Round 1 AFL teams: See all the teams as they drop for the opening round of the season

WATCH LIVE: Patrick Dangerfield is officially out for Geelong but Gary Ablett will face Melbourne. Nic Naitanui and Cyril Rioli will also make their long-awaited returns. SEE THE TEAMS HERE

MELBOURNE has left out Angus Brayshaw and Dom Tyson for its clash against Geelong on Sunday.

Both were named as emergencies, alongside Sam Frost and Tom Bugg, when the Demons announced their final squad on Friday afternoon. The Cats named first-gamers Tim Kelly and Lachlan Fogarty on the bench but Charlie Constable misses out. In other Sunday team news the Bulldogs named Caleb Daniel, Tory Dickon and Lin Jong as emergencies while first-gamer Billy Gowers is on the bench to face GWS, and Liam Ryan and Daniel Venables will make their debuts against Sydney after being named in the 22-man squad. AFL TIPS: WHO THE EXPERTS LIKE FOR ROUND 1 SEE THE FULL ROUND 1 TEAMS BELOW AFL TEAMS: WHO MADE THE CUT FOR ROUND 1 Meanwhile, Geelong will have to wait until at least Easter Monday to unveil its trifecta of midfield champions after Patrick Dangerfield was ruled out of Sunday’s blockbuster clash with Melbourne at the MCG. But while Dangerfield lost his battle to overcome a hamstring injury in time to tackle the Demons, his new teammate Gary Ablett will play his first game in Cats’ colours in 2746 days, since the 2010 preliminary final. In other big selection news, some of the big names selected for Round 1 included Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli, West Coast’s Nic Naitanui, St Kilda’s Jack Steven as well as Cam Rayner, Brisbane’s No.1 draft pick from last year. Naitanui will play his first AFL game since suffering a serious knee injury in Round 22, 2016, as the Eagles and Swans prepare to play the inaugural AFL home-and-away match at the new Perth Stadium. Naitanui proved his fitness after training strongly on Thursday, with coach Adam Simpson declaring: “He’s ready.” Hawthorn received a massive boost ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Collingwood with Rioli proving his fitness, despite not playing a competitive match during the pre-season. RE-WATCH OUR LIVE SUPERCOACH TEAMS SHOW HERE He had an interrupted summer after being granted personal leave to be with his sick father in the Northern Territory, but the Hawks’ strategic approach to have him ready for Round 1 worked. Jarman Impey will play his first game for the Hawks, while Collingwood has two debutants in former Swan Sam Murray, who might be required to play on Rioli, and first-round draft selection Jaidyn Stephenson. Essendon’s bold trade strategy last year paid early dividends with its three big recruits Jake Stringer, Devon Smith and Adam Saad confirmed as certain starters for Friday night’s game against Adelaide at Etihad Stadium. SuperCoach 2018 HiPages “We obviously got them to the club for a reason and they’ve all had really good pre-seasons,” Bombers coach John Worsfold said. “It’s exciting for them to be wearing the sash for the first time, but we’re rapt to have them out there.” The Crows named five new players, including former Blue Bryce Gibbs and Sam Gibson, who was dumped by the Kangaroos at the end of last season but has won his way into last year’s Grand Final team, maintaining his streak of 131 consecutive games. Port Adelaide, the other big player in the free agency/trade window last year, has four new faces, Tom Rockliff, Jack Watts, Steven Motlop and Dom Barry, for their contest with Fremantle at Adelaide Oval. Rayner will get his first taste of AFL football with Brisbane, while former Hawthorn veteran Luke Hodge and ex-Adelaide forward Charlie Cameron will tackle the Saints. TIGERS: HOW RICHMOND ROSE TO CLAIM A FAIRYTALE FLAG ROUND 1: RICHMOND v CARLTON SET TO BREAK ATTENDANCE RECORD RIEWOLDT: WHY THE TIGERS CAN GET EVEN BETTER Jack Steven proved his fitness after his JLT ankle mishap, while St Kilda’s No.7 draft pick Hunter Clark will play. North Melbourne gave former Hawk Billy Hartung the second chance he wanted and he will play his first game for his new club alongside the club’s highly-rated first-round draft pick Luke Davies-Uniacke when they tackle the Suns. Four new recruits Hayden Crozier, Jackson Trengove, Aaron Naughton and Billy Gowers were included in the Western Bulldogs’ squad to take on the Giants on Sunday, while Melbourne locked in Clayton Oliver after he proved his fitness at the final training session and he will play against Geelong.

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