Crouch, M.Wood, J.Hayes, B.Long, D.Kent, R.Byrnes, D.Joyce
IN: D.Howard, P.Ryder, D.Kent, B.Long
OUT: C.Sharman (omitted)
TIGERS
B: J.Gibcus, R.Tarrant, D.Grimes
HB: J.Short, N.Broad, D.Rioli
C: K.McIntosh, T.Cotchin, M.Pickett
HF: J.Castagna, S.Edwards, L.Baker
F: T.Lynch, S.Bolton, N.Balta
FOLL: T.Nankervis, J.Graham, T.Dow
I/C (from): I.Soldo, H.Ralphsmith, M.Parker, J.Riewoldt, B.Miller, J.Ross, J.Aarts, M.Rioli
IN: D.Grimes, J.Riewoldt, M.Rioli
OUT: Nil
WEST COAST EAGLES v FREMANTLE
Sunday April 2, 6:20pm at Optus Stadium
EAGLES
TBA Saturday evening
DOCKERS
TBA Saturday evening