Harry Jones will play his first AFL game of the season on Sunday, with the exciting key forward confirmed to face Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

The 20-year-old has overcome ankle setbacks to reclaim his spot in senior coach Ben Rutten's starting 22, joining Jordan Ridley, Jye Caldwell and Andrew Phillips as inclusions.

Last week's medical sub Tex Wanganeen will start on the interchange, while Matt Guelfi (hamstring), Mason Redman (suspension) and omitted trio Nick Bryan, Tom Cutler and Aaron Francis exit the side that lost to Richmond.

Sunday's Sir Doug Nicholls Round match will mark Jones' first at AFL level since round 17 last season - a year that saw him boot 20 goals in a breakout season.

Jones returned from an ankle injury in round four of the VFL this season, before suffering another ankle setback. After a month of building up his volumes in an extensive rehabilitation, he successfully returned in the VFL at the weekend, recording one goal, 12 disposals and two marks in the Bombers' 33-point loss to the Tigers.

Essendon will face Port Adelaide in the final game of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, with the bounce at 4:40pm AEST.

ESSENDON'S RD 11 TEAM

Backs: Zach Reid, Jayden Laverde, Jake Kelly
Half-backs: Andrew McGrath, Dyson Heppell, Jordan Ridley
Centreline: Zach Merrett, Jye Caldwell, Devon Smith
Half-forwards: Archie Perkins, Ben Hobbs, Sam Durham
Forwards: Alec Waterman, Peter Wright, Harry Jones
Followers: Andrew Phillips, Darcy Parish, Nic Martin
Interchange: Nick Hind, Dylan Shiel, Tex Wanganeen, Sam Draper
Emergencies: Brayden Ham, Tom Cutler, Aaron Francis, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher

In: Jones, Ridley, Caldwell, Phillips

Out: Bryan (omitted), Guelfi (hamstring), Redman (suspension), Cutler (omitted), Francis (omitted)

Last week's medical sub: Wanganeen (replaced Guelfi)