Matthew Lloyd is set to give the Bombers a much needed confidence boost as he returns for the clash with the Brisbane Lions this Saturday afternoon at the Dome.

Scott Camporeale looks likely to play his first game for the year after a hard run with injuries. He will be joined by Henry Slattery to replace Jason Laycock, Courtney Johns and the injured Andrew Welsh (hamstring soreness).

The Essendon team is:

Backs: M Johnson Michael McVeigh
Half Backs: Fletcher Ryder Winderlich
Centres: McPhee Peverill Cole
Half Forwards: Hird Lucas Houli
Forwards: Davey Lloyd J Johnson
Rucks: Hille Watson Stanton
Bench: Camporeale Lovett Monfries Slattery

The Bendigo Bombers team is:

Backs: Dillon Flaherty Lonergan
Half Backs: Nash Dick Reimers
Centres: Rosa Heffernan Cloke
Half Forwards: Connaughton Johns Jolley
Forwards: Geary Bradley Weeks
Rucks: Laycock Bolton Dyson
Interchange: Lee Hocking Hislop Maher McKinnon Chartres Maddern Ramanauskas Plummer Atkinson