Essendon has locked in its line-up for round one, with five Bombers named to don the sash for the first time.
Second-year forward Harrison Jones and No.8 draft pick Nik Cox will play their first AFL games, while trade acquisitions Jye Caldwell, Peter Wright and Nick Hind will make their Essendon debuts.
With the medical sub set to be named one hour before the bounce, emergencies Archie Perkins and Nick Bryan could also be in the frame for AFL debuts.
The Bombers will renew hostilities with the Hawks at a sold-out Marvel Stadium from 7:25pm on Saturday night, in what will mark the first AFL game in front of the club's Victorian Bomber army since August, 2019.
SHOW HEPPELL YOUR GAME-DAY PREPARATION
The players will wear black armbands in honour of club greats Dr Bruce Reid and Ian 'Bluey' Shelton, who passed away in October and this week respectively.
ESSENDON'S ROUND ONE TEAM:
Backs: Jayden Laverde, Aaron Francis, Mason Redman
Half-backs: Nick Hind, Cale Hooker, Jordan Ridley
Centre: Andrew McGrath, Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell (C)
Half-forwards: Brayden Ham, Nik Cox, Kyle Langford
Forwards: Harrison Jones, Peter Wright, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Followers: Sam Draper, Jye Caldwell, Dylan Shiel
Interchange: Ned Cahill, Will Snelling, Darcy Parish, Devon Smith
Emergencies: Tom Cutler, Archie Perkins, Martin Gleeson, Nick Bryan
New: Jones (Calder Cannons), Cox (Northern Knights), Caldwell (GWS Giants), Wright (Gold Coast Suns), Hind (St Kilda)
