Richmond star Ben Cousins' troubled start to the AFL season has continued - the midfielder sidelined by a knee injury.

Tigers' round one debutant Relton Roberts will also miss Sunday's MCG clash with the Western Bulldogs through a club-imposed suspension.

Cousins had a poor lead-up to last Thursday night's season-opening loss to Carlton, twice hospitalised with stomach pain.

While coach Damien Hardwick said on Thursday it had been a risk which "probably didn't work" to play Cousins against the Blues, he predicted he would be "better for the run".

But the Tigers left the 31-year-old former West Coast skipper out of their squad for the Bulldogs clash, citing knee soreness.

Football manager Ross Monaghan later said the soreness stemmed from the match against the Blues.

While Cousins made it through the club's training sessions this week, the Tigers decided against risking him, given they have only a six-day break ahead of their round three SCG meeting with Sydney.

Indigenous forward Roberts was left out at the instigation of the Tigers' leadership group for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, after just one game of his AFL career.

Monaghan said the suspension was likely to be for just one match.

The additions to the Bulldogs' 25-man squad included versatile defender Dale Morris, who missed the opening round loss to Collingwood with illness.

St Kilda dropped ruckman Steven King for Saturday's Etihad Stadium meeting with North Melbourne, despite losing fellow big man Justin Koschitzke to suspension.

Michael Gardiner came into the side, after an injury-interrupted pre-season, along with ex-Richmond ruckman-forward Adam Pattison, for what will be his first game with the Saints.

Coach Ross Lyon said promising untried tall Rhys Stanley had been in contention, but had pulled up sore after a VFL practice match last weekend.

The Kangaroos called up experienced forward Corey Jones and young tall defender Nathan Grima, dropping Leigh Harding and Scott McMahon.

Collingwood lost veteran fullback Simon Prestigiacomo (quad) to injury for their match against Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday, replacing him with Ben Reid.

The Demons made two changes, dumping key forward Brad Miller and losing defender Jared Rivers to a knee injury, replaced by Michael Newton and Rohan Bail.

Port Adelaide regained key defender Troy Chaplin from suspension and added Tom Logan for Saturday night's Subiaco clash with West Coast, dropping ex-Brisbane recruit Scott Harding and Andrew Moore.

The Eagles lost gun forward Mark LeCras (hamstring) and dropped marking target Quinten Lynch, replaced by Scott Selwood and Matt Spangher.

Hawthorn added three stars, Lance Franklin and Chance Bateman back from suspension and Cyril Rioli from a groin injury, to their squad for Monday's big MCG match against Geelong.

The Cats, who lost veteran Darren Milburn to a hamstring injury, named potential mature-aged debutant James Podsiadly among the inclusions to their squad.

Adelaide could regain star forwards Brett Burton and Jason Porplyzia and ruckman Ivan Maric, who were all named in their 25-man squad for Sunday's AAMI Stadium meeting with Sydney.

The Crows lost Rory Sloane and Scott Stevens to injury, while the Swans are yet to drop anyone from their squad.

Essendon's Mark McVeigh will return from suspension for Sunday's Etihad Stadium encounter with Fremantle, who are yet to make any omissions from the side that thrashed Adelaide in the opening round.

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