IN: Bonner, Dixon, Frederick, McEntee

OUT: Nil

CHARLIE DIXON has been named to play his first AFL game of the season and Riley Bonner has been included in an extended 26-man squad for Port Adelaide’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round game against Essendon on Sunday.

Dixon has not featured at AFL level this season following an off-season ankle injury and two rounds of surgery.

Bonner has been named on an extended interchange bench, having not played since spraining his right ankle in the round 8 win over the Western Bulldogs.

The selectors have also brought in some pace with defender Martin Frederick and forward Jed McEntee included in the squad, which will be trimmed to 22 and four emergencies on Friday afternoon after the club trains again.

The medical substitute will be named from among the emergency list an hour before the bounce.

The game at Adelaide Oval gets underway from 4:10pm ACST. A curtain raiser involving schools playing off in the final of the club’s Santos Aboriginal Power Cup will get underway at 2:20pm with a special performance by program participants at 3:30pm. 

Port Adelaide will for a second week wear a special guernsey designed by defender Lachie Jones in partnership with his aunt Madeleine Dirdi as part of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round celebrations.

Round 11 Team Selection

B: T Jonas -C 1, A. Aliir 21, D. Houston 5
HB: R. Burton 3, T. Clurey 17, D. Byrne-Jones 33
C: K. Amon 15, W. Drew 28, T. Dumont 43
HF: Z. Butters 18, T. Marshall 4, C. Rozee 20
F: R. Gray 9, C. Dixon 22, S. Powell-Pepper 2
Foll: J. Finlayson 11, O. Wines 16, T. Boak 10
I/C: S. Motlop 6, M. Georgiades 19, K. Farrell 24, S. Hayes 25, R. Bonner 26, L. Jones 34, J. McEntee 41, M. Frederick 45