Mixed bag for Pies, Saints

There was mixed news on the injury front for Collingwood and St Kilda on Thursday night ahead of their much-anticipated Friday night showdown at Telstra Dome.

The Saints - who looked set to field a decimated side for the crucial encounter having lost Nick Riewoldt, Xavier Clarke, Matt Maguire and Steven Baker to injury - surprisingly regained key defender Max Hudghton from a hamstring injury while big men Steven King and Jason Blake and classy defender Leigh Fisher all make welcome returns to the side.

And Collingwood, which was expected to field a near full-strength side, has lost vice-captain Josh Fraser with the knee injury sustained while playing for Victoria while key forward Anthony Rocca was named but is far from a certain starter with his on-going ankle problem.

Rocca has also been named for the Pies' past two matches, only to be a late withdrawal on both occasions, but coach Mick Malthouse is optimistic his star forward will finally return for a game the Magpies must win to maintain their place in the top eight.

"I certainly hope that he's a bit more advanced than last week," Malthouse said of Rocca.

"He works very hard Anthony, contrary to what some people think - he works extremely hard to get right, so we're highly optimistic that he'll play."

Hudghton, who has a long history of soft tissue injuries, was surprisingly named despite missing just one game with a hamstring strain while King returns after missing two matches with the same injury.

Brisbane meanwhile named its strongest line-up of the season for Saturday night's tricky clash against improved Carlton at Telstra Dome.

The Lions regained champion forward Jonathan Brown, a late withdrawal against Geelong in Round 7 with a quad injury, while 2002 Brownlow Medalist Simon Black and key players Travis Johnstone and Josh Drummond also return after injury while key defender Jason Roe comes in for his first game of the season.

Omitted were Matthew Leuenberger, Lachlan Henderson, Cheynee Stiller, Albert Proud and Robert Copeland.

The Blues named ruckman Cain Ackland for his first game this season following shoulder surgery while Richard Hadley is back from a groin injury in place of Cameron Cloke, who is out for two matches with a wrist injury, and David Ellard.

Sydney named Nick Malceski just three months after he underwent a knee re-construction for Sunday's home clash against Essendon.

However Malceski was only named on a preliminary seven-man interchange bench with the Swans to decide on Friday whether last year's best-and-fairest runner-up completes the fastest comeback ever from a serious knee injury.

The Bombers received a welcome boost with the return of key trio Dustin Fletcher, Mark McVeigh and Adam Ramanauskas from injury but are without suspended duo Adam McPhee and Nathan Lovett-Murray.

Richmond dual best-and-fairest winner Joel Bowden has ended his month-long penance in the VFL by being named, along with Graham Polak, for Saturday's MCG clash against Geelong - which welcomed back champion midfielder Gary Ablett from a calf injury.

Unbeaten Hawthorn regained in-form midfielder Chance Bateman from a hand injury for Saturday's Tasmanian home game against Port Adelaide as the ideal replacement for injured vice-captain Luke Hodge.

Port was unchanged.

North Melbourne and West Coast each made four changes for Saturday night's clash at Carrara.

The Roos bought in Josh Gibson following a knee injury and promoted Scott McMahon, Matt Riggio and first-gamer Alan Obst for the injured