Carlton have swung the axe for their AFL crunch clash with Gold Coast, dropping Jack Silvagni again among four changes.
The Blues (4-1-8) are in desperate need of a circuit-breaking win, their season in freefall after eight losses in nine matches.
Defeat against the Suns at the MCG on Sunday would extend their losing streak to seven matches and drive another dagger into their flagging finals hopes.
Lewis Young, Jesse Motlop, Ed Curnow, Paddy Dow and Silvagni have all been dropped from the side that lost to Essendon last week.
Nic Newman, Lachie Fogarty and ruckman Marc Pittonet return alonside David Cuningham, who will play his first AFL match in more than two years.
Blues coach Michael Voss said Cunningham’s selection was reward for effort after the 26-year-old battled a series of knee, calf and shoulder injuries.
“He’s had a long time out of the game and for him to be able to go through what he’s gone through in the last two years … we feel he’s ready to go,” Voss told reporters on Friday.
“He had a really good (VFL) game last week … he’ll add something a bit different to what we’ve had in there recently.”
It will be the first time in more than four years that Carlton’s first-round draft picks from 2015 – Jacob Weitering, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and Cuningham – have played in the same team.
Gold Coast (6-6) have recalled young gun Mac Andrew from his second club-imposed suspension in six months, as a replacement for Jy Farrar.
The Western Bulldogs (7-6) are clinging to a top-eight spot after three straight losses and have dropped Josh Bruce, James O’Donnell and Arthur Jones for Sunday’s clash with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
Tim O’Brien and Mitch Hannan have been recalled.
The Kangaroos, buoyed by spearhead Nick Larkey’s five-year contract extension, have been bolstered by the return of important midfield duo Jy Simpkin and Hugh Greenwood from concussion.