STARING at three Friday-night losses in a row, the Western Bulldogs have recalled three big names for tonight's match against St Kilda.

Successive heavy losses to Geelong and West Coast have left the Bulldogs' hopes of finals football this year looking very precarious.

Having played an emotional card with Luke Darcy's announcement yesterday that he would retire at the end of the season, the Dogs tried to turn another trick by naming Daniel Cross, Chris Grant and Scott West.

All three are in their best 22, but only Grant, who passed a fitness test on his strained hamstring this week, gives off a strong air of confidence that he will play.

Cross, who has been missing with strained knee ligaments since the round-11 win over Brisbane, comes in despite still being listed as one or two weeks away on the club's injury list. The Dogs have missed his toughness around the ball.

West has alternately missed, played when sore and missed in the past three rounds as he struggles to throw off a groin injury. Grant has missed the past three matches with a hamstring strain.

Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Hill and Cameron Wight were omitted.

St Kilda's only change was to recall Justin Koschitzke after a week's suspension in place of Michael Rix.

The Kangaroos brought Daniel Wells back into their side to play Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in tomorrow night's big clash and dropped Leigh Brown, who has played every game so far this year and has missed only three in the past five seasons.

After its thumping of Collingwood last Saturday night, the Lions are unchanged.

Geelong named former captain Steven King for the first time since round six. King has played three games in the VFL after returning from injury. The Cats have won 12 in a row since he last played.

The Cats went with three ruckmen, retaining Brad Ottens and Mark Blake. Corey Enright misses with a shoulder injury.

Richmond continued to shuffle the side around. Angus Graham, a 200-centimetre, 96-kilogram big man from King Island, will play his first game, Brett Deledio returns two weeks early from an expected six weeks out with a broken bone in his hand and Greg Tivendale is recalled. Kelvin Moore, Adam Pattison and Andrew Krakouer were omitted.

Port Adelaide is unchanged for its local derby against Adelaide. The Crows, needing to win to remain in touch with the eight, brought in Richard Douglas, Jason Porplyzia and Robert Shirley to replace the injured Brent Reilly, Bryce Campbell and Michael Doughty.

Carlton and Collingwood each has a first-gamer for tomorrow's meeting at the MCG. The Blues named key-position player Michael Jamison for his debut and Collingwood named midfielder Ryan Cook.

The Blues lost Matthew Lappin and Simon Wiggins to injury as well as Anthony Koutoufides, who has retired. Collingwood regained James Clement, but lose Scott Pendlebury to a foot injury and dropped Paul Licuria.

Training today will determine the final line-ups at Essendon and Hawthorn for Sunday's crucial match at the MCG. Essendon has Dustin Fletcher (knee) and Andrew Lovett (shoulder), and Hawthorn Sam Mitchell (calf), Lance Franklin (virus) and Shane Crawford (knee), in a greater or lesser degree of doubt.

Byron Pickett will play his 200th AFL game if he lines up for Melbourne against Sydney on Sunday.