There are three big inclusions in the Essendon line-up this week. In comes Damian Cupido, Mark McVeigh and Ben Haynes. All three have been starved of senior action this season. Cupido and Haynes make their first senior appearance for 2004, while McVeigh has played just one half of footy in the Round 2 match against St Kilda before he re-strained his hamstring.

Cupido has been in solid form in the VFL for the past three weeks, as has McVeigh. The pair has been working on improving their match fitness and their experience will no doubt strengthen the team this week. Ben Haynes returns straight into the seniors after four weeks on the sidelines with a quadricep injury. Jobe Watson, Marc Bullen and Ricky Dyson have made way for the three new inclusions.

Essendon will travel to Adelaide tomorrow morning in the lead-up to tomorrow night’s game at AAMI Stadium. It is no secret that Essendon’s recent record at AAMI Stadium is poor. The side hasn’t won over in Adelaide since Round 16, 2000. The Bombers’ last trip to AAMI Stadium is one they would rather forget. Port Adelaide disgraced them by 96-points. Essendon is hoping for a different result tomorrow night against the Crows.

Essendon team:
B: M.Johnson, Fletcher, Wellman
HB: Ramanauskas, Lucas, Welsh
C: Solomon, J.Johnson, McPhee
HF: Bolton, Lovett-Murray, Hird
F: Hille, Lloyd, Rioli
R: Allan, Peverill, Murphy
Inter: Misiti, McVeigh, Cupido, Haynes

Emer: Bullen, Bradley, Stanton
Ins - Cupido, McVeigh, Haynes
Out - Watson, Bullen, Dyson - all omitted