All the ins, outs and full round 18 AFL teams

Taj Hotton was an early No. 1 pick contender for last year’s draft before an ACL injury – and Essendon might be about to find out why. Here’s what Tigers fan can expect on Saturday night.

Richmond coach Adem Yze will unleash “special talent” Taj Hotton in a variety of roles in his highly anticipated debut on Saturday night.

The Tigers selected Hotton with one of their six first round picks last year despite him missing a chunk of the year through an ACL setback.

Hotton showed why he was once touted to go as high as pick No.1 prior to injury through strong performances in the VFL on return.

With the absence of spearhead Tom Lynch through suspension, Hotton could spend time deep inside the Tigers’ 50.

But as Yze sees it, Hotton has the capacity to play deep, high and even pinch hit in the middle of the ground.

“He’s just a pure forward, so we can play him at either line. He can go deep, he can play a high-forward role,” he said.

“Then he has pinch hit in the midfield in the VFL the last couple of weeks, so we might see him around the ball late in the game as well.

“We’d like to give him that exposure – whether it’s this week or coming weeks.”

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL ROUND 18 TEAMS

Taj Hotton at Richmond training. Picture: Richmond FC

The 183cm Hotton can play taller than his height suggests, as he launches at the footy with consummate ease.

Yze says Hotton’s arial power, craft at ground level and work ethic is why Richmond coaches, players and supporters are itching to see the young talent under MCG lights against Essendon.

“He’s a special talent, when you’ve got the ability to jump and mark like he does and then at ground level do things, it’s really hard to coach,” he said.

“It’s the reason he went so high in the draft and the reason we rated him so highly going into the draft.

“There’s all those things and then there’s his work ethic, to get where he is today to be ready to play at AFL level after three VFL games is a credit to him.

“The spotlight is going to be on him like it was on Sammy (Lalor) earlier in the year and like it has been for all our first round picks.

“We’ve got to help him through that (and) he understands he’s got a nice block of games to start feeling like he belongs at AFL level.”

📣 "Taj Hotton, are you in the building?"

Ooze got on the loudspeaker to give Taj the good news! pic.twitter.com/uWYhEPEiPQ

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) July 10, 2025

Jayden Short returns for the Tigers on Saturday night. Picture: Michael Klein

Richmond, with three wins, also welcomes back defender Jayden Short

Jacob Koschitzke, Tylar Young and James Trezise also return, with the Tigers making mass changes.

Jacob Blight has been dropped, while Hugo Ralphsmith, Sam Lalor and Jasper Alger are injured.

Noah Balta will miss because of his court-ordered curfew.

Essendon has made three changes, dropping Archie Perkins and Jade Gresham.

Mason Redman, Elijah Tsatas and Oskar Smartt come in, while Jye Caldwell will miss through injury.

For Taj, the 24 means more.

It's the Mamba Mentality 🐍😤 pic.twitter.com/FmTGTVnTxJ

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) July 10, 2025

FULL ROUND 18 TEAMS: KEY PIES OUT, BIG NAMES BACK

– Matthew Forrest

Collingwood has handed a rest to key forward Brody Mihocek but will play a number of players who battled illness this week.

The Magpies travelled to the Gold Coast on Thursday with an almost-complete best 22, naming Steele Sidebottom, Lachie Schultz and Mason Cox to return and the Daicos brothers despite their mid-week sicknesses.

Both Nick and Josh Daicos missed training early in the week but have made the trek to face the Suns.

Pat Lipinski has also been managed, but Wil Parker was dropped.

Gold Coast has opted to make two changes, bringing in Jarrod Witts and David Swallow in place of the omitted Ned Moyle and Alex Sexton.

Pies forward Brody Mihocek will be managed this week. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Western Bulldogs have recalled draftees Sam Davidson and Josh Dolan to face Adelaide, replacing Lachie McNeil and Taylor Duryea.

The Crows have made three changes for an important clash, with Brodie Smith and Lachlan Murphy both dropped.

Josh Rachele comes out through injury, while Brayden Cook, Chayce Jones and Wayne Milera come into the side.

Bailey Smith will travel to western Sydney to face the Giants, replacing Mitch Duncan in the senior side.

GWS has named Lachie Whitfield and Jesse Hogan as two majors inclusions for the top-eight shaping clash, replacing youngsters James Leake and Max Gruzewski.

Hawthorn has made two changes to the side set to face Fremantle, recalling Finn Maginness and Calsher Dear.

Dear has played just one senior game this season after a pre-season setback, having battled stress fractures in his back during his second summer on an AFL list.

But strong form in the VFL has earned him a promotion, beating out fellow forward Mitch Lewis who is also looking to earn a spot in the run home to finals.

The Hawks have dropped Max Ramsden and Seamus Mitchell is out through injury.

The Dockers made two changes, replacing the injured Alex Pearce with Oscar McDonald, and dropping Neil Erasmus for Sam Switkowski.

Originally published as All the ins, outs and full round 18 AFL teams