AFL round 21: All the latest team and selection news

There’s some big ins for this massive weekend of fixtures headlined by the returns of some superstars for the Collingwood-Carlton clash, and the return of Dustin Martin. FULL TEAMS.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Harry McKay of the Blues celebrates kicking a goal during the round eight AFL match between Carlton Blues and Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on May 03, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Essendon will unveil only its second debutant of the season among four changes as coach Brad Scott rolls the dice in a bid to revive the Bombers’ finals push.

No. 54 pick Archie Roberts will be blooded in Sunday’s MCG clash against Fremantle as Nick Bryan was picked for just his second senior game in 2024.

The ruckman comes into the Bombers’ side at the expense of Peter Wright, who has again been dropped along with veteran Dyson Heppell after the pair earned a short reprieve against St Kilda.

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Jake Kelly and Alwyn Davey Jr were also confirmed to face the Dockers, who replaced suspended Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe with Neil Erasmus.

Roberts, 18 has played 14 games at VFL level this season and in his last four has averaged 27 disposals and five marks per game.

The left-footer will follow No. 10 pick Nate Caddy in receiving a chance at the senior level for the Bombers this season.

Veteran forward Jack Gunston will return for his first game since round 17 at Manuka Oval when Hawthorn meets GWS in a finals-shaping clash on Sunday.

Archie Roberts (right) will debut for Essendon. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Gunston will replace omitted tagger Finn Maginness, and coach Sam Mitchell could have a defensive role in mind for the 32-year-old after he kept GWS star defender Sam Taylor quiet and kicked three goals of his own in their last meeting.

The Giants have turned to third-game tall Max Gruzewski to replace the injured Jake Riccardi.

Mattaes Phillipou and Paddy Dow will return to bolster St Kilda’s midfield despite the loss of the injured Hunter Clark, with Hugo Garcia also making way from the Saints’ side.

Ross Lyon’s in-form side will face Brisbane at Marvel Stadium, with the Lions’ backline regaining Harris Andrews after he missed the win over Gold Coast due to concussion.

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Carlton has regained a raft of important players as the Blues look to spoil Scott Pendlebury’s party at the MCG on Saturday night.

Key forward Harry McKay, wingman Blake Acres and small forward Jack Martin join defender Jordan Boyd as inclusions for the blockbuster match against arch-rival Collingwood.

The quartet replaces David Cunningham (shoulder), Lewis Young, Jack Carroll and Lachie Cowan (all omitted).

McKay (illness) and Acres (foot) had been listed as tests earlier in the week after missing last Friday night’s loss to Port Adelaide, while Martin is returning for his first senior game since round 9 after an injury-interrupted year.

The Blues are looking to turn around a form slump, which has seen them lose three of their past four matches.

Collingwood has also been bolstered for what is a must-win match if the reigning premier is to keep its finals hopes alive.

Jordan De Goey has been cleared to return from a groin complaint, joining forward Beau McCreery and key defender Billy Frampton as inclusions.

Meanwhile, Geelong has turned back to Rhys Stanley as it looks to address its stoppage woes, with the ruckman selected to play his first game since round 13.Stanley had spent the past six weeks at VFL level for the Cats, who have rested veteran Mitch Duncan for their clash with Adelaide on Saturday afternoon.

Richmond captain Toby Nankervis will return from concussion for the Tigers’ bottom-of-the-table match against North Melbourne on Saturday, while Dustin Martin is also back after four weeks on the sidelines.

The Kangaroos have lost Rising Star chance George Wardlaw to injury, but regain fellow young gun Colby McKercher.

Footscray will take an unchanged line-up into Friday night’s match against Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, while Tom Sparrow returns for the Demons after gathering 31 disposals and nine clearances in the VFL last weekend.

Harris Andrews has been named at centre-half back for the Brisbane Lions’ match with St Kilda on Sunday after missing last week’s Q-Clash through concussion.

Essendon has confirmed only one unforced change for Sunday’s match with Fremantle, dropping midfielder Archie Perkins.

Ben Hobbs, Alwyn Davey Jnr, Archie Roberts and Nick Bryan have all been included as additions on an extended interchange bench, while Jake Kelly replaces Jordan Ridley (hip) in the starting 18.

BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR CATS’ STENGLE AFTER NIGHTCLUB INCIDENT

- Josh Barnes

Geelong forward Tyson Stengle has been named to play against Adelaide as the Cats remain hopeful forgotten midfielder Cam Guthrie will play again in 2024.

Stengle was caught up in a media storm at the start of the week when it was revealed he was found unresponsive in a Geelong nightclub on Sunday morning and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance.

But the All-Australian ran laps on Monday and has trained as normal since.

He has been named at half-forward in Geelong’s side, with Mitch Duncan (managed) and Ted Clohesy (omitted) out and ruck Rhys Stanley recalled alongside veteran Zach Tuohy.

All week the Cats have considered Stengle part of the side until the club was forced to rule him out, with no reason yet to leave the goalkicker out of the side.

He has played in all 19 of Geelong’s games so far this season and is on track for a second All-Australian blazer, having kicked 37 goals.

Dual best-and-fairest winner Guthrie has not contributed in the same way and has been sidelined by an achilles issue since round 11, having played just four times in 2024.

Stengle has enjoyed a superb season so far. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Guthrie played just six games last year before succumbing to a toe problem and didn’t play until round 8 this season after tearing a quad late in the pre-season.

The Cats listed the 240-game premiership player as “TBC” on their weekly injury update this week, after being listed as three weeks away from a return in the previous update, but Guthrie has not suffered a setback.

The midfielder’s progress has been hard to track for the Geelong medical staff and his timeline for return depends on how he pulls up as he attempts to move through running milestones.

With just four games remaining until the end of the home-and-away season, Guthrie appears to be running out of time to get back on field but could move quickly should he pull up well from running sessions.

He shared the best-and-fairest with Jeremy Cameron in a premiership year in 2022 but has played just 10 times since, with Geelong crying out for exactly his style of tough midfielder.

Guthrie has been working alongside Tom Hawkins in Geelong’s rehab group, with Hawkins targeting a return from his foot injury in round 23, when the Cats face St Kilda.

The Cats have a short injury list, with Gary Rohan out this weekend due to concussion and young rucks Toby Conway (foot) and Mitch Edwards (back) ruled out for the rest of the season.

Originally published as AFL round 21: All the latest team and selection news