Ben Hobbs could make his AFL debut on Sunday, with the first-year midfielder named in Essendon's extended squad for its clash with Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.

The No.13 draft pick joins Tom Cutler, Nik Cox and Kaine Baldwin as inclusions to a 26-man squad, which will be trimmed to 22 at 5pm on Friday.

Will Snelling is the only confirmed out at this stage, with the hard-working forward set to miss several weeks with a calf injury.

RD 5 SQUAD

Backs: Dyson Heppell (C), Jayden Laverde, Jake Kelly
Half-backs: Nick Hind, Jordan Ridley, Mason Redman
Centreline: Sam Durham, Andrew McGrath, Nik Cox
Half-forwards: Archie Perkins, Alec Waterman, Nic Martin
Forwards: Andrew Phillips, Peter Wright, Matt Guelfi
Followers: Sam Draper, Dylan Shiel, Darcy Parish
Interchange (from): Jye Caldwell, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Tom Cutler, Devon Smith, Brayden Ham, Ben Hobbs, Tex Wanganeen, Kaine Baldwin

In: Baldwin, Cox, Cutler, Hobbs

Out: Will Snelling (calf)

Last week's medical sub: Devon Smith