Essendon have made five changes to the team set to take on Collingwood in Saturday’s ANZAC Day blockbuster at the MCG.

Nathan Lovett-Murray has broken into the side for his first senior game of the year following solid performances at VFL level, while Sam Lonergan, David Myers, Leroy Jetta and Heath Hocking will also return.

They will form the replacements for Darcy Daniher (groin) and Hayden Skipworth (hamstring) who will miss through injury and Michael Quinn, Jay Nash and Ricky Dyson who have all been omitted from the side.

The Essendon team is:

B: Fletcher Pears H.Slattery

HB: Dempsey McPhee Hocking

C: McVeigh Stanton Lonergan

HF: Winderlich Lucas Zaharakis

F: Ryder Lloyd Davey
R: Hille Watson Lovett

INT: Monfries Lovett-Murray Myers Jetta

EMG: Dyson Nash Houli

INS: Lovett-Murray Lonergan Myers Hocking Jetta

OUTS: Daniher (groin) Skipworth (hamstring) Quinn (omitted) Nash (omitted) Dyson (omitted)

 

Read Knights’ preview here.
 
The order of events is:
 
1.00pm: Air Force Band- Force 10
1.20pm: Preliminary on-field warn up
1.35pm: Anzac pre-match presentation commences and presentation of matchday footballs
1.55pm: Anzac pre-match presentation concludes
1.59pm: Cheersquad banner display
2.01pm: Umpires enter arena
2.02pm: Collingwood enter arena
2.05pm: Essendon enter arena
2.07pm: Joint banner run through
2.13pm: Anzac Day observance ceremony
2.20pm: Match commences