The AFL’s worst team will receive a boost from the return of veterans Sam Fisher and Lenny Hayes when St Kilda take on a surging North Melbourne at Tasmania’s Blundstone Arena on Saturday.
Fisher will play his first game in 13 months after having last played in Round 10 last season. The 32-year-old was forced to prove his fitness in a five-game VFL stint following a 17-disposal, six-mark average in nine contests for the Saints last season.
St Kilda will also welcome back 34-year-old Lenny Hayes to the midfield while Tom Curren and Tom Hickey replace Jack Steven (thigh), Trent Dennis-Lane, Billy Longer and Darren Minchingto.
The red hot Fremantle Dockers will be without former All-Australian big Luke McPharlin for their clash GWS in Perth on Sunday with the key defender returning to the sidelines with a further calf complaint one-week after making a comeback.
Winners of seven straight, Fremantle regain star forward Matthew Pavlich, who missed last week’s win over Melbourne due to illness, and another high-profile big defender in Michael Johnson.
Tom Boyd and Jono O’Rourke have been added to the GWS side now missing young stars Stephen Coniglio (thumb) and Adam Treloar (groin).
David Hale’s rough performance in last weekend’s loss to the Kangaroos will see the ruckman demoted to the seconds, enabling prized recruit Ben McEvoy to return for his first game for Hawthorn since Round 10. Will Langford and Jonathon Simpkin have also been included to replace the suspended Brian Lake and the injured Brad Sewell.
West Coast have named out of sorts ruckman Nic Naitanui in Saturday’s side to face Brisbane after a one-week stint on the sidelines, replacing rested premiership player Dean Cox.
Other key ins around the league include Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide), James Kelly (Geelong) and 39-year-old Dustin Fletcher (Essendon) for his 391st game.
Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
