Young key defender Tayte Pears has been named for Saturday night's big clash with Richmond after over-coming a hand injury.
 
The 20-year-old replaces Cale Hooker who will miss with a hamstring injury while midfielder Sam Lonergan returns from a shoulder injury for an unlucky Travis Colyer.
 
 
Lovett-Murray will miss again with a foot injury but five Indigenous players have been named for the Dreamtime at the 'G.
 
A crowd of more than 70,000 is expected for the game (details below of schedule of events) which will feature Essendon 'home-game' theming of the stadium including giant four metre pillars of our eight Indigenous Bombers.
 
4:00pm - The Long Walk activities begin at Federation Square 
4.02pm - Rio Tinto Cup Curtain Raiser begins at MCG – Northern vs Southern
7.00pm - Dreamtime at the G presentation begins featuring:
- 600 Long Walk participants walking one lap around the boundary line (led by Michael Long)
- Call to Ceremony performed by Maurial Rose Spearim
- Archie Roach to perform
- Aunty Joy Murphy perform a smoking ceremony
- Introduction of the six creator spirits to music
- Bart Willoughby, Deline Brisco, Tjimba Possum Burns and guests to perform
7.30pm (approx) - Essendon and Richmond FC enter
7.40pm - Welcome to Country Ceremony
7.45pm - Match commences
8.50pm (approx) Half Time – Auskick / Flying Boomerangs Lap of Ground
10.20pm (approx) - On-field post match presentations of Yiooken trophy to the player adjudged best on ground and the Kevin Sheedy Cup to the winning team captain.