Hawthorn will welcome back key forward Mitch Lewis for the first time in 378 days but have responded to last round’s loss to Fremantle on the road by dropping Cam Mackenzie and Changkuoth Jiath.

The return of Lewis, 26, from an ACL injury is a major boost for the Hawks, who retain hope of pushing for a top-four finish, but must first beat Port Adelaide in Launceston on Saturday. Lewis’ comeback game against the Power was partly offset by the loss of Mabior Chol to a groin injury.

There’s another familiar face returning to the AFL scene this weekend after the Western Bulldogs bolstered their defensive stocks by picking veteran Liam Jones for Friday night’s daunting match against Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.

Jones, 34, is in for his fifth game of the season. The Bulldogs have also turned to Luke Cleary and Lachie McNeil, while Nick Coffield and Cooper Hynes were dropped. The Dogs said Josh Dolan had been managed out as one of three changes.

The Lions are close to full strength, but replaced Zac Bailey (suspension) and Noah Answerth (Achilles) with Bruce Reville and Sam Marshall.

Luke Davies-Uniacke (concussion protocols) was immediately recalled for North Melbourne after the gun midfielder was injured when Bulldog Ed Richards fended him off two weeks ago. The Kangaroos travel to Sydney to take on the resurgent Swans at the SCG on Saturday and turned to Callum Coleman-Jones to help mitigate the loss of ruckman Tristan Xerri to suspension.

Brynn Teakle and debutant Zac Banch, picked up in the mid-season draft, are also in for the Roos, while Finnbar Maley, Bailey Scott and Robert Hansen jnr were dropped. Sydney were strengthened by the inclusion of Dane Rampe. Swans ruckman Peter Ladhams was also picked, while Aaron Francis (omitted) and Tom McCartin (injured) were the outs.

The under-siege Carlton were forced into three changes for their dead-rubber assignment against Melbourne at the MCG, bringing in Adam Saad, Francis Evans and Will White for Mitch McGovern (hamstring), Orazio Fantasia (hamstring) and Alex Cincotta (injured).

Melbourne defender Steven May returns after missing last Sunday’s win over North Melbourne with illness, but his back-line partner Jake Lever will miss with an ankle complaint. Harry Sharp also comes in at the Demons, replacing Tom Sparrow, who is in concussion protocols after being injured in the incident which led to Xerri’s suspension.

Hawk Lewis will play his second AFL game since Easter Monday last year and has undergone an extensive rehabilitation since injuring his knee against Geelong last July. He has played three games for Box Hill in the VFL, averaging 3.3 goals per game.

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