A hamstring injury has sidelined Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy again for Friday night’s must-win AFL match against Adelaide.
Murphy’s latest setback heads plenty of selection news among the captains for round 16.
It was already known that foot surgery would sideline Melbourne co-captain Jack Viney for their Sunday game against Carlton.
But Brisbane skipper Dayne Beams is poised to make a speedy comeback on Saturday night in their home game against Geelong, who are set to regain Joel Selwood from his one week out with concussion.
Shannon Hurn is set to return from injury, among five additions to the West Coast squad for Sunday’s big home game against Port Adelaide.
Former Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett is also a big out for their tough assignment against Sydney at the SCG.
A week after he returned from a calf muscle injury and played his 300th match, Ablett is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Murphy missed three games with his hamstring problem and returned for last week’s surprise loss to the Eagles.
But like Ablett, his comeback was short-lived and he is among four Bulldogs changes.
While Tom Campbell (abdominal strain) and Shane Biggs (calf) are also injured, the Bulldogs regained premiership players Matthew Boyd, Tom Liberatore, Fletcher Roberts and Clay Smith.
After initially being ruled out for roughly four weeks with his shoulder injury, Beams is set to return after just one game.
Selwood’s concussion made him a late withdrawal last weekend for the draw with GWS.
In other selection news, Adelaide veteran Scott Thompson was recalled for his first senior game this season.
Defenders Ben Reid and Travis Varcoe are big inclusions for Collingwood’s Saturday clash with Essendon, but they lost Darcy Moore and Tom Phillips to injury.
Demons key forward Jesse Hogan will return from cancer surgery on Saturday in a timely morale boost for his club.
Melbourne have had a tough week, with a big loss to Sydney and Tom Bugg’s six-game suspension.