Dusty returns for Tigers, De Goey back for Collingwood

North Melbourne are bracing for the “frightening proposition” of taking on Richmond superstar Dustin Martin and having ruled out young gun George Wardlaw for a battle that could decide the AFL’s wooden spoon.

In other big round-21 selection news, Jordan De Goey is an unexpected inclusion for Collingwood, Harry McKay is back for Carlton, Jeremy McGovern returns for West Coast and Matt Crouch will make a surprise early return for Adelaide.

Richmond veteran Martin completed training at Punt Road on Thursday and was named to return after more than a month out with a back complaint.

Tigers midfielder Tim Taranto was also named despite being hampered by a lower back issue last week.

“We’ll just prepare for Richmond at their best and for Dustin at his best, which is a bit of a frightening proposition,” North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson said.

“He’s just an ornament to the game really.

“I don’t know what he’ll do next year – whether it’s at Richmond, elsewhere or whether he’ll retire – but we need to applaud this bloke for what he’s contributed to our game.

“I’m not sure we’ll ever see it again; three Norm Smith medals in three winning (grand) finals.”

North Melbourne and Richmond both take 2-17 records into Saturday’s contest, with the Kangaroos boasting a slightly superior percentage.

Rising star contender Wardlaw has been sidelined with delayed concussion symptoms after the second-from-bottom Kangaroos’ loss to Geelong last round.

“I have reported that he’d been unwell with a bit of delayed concussion, we think, from an incident late in the (Geelong) game,” Clarkson said.

“We were unaware of that until this morning, in terms of him continuing to be unwell.”

Griffin Logue, who has played two AFL games since recovering from a knee reconstruction, has been ruled out with a wrist injury.

De Goey (groin) was expected to miss another week, but he has been named for Scott Pendlebury’s 400-game milestone match in Collingwood’s must-win clash with Carlton at the MCG on Saturday night.

Blues forward McKay, who copped a head knock a fortnight ago against North Melbourne and was withdrawn last week due to illness, returns alongside Blake Acres.

Carlton also handed Jack Martin a recall for his 150-game milestone.

Crouch was ruled out for the season when he underwent shoulder surgery in early June, but he has recovered quicker than expected and will face Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.

“When Matty bravely fought on versus the Hawks back in round 12 after hurting the shoulder which would then require surgery, it was a sign of his commitment to the team,” Adelaide head of football Adam Kelly said.

Crows skipper Jordan Dawson returns from concussion.

Geelong welcome back Rhys Stanley and Zach Tuohy, but have rested Mitch Duncan.

Cats forward Tyson Stengle, who was taken to hospital last weekend after collapsing in a nightclub, was named to play.

Brisbane get back skipper Harris Andrews from concussion for Sunday’s match against St Kilda, while GWS have lost Jake Riccardi to a dislocated finger for their match against Hawthorn.

Riccardi is expected to miss the rest of the home-and-away season after undergoing surgery.

West Coast have made six changes – five of them forced – for Friday night’s match against Gold Coast.

Jeremy McGovern, Alex Witherden and Liam Duggan return from injury, while Clay Hall has been named for his AFL debut.

Tom Barrass (concussion), Luke Edwards (concussion), Josh Rotham (abdominal), Jack Petruccelle (suspended) and Jack Hutchinson (suspended) were ruled out, while Jai Culley was axed.

Gold Coast recalled Alex Sexton and Brayden Fiorini.