Essendon has made three changes to the team for this Sunday’s game against Carlton.

Ryan Crowley, Jonathan Simpkin and James Polkinghorne will all come in for the important battle between arch rivals. 

In what marks a great return to football, James Polkinghorne will play his first game since finishing up with the Brisbane Lions in 2014. 

Polkinghorne spent the 2015 season with Essendon VFL, where he had an immediate impact winning the Club’s Best and Fairest award in his first year. 

Read more about Polkinghorne’s story here.

The inclusions of Ryan Crowley and Jonathan Simpkin are also important, with the duo dominating for Essendon VFL last week. 

Experienced in the midfield, the two should be able to give some extra help around the contest and provide relief for David Zaharakis and Zach Merrett who were heavily tagged in last week’s loss to Collingwood. 

See what Robert Shaw believes the Bombers have to do to win the game.

The three come in at the expense of Craig Bird, Martin Gleeson and Conor McKenna.

Bird was unable to pass a fitness test pulling up with a sore quad after last week’s game, while Gleeson and McKenna will play with Essendon VFL against Casey.

The Blues have made two changes to last week's team with Dennis Armfield and Nick Graham coming in for Dylan Buckley and Charlie Curnow.

Carlton vs. Essendon

Sunday May 1, 3.20PM

MCG 

Team:

IN: R. Crowley, J.Simpkin, J.Polkinghorne

OUT: C.Bird (Quad), M.Gleeson (Omitted), C.McKenna (Omitted)

B: A. McDonald-Tipungwuti, J. Gwilt, M.Baguley

HB: C.Dempsey, M.Hartley, J.Kelly 

C: O.Fantasia, D.Zaharakis, B.Goddard 

HF: M.Stokes, M.Brown, A.Cooney

F: S.Grimley, J.Daniher, D.Parish

Fol: M.Leuenberger, Z.Merrett, J.Simpkin

I/C: K.Langford, M.Dea, R.Crowley, J.Polkinghorne

EMERGENCIES: M.Gleeson, M.Redman, C.McKenna