Essendon name 2012 player Mark Baguley, Brisbane Lions to unveil Allen Christensen

ANOTHER 2012 Bomber to play while Brisbane names star recruit Allen Christensen for the final NAB Challenge weekend. SEE THE SQUADS

Essendon training at tullamarine. Mark Baguley .Pic: Michael Klein.

ANOTHER player from Essendon’s 2012 list will make his first appearance of the season in the NAB Challenge.

Mark Baguley — a rookie in 2012 — was named for the Bombers’ final pre-season clash against Melbourne on Friday.

SEE THE FULL NAB CHALLENGE SQUADS BELOW

Most Essendon players who were on the list in 2012 are sitting out the pre-season competition to protect the identities of teammates issued with ASADA infraction notices. But the Bombers have now named six 2012-listed players in the NAB Challenge — Baguley, David Zaharakis, Elliott Kavanagh, Lauchlan Dalgleish, Jackson Merrett and Nick O’Brien.

SECRETS: BOMBERS KEEP TOP-UPS IN THE DARK

James Hird has also named veteran Paul Chapman, Will Hams and exciting draft pick Jayden Laverde at the expense of “top-up” players James Magner, Sam Michael, Mitch Clisby and James Polkinghorne.

Melbourne will gear up for their Round 1 clash against Gold Coast with a near full-strength line-up. Bernie Vince and Jeremy Howe will miss with injury, but both are a chance to play in a VFL practice match the weekend before Round 1.

Mitch Robinson, Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen will play together for the first time. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

In Friday night’s game Brisbane will unveil former Geelong midfielder Allen Christensen against Gold Coast.

Stef Martin and Matthew Leuenberger will again form a formidable ruck tandem with only Pearce Hanley missing from the Lions’ best 22.

In contrast, the Suns will be without prime movers captain Gary Ablett and Jaeger O’Meara.

Ablett is still yet to join full contact training and remains under a cloud for Round 1.

Rodney Eade has named Tom Lynch despite the fact the key forward will be miss Round 1 through suspension.

Joe Daniher flies for a mark against GWS. Picture: Toby Zerna

MELBOURNE v ESSENDON

Friday, March 20 at Etihad Stadium, 5.50pm (EST)

DEMONS

1. Jesse Hogan

2. Nathan Jones

3. Christian Salem

4. Jack Watts

5. Jimmy Toumpas

6. Chris Dawes

7. Jack Viney

8. Heritier Lumumba

11. Max Gawn

12. Dom Tyson

13. Jordie Mckenzie

14. Lynden Dunn

17. Sam Frost

18. Daniel Cross

19. Ben Newton

20. Colin Garland

21. Cameron Pedersen

22. Viv Michie

24. Jay Kennedy-Harris

25. Tom McDonald

31. Jack Grimes

36. Jeff Garlett

37. Aaron vandenBerg

39. Neville Jetta

40. Mark Jamar

44. Rohan Bail

45. Matt Jones

MISSING: Jeremy Howe, Bernie Vince, Angus Brayshaw

BOMBERS
3. Paul Chapman

6. Joe Daniher

7. Zach Merrett

9. Brendon Goodard

10. Nick O’Brien

11. David Zaharakis

12. Mark Baguley

13. Adam Cooney

14. Jason Ashby

19. Shaun Edwards

20. Jackson Merrett

27. Jon Giles

28. Elliott Kavanagh

29. Patrick Ambrose

30. Kyle Langford

33. Jayden Laverde

35. Marty Gleeson

36. Lachlan Dalgleish

41. Will Hams

42. James Gwilt

44. Shaun McKernan

46. Orazio Fantasia

47. Marcus Marigliani

54. Josh Freezer

72. Clinton Jones

73. Mitch Brown

75. Jared Petrenko

MISSING: Most 2012 listed players

GOLD COAST SUNS v BRISBANE LIONS

Metricon Stadium, Friday March 20, 7.40pm AEST

SUNS

2. Zac Smith

4. Jack Martin

5. Jarrod Harbrow

6. Alex Sexton

7. Nick Malceski

8. Luke Russell

10. Dion Prestia

11. Harley Bennell

14. Mitch Hallahan

15. Daniel Gorringe

16. Rory Thompson

17. Steven May

18. Trent McKenzie

19. Tom Lynch

21. Jack Leslie

22. Tom Nicholls

24. David Swallow

26. Matt Shaw

28. Kade Kolodjashnij

32. Brandon Matera

33. Aaron Hall

34. Josh Glenn

35. Michael Rischitelli

41. Jarrod Garlett

42. Adam Saad

44. Touk Miller

48. Seb Tape

MISSING: Gary Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, Sam Day, Charlie Dixon

LIONS

3. Allen Christensen

4. James Aish

5. Mitch Robinson

6. Josh Green

7. Jed Adcock

8. Rohan Bewick

9. Dayne Beams

10. Daniel Rich

12. Stefan Martin

14. Brent Staker

15. Dayne Zorko

17. Claye Beams

21. Daniel Merrett

22. Marco Paparone

23. Matthew Leuenberger

24. Liam Dawson

25. Daniel McStay

26. Tom Cutler

27. Darcy Gardiner

28. Lewis Taylor

29. Jaden McGrath

30. Jack Redden

32. Sam Mayes

33. Michael Close

35. Ryan Lester

38. Tom Rockliff

42. Justin Clarke

MISSING: Pearce Hanley

Originally published as Essendon name 2012 player Mark Baguley, Brisbane Lions to unveil Allen Christensen