Fremantle have gambled on securing an AFL home final next weekend, resting seven players for Saturday's Launceston match against Hawthorn.

The mass changes two matches from the finals are similar to round 19 last season, when then-unbeaten St Kilda left out eight of their best 22 for the match against Hawthorn, also in Launceston.

St Kilda staged a massive upset by winning that match and the Hawks will again start strong favourites on Saturday against the undermanned Dockers.

Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich heads the omissions, who are all listed as suffering from soreness.

"We understand it's unique, but we also understand no-one knows our players better than our coaches and our sports science people," Dockers football manager Chris Bond told Fairfax Radio.

"It's something we've been very transparent (about) with key people in the club.

"It certainly is a mixture of things in regards to the players, we know the players carry injuries this time of year.

"In regards to durability of our young players, that's come into it as well and obviously also the fact we have a six-day break coming back for next week."

Fremantle will end their home-and-away season next Friday night when they host Carlton.

The Dockers are fifth, a game and percentage behind fourth place and a game ahead of sixth side Carlton and seventh-placed Sydney, although the Blues have a better percentage.

Fremantle will host an elimination final if they finish fifth or sixth.

Along with Pavlich, they have left out David Mundy, Roger Hayden, Adam McPhee, Stephen Hill, Anthony Morabito and Nathan Fyfe.

They recalled Steven Dodd, Ryan Murphy, Rhys Palmer, Clayton Hinkley, Jay van Berlo, Clancee Pearce and Justin Bollenhagen.

The injury-ravaged Dockers were already missing Aaron Sandilands, Chris Tarrant and Hayden Ballantyne, with that trio expected back soon.

By contrast, Hawthorn made only one change, regaining star forward Cyril Rioli from suspension in place of Rhan Hooper, also left out because of soreness.

The Western Bulldogs reacted to last week's 101-point thrashing from Geelong with five changes for Saturday night's SCG game against Sydney.

They lost Shaun Higgins (calf) and Easton Wood (hamstring), while Will Minson, Andrejs Everitt and Jordan Roughead were dropped.

Sydney brought back Nick Smith and Gary Rohan for Ben McGlynn (cheekbone) and Jarred Moore (concussion).

Geelong recalled Mark Blake, Joel Corey and Harry Taylor for Friday night's match against Carlton, who are unchanged.

Brad Ottens is ill and the Cats left out Jeremy Laidler and Taylor Hunt.

The Saints left out star midfielder Lenny Hayes with a back injury for Saturday's match against Richmond.

David Armitage, Adam Pattison and first-gamer Luke Miles come in for Hayes, Robert Eddy (hand) and Rhys Stanley.

The out-of-form Tigers recalled Robin Nahas, Will Thursfield, Alex Rance, Trent Cotchin and Troy Taylor for Matt White (leg), Danny Jackson (leg), Ben Nason, Andrew Browne and Robert Hicks.

Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser remains stranded on 199 games, again named as an emergency for Saturday night's home game against Adelaide.

They recalled Luke Ball, Tyson Goldsack and John Anthony for Simon Prestigiacomo (corked thigh), Paul Medhurst and Tarkyn Lockyer.

Nathan Bock has played his last game for the Crows ahead of his expected defection to Gold Coast, while Chris Knights and Bernie Vince are injured.

Adelaide recalled Matthew Jaensch, Taylor Walker and Will Young.

Brisbane captain Jonathan Brown is expected to play his 200th game on Sunday when he returns from a knee injury against Essendon.

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