Adelaide and West Coast have boosted their defensive stocks ahead of Sunday’s pivotal clash at Adelaide Oval, which will have implications for the AFL top two and top eight.

The Crows, who can lock down a finals berth with a win, have added boom youngster Jake Lever, while the Eagles, who can nail down a top-two finish, regain Jeremy McGovern from a hamstring injury.

Young defender Tom Barrass is also in for West Coast, with Sharrod Wellingham (ankle) and Jackson Nelson (omitted) dropping out of the side after last week’s thumping of the Western Bulldogs.

Eighth-placed Adelaide head into the second last round of the regular season six points clear of Geelong, while the second-placed Eagles are six points clear of Hawthorn and two adrift of Fremantle in top spot.

The Dockers regain skipper Matthew Pavlich from an achilles injury as they look to rebound after suffering successive losses for the first time this year.

Clancee Pearce also returns, while Ed Langdon will make his AFL debut, with Brownlow Medal favourite Nat Fyfe being sensationally ruled out for the final two home-and-away matches with a leg injury.

Melbourne will take on Fremantle without veterans Heritier Lumumba and Chris Dawes who have both suffered ankle injuries. Neville Jetta, Matt Jones, Jake Spencer and Oscar McDonald come into the side, with McDonald also to debut.

Sydney will take on St Kilda in the final match of the round at Etihad Stadium and have been boosted by the inclusions of Lance Franklin, Gary Rohan and Tom Mitchell.

Adam Schneider, who will play his final game before retirement, comes into the Saints’ side along with Sean Dempster, Dylan Roberton and David Armitage.