Essendon has made just one change for its Round 2 match against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night at the Gabba. Ricky Dyson will play his first game for the season, while Jason Winderlich has been omitted. After speculation on whether he would play, James Hird has not been named.

The Essendon team team for Saturday night is:

Backs: Welsh Fletcher McPhee
Half Backs: Lovett-Murray Solomon Bradley
Centres: Slattery Watson J. Johnson
Half Forwards: Camporeale Lucas M. Johnson
Forwards: Monfries Lloyd Lovett
Rucks: Hille Heffernan Stanton
Bench: Ryder McVeigh Peverill Dyson
Emergencies: Winderlich Bolton Nash

In: Dyson
Out: Winderlich

To read the match preview click here.

Meanwhile, the Bendigo Bombers kick off the season on Saturday against Werribee at QE Oval at 5:30pm.

The Bendigo team is:

Backs: Vigus Reynolds Pendlebury
Half Backs: Firman O’Keefe Jolley
Centres: Rosa Blumfield Nash
Half Forwards: Neagle Lucy Lonergan
Forwards: Beasy Cartledge Bolton
Rucks: Steel Doering Carter
Bench: Connaughton, Sawyer, Scerri, West, Marsh, Dempsey, S Richardson, D Biggs