Mid-season rookie draftee Will Snelling will make his Essendon VFL debut this weekend when the Bombers take on the Northern Blues at Windy Hill on Sunday. 

The 21-year-old was selected from SANFL club West Adelaide with pick No.7 on Monday night.

Standing at 175cm, Snelling can play as an inside or outside midfielder, averaging 30 disposals and 9.6 tackles in 2019. 

He has been named in the extended squad at ruck rover, alongside Trent Mynott and Zac Clarke. 

Clarke joins Irving Mosquito, Dylan Clarke, Mark Baguley, Mitch Brown and Jordan Ridley on an extended bench for the Bombers' clash with Carlton on Sunday, meaning their VFL availability will be determined by final AFL selection.

After an impressive performance last weekend, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher will once again start in the backline alongside Michael Hartley and Matt Dea, while fan favourite Marty Gleeson also features in the starting line-up in his second game back from a fractured cheekbone.

VFL Bombers Josh Tynan, Dylan Landt, Jacob Brown, Nick Dixon and Wilson Berry make up the extended interchange, joined by Daniel Guccione who would make his senior debut if selected in the final team. 

Nineteen-year-old Riley Bowman from the NAB League’s Sandringham Dragons has been named the 23^rd player for a second consecutive week. 

The team will be finalised before the first bounce at 11:40am on Sunday.

The match will be broadcasted on Channel 7, while score updates will be posted on Essendon VFL’s twitter account. 

Following this game, Essendon will contest the 23rd Madden Cup against Carlton at the MCG from 3:20pm.

Brooke Varney is in the final year of her Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree at RMIT University. As part of their strategic partnership, Essendon Football Club and RMIT University are committed to providing opportunities for students, staff, players and the wider community.