GARY Ablett will play a competitive game for the first time this pre-season when Geelong faces Essendon at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday night.
The Bombers will field David Myers, Tom Bellchambers and Orazio Fantasia for their only JLT Community Series games, while Joe Daniher will back up from limited game time in last week's clash with Carlton.
JLT FULL FIXTURE Where your team's playing its warm-up games
Dual Brownlow medallist Ablett has already missed an unofficial practice match against North Melbourne and last week's trip to Perth to face West Coast.
It will be the first glimpse of Ablett in his much-hyped new forward role.
He'll be joined in the forward line by Tom Hawkins, who will play after suffering a bout of gastro last week.
Bombers fans will see draftee Brayden Ham for the first time, after he was taken with pick No.72 in last year's NAB AFL Draft.
Rookie-listed ruckman Sam Draper also gets a call up, as does midfielder Dylan Clarke who played a single senior game last season.
Jake Kolodjashnij has been managed from last week's Geelong team.
Geelong v Essendon at GMHBA Stadium, Thursday, March 7, 7.10pm AEDT
GEELONG
B: J.Clark 6, M.Blicavs 46, M.O'Connor 42
HB: J.Henry 38, H.Taylor 7, T.Stewart 44
C: G.Miers 32, P.Dangerfield 35, M.Duncan 22
HF: Q.Narkle 19, G.Rohan 23, T.Atkins 30
F: G.Ablett 4, E.Ratugolea 17, L.Dahlhaus 40
FOLL: R.Stanley 1, J.Selwood 14, T.Kelly 11
I/C: L.Henderson 25, B.Parfitt 3, C.Constable 18, C.Guthrie 29, S.Menegola 27, D.Fort 28, Z.Guthrie 39, T.Hawkins 26
Emerg: J.Cunico 31, W.Buzza 12, J.Parsons 34, J.Jones 41
ESSENDON
B: P.Ambrose 29, M.Brown 28, A.Saad 42
HB: A.Francis 10, M.Hurley 18, A.McGrath 1
C: D.Heppell 21, J.Stringer 25, M.Guelfi 35
HF: D.Smith 5, D.Myers 23, D.Zaharakis 11
F: M.Baguley 12, J.Daniher 6, A.McDonald-Tipungwuti 43
FOLL: T.Bellchambers 2, D.Shiel 9, J.Ridley 14
I/C: C.McKenna 45, D.Parish 3, B.Ham 33, S.Draper 38, K.Langford 4, D.Clarke 37, Z.Merrett 7, O.Fantasia 13
Emerg: J.Stewart 17, J.Laverde 15, S.McKernan 44, J.Long 34
