After a long break the Bombers will be donning the red and black and finally returning to the field this evening for our very first AFLX games at Etihad Stadium.

Essendon is set to face at least Hawthorn and St Kilda in the six-team round robin tournament, with the best two sides facing off in a Grand Final at the end of the night.

The Bombers will field an exciting side full of speed and youth, with David Zaharakis taking the reins as the side’s first ever AFLX captain.

New recruit Adam Saad and draftee Matt Guelfi will both don the sash for the first time, while last year’s NAB AFL Rising Star winner Andrew McGrath is back to continue his brilliant start to his career.

While the Bombers have established a squad of 17 players, only seven will be allowed on the field at any time with three on the interchange bench in each game.

ESSENDON SQUAD
1 – Andrew McGrath
3 – Darcy Parish
4 – Kyle Langford
8 – Marty Gleeson
11 – David Zaharakis (c)
15 – Josh Green
16 – Josh Begley
20 – Jackson Merrett
27 – Mason Redman
29 – Patrick Ambrose
35 – Matt Guelfi
41 – Ben McNiece
42 – Adam Saad
43 – Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
44 – Shaun McKernan
45 – Conor McKenna
49 – Matt Dea

BROADCAST

TV – Fox Footy and Seven Two

Radio – SEN



GAME ONE:

Time – 19:08EDT

HAWTHORN SQUAD
5 - Ryan Burton
6 – James Sicily
15 – Blake Hardwick

17 – Daniel Howe
19 – Jack Gunston
20 – Dallas Willsmore
21 – Kieran Lovell
22 – Luke Breust
23 – Tim O’Brien
25 – Ryan Schoenmakers
26 – Liam Shiels
32 – David Mirra

35 – Harry Morrison
37 – Jackson Ross
38 – James Worpel
41 – Oliver Hanrahan
42 – Teia Miles
45 – Conor Nash
46 – James Cousin

 

GAME TWO:

Time – 20:04

ST KILDA SQUAD
5. Shane Savage

6. Seb Ross
7. Luke Dunstan
8. Blake Acres
9. Jack Steele
11. Hunter Clark
13. Jack Lonie
19. Sam Gilbert
21. Ben Long
25. Koby Stevens
26. Josh Battle
28. Tim Membrey
29. Jimmy Webster
30. Ed Phillips
33. Nick Coffield
35. Jack Sinclair
37. Bailey Rice
40. Ray Connellan
43. Rowan Marshall
44. Maverick Weller

Bomber fans will get the chance to feature in the Club's Snapchat story tonight by sending a "Snap" of where you will be watching the game to @essendonfc.