THE WESTERN Bulldogs will be without gun defender Bailey Dale for Saturday's match simulation against Essendon, while the Bombers are missing several of their best players.
While Dale will sit out the clash at the Mission Whitten Oval, Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli and fellow midfielder Tom Liberatore have been named in the squad.
All-Australian Adam Treloar is absent, as expected, due to a series of calf strains across the pre-season.
The Bulldogs are also without Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (personal reasons), Liam Jones (hamstring) and Jason Johannisen (hamstring).
Recruit Matt Kennedy has been named in the squad after joining from Carlton.
Ruck Brayden Crossley and midfielder Dom Brew will feature as they look to claim a spot on the Bulldogs' list via the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP).
Gun midfielder Darcy Parish and defenders Ben McKay and Jordan Ridley are among the absentees for the Bombers.
Parish is in doubt for the start of Essendon's season due to a back injury, while Ridley (hamstring) and McKay (ankle) could take on Geelong in the AAMI Community Series.
Sam Durham (soreness) and Matt Guelfi (hamstring) will also miss the meeting with the Bulldogs.
The Bombers will unleash exciting small forward Isaac Kako, who was taken with pick No.13 in last year's draft, while former Brisbane defender Jaxon Prior will also feature in the red and black for the first time.
Kaine Baldwin and Tom Edwards are fighting for a spot on the Bombers' list via the SSP and have been named, while Will Hoare, an Essendon VFL player who has also been competing for a place, will miss.
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Mission Whitten Oval, 2pm AEDT
(4 x 30-min quarters)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
3. Cody Weightman, 4 Marcus Bontempelli, 5. Jedd Busslinger, 6. Cooper Hynes, 7. Rory Lobb, 8. Matthew Kennedy, 9. Ryley Sanders, 10. Sam Darcy, 12. Harvey Gallagher, 13. Oskar Baker, 14. Rhylee West, 15. Taylor Duryea, 16. Jordan Croft, 18. James O'Donnell, 20. Ed Richards, 21. Tom Liberatore, 22. James Harmes, 23. Laitham Vandermeer, 24. Buku Khamis, 25. Caleb Poulter, 26. Josh Dolan, 27. Joel Freijah, 29. Lachlan Bramble, 30. Lachlan McNeil, 32. Arthur Jones, 33. Aaron Naughton, 34. Bailey Williams, 35. Luke Kennedy, 36. Luke Cleary, 37. Dom Brew, 38. Riley Garcia, 41. Brayden Crossley, 42. Sam Davidson, 43. Ryan Gardner, 44. Tim English
Notable absentees: Adam Treloar, Bailey Dale, Liam Jones, Jason Johannisen, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Nick Coffield
ESSENDON
1. Andrew McGrath, 2. Sam Draper, 4. Kyle Langford, 5. Elijah Tsatas, 6. Jye Caldwell, 7. Zach Merrett, 8. Ben Hobbs, 9. Dylan Shiel, 10. Isaac Kako, 12. Will Setterfield, 14. Tom Edwards, 16. Archie Perkins, 18. Lewis Hayes, 20. Peter Wright, 21. Archie Roberts, 23. Harrison Jones, 24. Nick Bryan, 25. Jaxon Prior, 26. Kaine Baldwin, 27. Mason Redman, 28. Xavier Duursma, 29. Jye Menzie, 30. Nate Caddy, 31. Zach Reid, 36. Angus Clarke, 37. Nic Martin, 38. Rhys Unwin, 41. Saad El-Hawli
Notable absentees: Darcy Parish, Ben McKay, Jordan Ridley, Sam Durham, Jade Gresham, Matt Guelfi, Nik Cox, Jayden Laverde, Todd Goldstein