Finals Fever has well and truly hit Melbourne this finals series with the ongoing speculation over whether big names such as Luke Ball and Paul Chapman would line-up in for their respective teams this weekend.

As we reported earlier in the week Geelong have already ruled out Paul Chapman this week with ongoing hamstring problems. Brent Prismall will also miss after seriously injuring his knee against St Kilda in week one of the Cats finals campaign. Coming into the side is James Kelly & David Wojcinski.

The Western Bulldogs will go in to the game with an unchanged line-up after beating Sydney convincingly last week.

The big news for St Kilda is that star midfielder Luke Ball has been included in the side and is set to make his long awaited comeback when the Saints take on the Hawks on Saturday night after spending seven weeks on the sidelines. Ball injured his hamstring in the Saints round 18 clash against Port Adelaide.

Ball’s inclusion means that 20-year-old Jarryd Allen was omitted from the line-up, this is St Kilda’s only change this week.

After earning the extra weeks break in week one of the finals the Hawthorn will go into the big game fresh but not without a change in line-up. Cameron Stokes (hamstring tightness) made way in this weeks side for Xavier Ellis.
FIRST PRELIMINARY FINAL

GEELONG v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Geelong
B:
Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Josh Hunt
HB: Darren Milburn, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie
C: Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling, Corey Enright
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Jimmy Bartel
F: Travis Varcoe, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Joel Corey, Gary Ablett
I/C: Max Rooke, James Kelly, David Wojcinski, Mark Blake
EMG: Shannon Byrnes, Ryan Gamble, David Johnson

In: Kelly, Wojcinski
Out: Paul Chapman (hamstring), Brent Prismall (knee)

Western Bulldogs
B: Dale Morris, Brian Lake, Tim Callan
HB: Lindsay Gilbee, Stephen Tiller, Ryan Hargrave
C: Josh Hill, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney
I/C: Nathan Eagleton, Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Shaun Higgins
EMG: Andrejs Everitt, Farren Ray, Callan Ward

No change

SECOND PRELIMINARY FINAL

HAWTHORN v ST KILDA

Hawthorn
B:
Brent Guerra, Trent Croad, Thomas Murphy
HB: Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge, Rick Ladson
C: Chance Bateman, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis
HF: Michael Osborne, Lance Franklin, Campbell Brown
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Brad Sewell, Shane Crawford
I/C: Stuart Dew, Xavier Ellis, Brent Renouf, Clinton Young
EMG: Stephen Gilham, Jarryd Morton, Travis Tuck

In: Ellis
Out: Cameron Stokes (hamstring tightness)

St Kilda
B:
Jason Blake, Max Hudghton, Brendon Goddard
HB: Sam Gilbert, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
C: Clint Jones, Nick Dal Santo, Robert Harvey
HF: James Gwilt, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna
F: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Luke Ball
Foll: Steven King, Lenny Hayes, Adam Schneider
I/C: David Armitage, Andrew McQualter, Raphael Clarke, Robert Eddy
EMG: Michael Gardiner, Shane Birss, Aaron Fiora

In: Ball
Out: Jarryd Allen