LIONS co-captain Nigel Lappin is backing young full-back Daniel Merrett to more than hold his own against Essendon star Matthew Lloyd at Docklands on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions have made three changes to the side which lost to Adelaide last week, including Josh Drummond, Marcus Allan and Troy Selwood for the omitted Justin Sherman and Ben Fixter and the injured Chris Johnson (foot). It will be the first game of the season for Drummond and Selwood, who had injury-interrupted summers.

Merrett, on the other hand, has been a constant in the heart of defence all season and Lappin hopes he can pick up against Lloyd where ex-Lion and now Bomber Mal Michael left off.

Opposed to Michael, Lloyd, who has 784 goals from 217 career games, kicked only 12 majors in his last four outings against the Lions, having little impact as the Lions won all four games. Lloyd, returning from a hamstring problem on Saturday, did not play when Essendon beat the Lions in Round 17 of last year.

"It's an enormous job for Rog (Merrett) because Lloydy has been a terrific player and averages more than three goals a game - he's the kind of player who always has a big game in him just round the corner," Lappin said.

"But Rog has developed amazingly as a footballer and we have a lot of confidence in him. He's a fantastic competitor, who can fist the ball away strongly, just like Mal used to. He's so quick and strong that I really think he can develop into the kind of player Mal was."

Apart from Lloyd, the Bombers have included Henry Slattery and Scott Camporeale in place of Jason Laycock, Courtney Johns (both dropped) and Andrew Welsh (hamstring).

The two sides have forged an intriguing rivalry over the years and it was the Bombers who the Lions defeated to claim an historic first premiership in 2001.

"It all started in 2001 and the game where Leigh (Matthews) said ‘if it bleeds, you can kill it’," Lappin recalled.

"Then we ran into them again in the grand final that year. The really good rivalries, like Essendon and Collingwood and Collingwood and Richmond, always make things a bit more interesting for the fans."

Teams

Lions

B: Colm Begley, Daniel Merrett, Jason Roe
HB: Jed Adcock, Jared Brennan, Robert Copeland
C: Troy Selwood, Nigel Lappin, Cheynee Stiller
HF: Scott Harding, Jonathan Brown, Tim Notting
F: Michael Rischitelli, Joel Patfull, Ashley McGrath
FOLL: Jamie Charman, Simon Black, Luke Power
I/C: Richard Hadley, Marcus Allan, Beau McDonald, Josh Drummond
EMG: Ben Fixter, Justin Sherman, Chris Schmidt

Essendon:

B: Mark Johnson, Mal Michael, Mark McVeigh
HB: Dustin Fletcher, Patrick Ryder, Jason Winderlich
C: Adam McPhee, Damien Peverill, Richard Cole
HF: James Hird, Scott Lucas, Bachar Houli
F: Alwyn Davey, Matthew Lloyd, Jason Johnson
FOLL: David Hille, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton
I/C: Scott Camporeale, Andrew Lovett, Angus Monfries, Henry Slattery
EMG: Mark Bolton, Kepler Bradley, Ricky Dyson

On the punt

The Lions are solid favourites in UNiTAB betting at $1.82, with Essendon at $2 even. Despite that, the shortest price in margin betting belongs to an Essendon victory by 39 or fewer points - at $2.30. The Lions are $2.50 to win by the same margin.

The Bombers and the Lions occupy the fourth and fifth rungs in wooden spoon betting, although the differences in price are marked. Essendon are $23 and the Lions are at $126. Lions star Jonathan Brown has drifted to $21 in the Brownlow Medal market but is equal with Bomber Matthew Lloyd at $8 in betting for the Coleman Medal.

Key match-ups

Jonathan Brown (Lions) v Mal Michael (Essendon) - After a quiet evening opposed to Ben Rutten last week it's doubtful Brown will needs any extra motivation. Nevertheless, a potential match-up with ex-teammate Michael will have fans of both sides (not to mention neutrals) licking their lips. If the pair is left to do battle one-on-one, Brown should have too much agility and stamina for the former Lions custodian.

Jed Adcock (Lions) v Alwyn Davey (Essendon) - Adcock joked last week that he hoped the quicksilver Davey wouldn't be his opponent, but the ultra-consistent Lions defender looks the man best suited for the job. While Davey sometimes appears to have rockets in his heels and is a great finisher, Adcock has put the clamps on better credentialled and more experienced small forwards. The young Lion is also an expert at running off his man and was in great form against the Crows last week.

Odds & sods Lions coach Leigh Matthews and opposite number Kevin Sheedy have the most collective experience in the competition. Matthews played 332 games for Hawthorn and has since coached 424 with Collingwood and the Lions. Sheedy wore a Richmond jumper 251 times and is on 620 games as Bomber coach. Next best is Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, with 174 games played (St Kilda and Richmond) and 546 coached (Footscray, West Coast and the Magpies).

The Lions have failed to kick 10 goals just once in their last eight outings at Docklands - in Round 22, 2005 against St Kilda, when they could manage only 7.5. On three occasions, the Lions have kicked more than 20 majors, most recently three weeks ago against Carlton, when they kicked 21.10. Oddly, the Lions have kicked 18.15 (123) at games Docklands in each of the past two seasons and lost both times - to the Western Bulldogs in Round 18 of 2005 and against the Bombers in Round 17 of last year.

The Lions have won nine of the past 11 matches against Essendon dating back to 2001. The 2001 grand final was the most recent time when the two sides met during daylight hours - the last nine matches between the Lions and the Bombers have been played under lights.

Jonathan Brown has polled eight out of a possible nine Brownlow Medal votes in his last three matches against the Bombers.

Last time they met

A James Hird-inspired Essendon played one of its best games of the 2006 season, beating the Lions by 37 points in a free-flowing shoot-out at Docklands.

The lead changed 17 times throughout the match and was only decided in the final term when Essendon booted eight goals to the Lions’ three. The Lions kicked 18.15 (123), equalling the club record for the highest ever losing score, with Daniel Bradshaw booting six and Rhan Hooper four.

Scott Lucas kicked seven for the Bombers.

TV Broadcast details

QLD: 2:00pm LIVE on Network Ten

VIC: 3:00pm delayed on Network Ten

Reserves Suncoast Lions (2-3, 5th) v Redlands (0-5, 8th) Sunday Colburn Avenue, Victoria Point, 2.10pm

Post-match

The Lions players will greet the club’s Victorian members and supporters at an after-match function. The event will be held in the Docklands food court located on level one and will commence for fans immediately after the final siren. Entry is free and there will be opportunities for Lions fans to meet the players, secure autographs and hear exclusive post-match interviews from the team.