Skipworth was delisted by Adelaide after the 2006 season, but a terrific 2008 with Essendon VFL affiliate Bendigo saw the Bombers scoop him up in the NAB AFL Pre-season draft.
The club has an extensive injury list with Mark McVeigh, Andrew Welsh, Kyle Reimers, Scott Gumbleton and former Cat Brent Prismall all certain to miss and Henry Slattery and David Myers doubtful.
It means draftees Michael Hurley and David Zaharakis could also join Skipworth as Bomber debutants.
Essendon coach Matthew Knight’s said the 25-year-old Skipworth’s selection was a tribute to his perseverance.
“Skipworth will definitely play his first game for the Essendon Football Club. He’s been a magnificent story of resilience and persistence over the two or three years,” he said from Windy Hill on Tuesday.
“I guess with three senior players out of our midfield it does give Hayden an opportunity.
“Whether we’ve got a second or third first-gamers, we’ll run through our side at two o’clock today – that could quite easily be on the cards, we’ll just see how it falls today.”
Knights also confirmed that the club’s first two draftees from 2008 were in contention for round one.
“Michael Hurley and David Zaharakis are both in the mix for Sunday," he said.
“Michael’s a key forward or back, David’s more a midfielder, but Michael is a prodigious talent, he’s got an amazing amount of humility about him, and the courage he’s shown in a couple of practice matches has been first class.
“It will be a big challenge for him, but he’s the future of our club, along with many of our other youngsters.
“He’ll be in sooner rather than later, I think.”
At the other end of the age and experience scale, Knight’s said talk of this being the last season for veterans Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas and Dustin Fletcher could be premature.
“I think Matthew, Scott and Dustin will choose their own futures,” Knights said.
“My belief is that they could all play for two or three years yet, but there’s a lot of factors involved – form, their bodies, their hunger for the game – so I’m not putting a cap on it.
“I’m really open-minded about it – if they can give impact to the team, they can play solid football, they can be great leaders on and off the field – I think they will play longer rather than shorter.
“They’re champions of the game, so I’ve got to give them that flexibility.”
Dream Team watch – Hayden Skipworth is rated a $196,600 midfielder/forward in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.
