Essendon premiership players Paul Barnard and Mark Mercuri are late withdrawals from the match against Fremantle this afternoon. The coaching panel gave both players up until the last minute to prove their fitness but decided not to risk them. Mercuri (knee) is replaced in the selected side by youngster Darren Walsh and Cory McGrath comes in for Barnard who was forced to miss because of a slight hamstring strain. Today’s match will be McGrath’s first senior appearance for the season.