Three players are set to return to the red and black line up in the club’s final hit-out for the NAB Challenge on Friday night against Melbourne.

Paul Chapman, Mark Baguley and Will Hams all come in to the side, with new recruit Jayden Laverde set to ‘Don The Sash’ for the first time since being drafted to the club in November.

Mitch Clisby, James Polkinghorne, Sam Michael and James Magner have all been omitted from the weekend’s squad.

The squad will be cut to 26 with the final team and substitutes to be named prior to the game on Friday. There will be six players on the bench and two starting substitutes with unlimited interchanges during the match.

Essendon v Melbourne
Friday 20 March at 5.50pm
Etihad Stadium

NAB Challenge Squad – Round 3

3. Paul Chapman

6. Joe Daniher

7. Zach Merrett

9. Brendon Goddard

10. Nick O’Brien

11. David Zaharakis

12. Mark Baguley

13. Adam Cooney

14. Jason Ashby

19. Shaun Edwards

20. Jackson Merrett

27. Jonathan Giles

28. Elliott Kavanagh

29. Patrick Ambrose

30. Kyle Langford

33. Jayden Laverde

35. Martin Gleeson

36. Lauchlan Dalgleish

41. Will Hams

42. James Gwilt

44. Shaun McKernan

46. Orazio Fantasia

47. Marcus Marigliani

54. Josh Freezer

72. Clinton Jones

73. Mitch Brown

75. Jared Petrenko