Classy St Kilda midfielder Nick Dal Santo is the shock victim of Saints' coach Ross Lyon's new-found youth policy after being sensationally axed for Friday night's must win clash against Fremantle at Telstra Dome.
Dal Santo's axing comes despite him averaging 22 disposals per game this season and comes just three years after he ran third in the 2005 Brownlow Medal.
His shock omission also ends a run of 114 consecutive matches for the Saints dating back to Round 15, 2003.
Just last season Dal Santo was again the Saints' leading votegetter in the Brownlow Medal and finished fourth in the club's best and fairest and he gathered 28 disposals in the win over Melbourne just a fortnight ago.
However Dal Santo struggled during last week's loss in Sydney - which left the Saints a game adrift of Carlton in the race for eighth spot - with just 17 disposals.
And it appears the reason for his axing is his recent lack of 'one percenters' after Lyon forecast on Wednesday that he would be turning to younger players in the wake of the club's disappointing season to date.
"Those that perform and carry out the behaviours expected of them by their team-mates will stay in the team and those that don't will have an opportunity to go back to Casey (in the VFL) and work on that and provide them with solutions to get back in," Lyon said.
Asked what he meant by 'behaviours', Lyon said: "Just what every AFL team would want - to compete and when you've got to chase, chase, and when you've got to go, go, and be selfless for the team."
Lyon was true to his word of turning to young players with three first gamers named for Friday night's clash in ruckman Ben McEvoy - who will partner Steven King in the absence of Michael Gardiner and Justin Koschitzke - as well as well as Robert Eddy and forward Jarryd Allen.
Allen's opportunity arose after the Saints lost goalsneak Adam Schneider to injury and also lost patience with the inconsistent Stephen Milne, who has kicked just two goals in the past two matches.
The Dockers, coming off just their second win for the season, made no change.
Collingwood named Anthony Rocca but he remains doubtful with an ankle injury for Sunday's clash against the high-flying Western Bulldogs.
But the Pies are desperate to have Rocca available given the loss of Travis Cloke to suspension and the loss of number one ruckman Josh Fraser (knee) and in-form goalsneak Leon Davis (ankle).
The Bulldogs are unchanged.
Brisbane and Adelaide have each made three changes for Saturday night's key clash at the Gabba.
The Lions have named a first gamer in 19-year-old Tasmanian defender Tom Collier while Michael Rischitelli and Robert Copeland also return for the injured Jason Roe while Cheynee Stiller and Matthew Leuenberger were dropped.
The Crows have again lost talented ruckman Jonathon Griffin to a hip injury and dropped David Mackay and Andy Otten with star forward Brett Burton returning from suspension and Nick Gill and Brent Reilly also included.
Richmond promoted Cleve Hughes, who has kicked 11 goals in the past two weeks in the VFL, and Dean Polo for Daniel Jackson (leg) and Jay Schulz for Saturday's trip to Port Adelaide while the Power regained goalsneak Brett Ebert following an ankle injury and dropped Justin Westhoff.
Geelong is unchanged for its trip to West Coast but the Eagles have made five changes with big guns Chad Fletcher, Daniel Kerr, Michael Braun and Ashley Hansen all returning to the side.
Hawthorn has regained Brent Guerra following a four-match absence with a hamstring injury but lost Chance Bateman to the same injury for its MCG clash with North Melbourne.
The Kangas made six changes with Nathan Thompson heading the list of returnees after missing two games with a knee injury but number one ruckman Hamish McIntosh is facing at least two months on the sidelines after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament last week.
And both Carlton and Essendon and Melbourne and Sydney are yet to make a change for their respective meetings at the MCG and Canberra on Sunday.