A four-match winning streak has not stopped Collingwood from swinging the axe, making four changes for Saturday's AFL clash with Fremantle at the MCG.

The Magpies lost star midfielder Scott Pendlebury with a knee injury, but have dumped Martin Clarke, Steele Sidebottom and Cameron Wood from the side that notched a hard-fought away win over Sydney last weekend.

Key defender Nathan Brown is back from a knee injury, while youngsters Tyson Goldsack, Dayne Beams and Chris Dawes have been included, Dawes for the first time this season.

Small forward Paul Medhurst, who has not played a senior game since hurting his ankle in round six, will have to build form and fitness in the VFL after being named as an emergency.

The Dockers have named a very inexperienced side, including debutants small forward Hayden Ballantyne and 203cm former basketballer Zachary Clarke.

Quick midfielder Brett Peake was their other inclusion, with Kepler Bradley, Adam Campbell and Michael Walters dropped.

Hawthorn moved closer to full-strength with the return of defenders Stephen Gilham and Rick Ladson, who have missed almost all of the club's premiership defence, for Saturday night's Subiaco clash with West Coast.

Gilham has played just one game this season, while Ladson has been included for his first of the year, after both overcame knee injuries.

Youngster Brendan Whitecross is the Hawks' other inclusion.

Brent Renouf, Ryan Schoenmakers and Travis Tuck were the players omitted.

The Eagles will enter the match with second-gamer Nick Naitanui as their No.1 ruckman, after the game's premier big man Dean Cox was forced out with a groin injury.

The Eagles also lost Mark Nicoski to injury and dropped Jamie McNamara, while regaining Andrew Embley and recalling Sam Butler and Ben McKinley.

Essendon have been forced to make two changes for Friday night's bumper MCG clash with Carlton.

A calf injury has forced defender Adam McPhee to join the suspended Mark McVeigh on the sidelines.

But Henry Slattery and Nathan Lovett-Murray both return from injury for the Bombers.

The Blues have been boosted by the return of defender Bret Thornton from a hamstring injury to help his side cope with Bombers' tall forward pairing Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas.

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