Hamstring soreness will keep Melbourne captain James McDonald out of Sunday's AFL clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

McDonald pulled up well after last week's defeat to Collingwood, but experienced soreness after training during the week.

The Demons expect to have the midfielder return for the round four game against Richmond, but his place against Port was taken by utility Lynden Dunn.

North Melbourne named both former captain Adam Simpson and defender Daniel Pratt to play Hawthorn on Sunday despite their involvement in making the now-infamous chicken sex video.

North fined the players $5,000 each, but despite Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley warning that both players might be too mentally drained to play, they got the nod to play the Hawks.

Hawthorn have defender Stephen Gilham back in the side after illness alongside Travis Tuck, and they replaced Josh Kennedy and Mitch Thorp.

The Kangaroos dropped Ed Lower and Todd Goldstein and replaced them with Josh Smith and Corey Jones.

Melbourne brought in ex-Adelaide ruckman John Meesen for his first game with the club, at the expense of Jake Spencer.

Adelaide made three forced changes for Sunday's game against Fremantle at Subiaco.

Aside from the club-imposed suspension put on Nathan Bock, the Crows could not consider Trent Hentschel (knee) and Chris Knights (eye socket), which paved the return for Nick Gill, Scott Stevens and Brad Symes.

The Dockers and Port Adelaide both named debutants.

The Dockers named defender Greg Broughton for his first game, and recalled Daniel Gilmore and Clayton Hinkley to replace Andrew Browne (shoulder), Paul Duffield and Scott Thornton.

Port named forward Wade Thompson to play his first game in an effective swap for Justin Westhoff, who has a broken foot.

Ruckman Dean Brogan returned from suspension, along with Matt Thomas, but dropped Toby Thurstans and David Rodan.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP