Buoyed by Kyle Langford's recovery from injury and Peter Wright's timely return to form, Essendon will head into the Anzac Day blockbuster ready to spring an upset.
Meanwhile, a Collingwood team led by Nick Daicos for the first time will attempt to extend their winning run to six.
A day after Collingwood skipper and defensive general Darcy Moore was ruled out of Friday's match at the MCG through injury, the Bombers confirmed big-bodied swingman Langford's return.
After the Bombers lost pre-season recruit Tom Edwards then ruck pair Nick Bryan and Sam Draper to season-ending injuries in the space of three weeks, the lift of Langford's return couldn't be better timed.
The versatile 28-year-old injured his hamstring in round one but kicked 94 goals across his previous two seasons.
Dynamic Langford adds one critical piece to Essendon's attack, while forward-ruck Wright, who booted six goals on his recall against West Coast last week, is another.
"He's obviously a weapon," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said of Wright.
"He's an important player - 200cm is hard to defend and obviously Billy Frampton will get a job now and we'll have to support him in other ways."
The Magpies opted against bringing in a tall defender to cover for Moore, instead going small down back.
Frampton is the only big man listed in their backline, though boom recruit Dan Houston will clearly play a key role in organising the defence.
Former Port Adelaide star Houston returns from suspension while the Magpies will bolster their own attack, with Tim Membrey and Lachie Sullivan back in.
The Bombers have called upon veteran ruck Todd Goldstein to replace Draper, while Langford comes in for Saad El-Hawli.
Essendon, who have won three games on the bounce, are attempting to claim their first Anzac Day win since 2021.
But 2023 Anzac Medallist Daicos, 22, who is in red-hot form and stepping up as skipper for the first time in Moore's absence, will lead an ominous Collingwood outfit.
Collingwood are vastly experienced and in announcing Daicos' captaincy, McRae made it clear the weight of expectation wasn't solely on the shoulders of the young superstar.
"I look around the room, I feel like you've got such incredible support network around him on the field but also off the field," he said to Daicos and his teammates in a club-published video.
"Just keep yourself just being you and we don't have to have one leader - it's not like the old days.
"We've got plenty here to get the job done."
