Richmond axe two, Hawks recall captain

Struggling Richmond have axed two players for Friday night’s AFL game against West Coast in Perth.

The Tigers, with one win and two losses, dumped Anthony Miles and Jayden Short for the clash with the unchanged Eagles, summoning ex-Port Adelaide midfielder Andrew Moore and Taylor Hunt.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge will return from a fractured arm against St Kilda in Saturday’s match in Tasmania.

Hodge, who suffered the injury in round one, comes into a Hawks side missing Josh Gibson (hamstring), and Ryan Schoenmakers (groin) while Jonathan O’Rourke was dropped.

The Saints named two players – captain Nick Riewoldt and Paddy McCartin – for the clash despite both being concussed in last week’s win against Collingwood.

In other Saturday selections, Essendon omitted Ryan Crowley from its side to host Geelong at the MCG.

Crowley, Nick Kommer and Jackson Merrett were dumped in favour of Conor McKenna, Craig Bird, and Jayden Laverde, while the Cats have rested champion backman Corey Enright and dropped Lincoln McCarthy and Jake Kolodjashnij, bringing in Tom Lonergan, Cory Gregson and Jordan Murdoch.

Adelaide, hosting ladder-leaders Sydney on Saturday night, axed Riley Knight and summoned forward Tom Lynch, who missed last week’s win against Richmond to be at the birth of his child.

The Swans named co-captain Jarrad McVeigh for his first game of the season after recovering from post-season knee surgery.

In Saturday’s clash for Queensland bragging rights between unbeaten Gold Coast and Brisbane in Brisbane, the Suns made three changes, recalling Touk Miller, Keegan Brooksby and Callum Ah Chee for Rory Thompson (ankle), Trent McKenzie (nose) and the omitted Brandon Matera.

The Lions, seeking a first win of the season, included Daniel Rich at the expense of Billy Evans.

A former Lion, Jed Adcock, will debut for the Western Bulldogs against Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night after being named to replace Robert Murphy (knee reconstruction) while the Blues called on ex-GWS trio Lachie Plowman, Liam Sumner and Jed Lamb to replace dumped duo Michael Jamison and Mark Whiley and Blaine Boekhorst (hamstring).

In notable Sunday selections, Port Adelaide included big guns Hamish Hartlett and Chad Wingard in an extended squad to meet the Giants in Sydney, the pair having recovered from hamstring strains.

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