WESTERN Bulldogs forward Barry Hall will play his first senior game since round 10 this Saturday against Gold Coast.
The 34-year-old has been working hard to rebuild his fitness since a stuttering comeback match against Hawthorn in round 10 that followed an ankle problem that kept him out for the previous four games.
For the full team list, click here.
He and the team flew to Queensland earlier in the week ahead of this weekend's game at Metricon Stadium and he will line up for his sixth game for the season.
Also coming into the side is young midfielder Christian Howard, who will play his fourth senior game and, according to coach Rodney Eade, has another chance to cement his spot in the side.
Nathan Djerrkura and Tom Liberatore have been omitted.
Eade said the Dogs had always planned to travel to the Gold Coast early for a few days of training in the sunshine but they were forced to go a day ahead of schedule owing to concerns the ash cloud would disrupt flights.
He said Hall would be a "welcome addition to forward line" this week, although he was buoyed by the side's performance last week in its 30-point win over Adelaide at Etihad Stadium.
"Last week's game was obviously pleasing; a, with the result and b, especially after quarter-time with the way we played," he told Bulldogs TV on Thursday.
"We started to get back to the way we know we can play. It was very pleasing; the performance of Luke Dahlhaus, Jayden Schofield in his first game, and Ed Barlow.
"With our older players - [Robert] Murphy, [Ryan] Griffen, [Matthew] Boyd, [Daniel] Cross, [Dale] Morris - performing well again and our youth coming into the side, I think our future does look bright for the long-term even though it's disappointing where we are at this stage on the ladder.
"There's no doubt we can have a better second half of the season.
"If we get another victory and get on a bit of a roll, we've got no doubt momentum and confidence will start to grow and we can give this season a bit of a shake."
Hall has been named to start at full forward on Saturday while Howard is on the bench with Schofield, Will Minson and Callan Ward.
Sam Reid, Lukas Markovic and Andrew Hooper are emergencies while Brian Lake has failed to gain a recall to the senior side after playing just part of a match in the VFL last weekend before he injured his eye.
Gold Coast defender Jarrod Harbrow will play his first game against his former side while the Suns have named Charlie Dixon, Zac Smith, David Swallow and debutants Hayden Jolly and Joel Wilkinson as their inclusions.
Daniel Harris, Rex Liddy and Daniel Gorringe have been omitted while Trent McKenzie and Sam Day have been rested.
