Essendon’s army of replacements have begun to filter into the True Value Solar Centre in recent days to join in training at the club, ahead of the upcoming NAB Challenge Series.

With the clubs first pre-season game against St Kilda just over a week away, the Bombers have added six top up players so far, to complement the listed players not apart of the 2012 supplements program, as well as selected players from the clubs VFL side, who will all join to represent the club, whilst much of the senior list sit out the practice games.

The additional players became necessary for the dons to fill the current void in the list, caused by the provisional suspensions handed down to 34 past and current Essendon players.

The Bombers sought out top up players once it became clear the club would not boycott the NAB Challenge matches all together, but rather the 2012 listed players would not take part, in order to protect the anonymity of those handed infraction notices.

The reinforcements indicate the clubs aim to field more mature AFL bodies, with each of Mitch Brown, Jared Petrenko, Clint Jones, Mitch Clisby and Sam Michael delisted from AFL clubs only last year.

Here’s a run down of the players that will don the temporary sash, initially for games against St Kilda in Morwell on March 7th and Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium on March 13th.

Mitch Brown (age 24)
Club: Sandringham, VFL
Position: Key Forward
– Drafted at pick 15 in the 2008 draft by Geelong, Brown broke his leg in a VFL practice match in 2009 and subsequently missed the season whilst t he following two seasons were hindered further with shoulder reconstructions. Kicked a goal with his first kick in league football on debut against Adelaide in 2011, and later transitioned into a swingman for the Cats VFL side, playing key position forward and defence, playing in the 2012 premiership side and finishing runner up in the 2013 VFL best and fairest. He managed only 15 games for the Cats before being delisted at the end of 2014.

Jared Petrenko (age 25)
Club: Woodville-West Torrens, SANFL
Position: Utility
– Selected in the 2008 rookie draft by Adelaide, Petrenko kicked 50 goals in 76 games for the Crows. Having played across the ground through his career, Petrenko managed only 5 games under Brenton Sanderson in season 2014 and was delisted at the end of the season. Despite this, Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro described Petrenko as “very unlucky not to be on an AFL list.” and an example of the “depth outside of the AFL system”

Clinton Jones (age 31)
Club: Sandringham, VFL
Position: Midfield
– Joining St Kilda as a 22 year old in 2007, Jones played 149 games for St Kilda, including the 2009 and 2010 losing Grand Finals. The strong-bodied midfielder became a key lockdown player in the Saints midfield under Ross Lyon, but like new teammate James Gwilt, became victim of Alan Richardson’s regeneration at the Saints, as both became aware of their delisting prior to the final game of 2014. His name may best live on in trivia around the country as the player at the centre of the dwarf burning controversy during Mad Monday 2013.

James Magner (age 27)
Club: Port Melbourne, VFL
Position: Midfield
– A former Melbourne mature age recruit from the 2011 Rookie Draft, Magner played nineteen games in two seasons with the Demons before being delisted in 2013, after only two of those games came in 2013. Magner cited frustration at lack of reward for strong form for VFL affiliate Casey in his final season at Melbourne, though was delisted as part of a youth policy at the club. Magner’s displeasure towards former coach, and now Essendon development coach Mark Neeld, became public upon Neeld’s appointment at the Eastern Ranges TAC Cup side in 2013, which prompted Magner to tweet “unlucky Eastern.”

Mitch Clisby (age 25)
Club: North Adelaide, SANFL
Position: Utility
– Another selected in the Rookie Draft by Melbourne, Clisby failed to emulate the rise to the top of childhood friend Adelaide captain Taylor Walker in his eight games in two seasons for Melbourne. Essendon’s Adrian Dodoro stated Clisby “comes to the club on a recommendation by Mark Neeld and Neil Craig”, the latter who handed Clisby his debut at Melbourne.

Sam Michael (age 21)
Club: Redland Bombers, NEAFL
Position: Ruck/Key Forward
– Michael played 3 games from the Brisbane rookie list in 2013, after being selected as a Queensland zone selection in the 2011 AFL rookie draft. The 200cm big man from Cairns was at the Lions under now Essendon assistant coach Mark Harvey and football operations manager Rob Kerr, and will now don the familiar red and black of Essendon, also worn by his club side the Redland Bombers.

Whilst the names of Essendon VFL players that will make up the rest of the Bombers squad have not yet been released, the following players are all chances to join the top ups at some stage in the NAB Challenge.

James Polkinghorne (age 26)
Club: Essendon, VFL
Position: Midfield
– Delisted by Brisbane following the 2014 season after playing 94 games since 2008 for the Lions, Polkinghorne was a key signing for the Bombers VFL side last November, adding significant experience to the young Essendon outfit. The former St Bernard’s and Victorian under-15 volleyballer played only twice for Brisbane last season after patella tendonitis and ankle surgery crippled his year. Will use any opportunity in the NAB Challenge and VFL season to push for a senior recall in 2016.

Anthony Tipungwuti (age 22)
Club: Essendon, VFL
Position: Small Defender/Forward
– The young Tiwi Islander joined the Essendon VFL set up in 2013 after coming through the Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup following his move to Victoria in 2010. Since then the young livewire has become a cult hero for the Dons VFL side, and was invited to train with the senior list ahead of last year’s draft, inciting speculation the Bombers would use a rookie pick on Tipungwuti. Despite not being selected, Tipungwuti will press his claims this season for a chance in 2016.

Jordan Schroder (age 22)
Club: Essendon, VFL
Position: Midfield
– Former VFL J.J Liston Trophy winner for the competition’s best and fairest, Schroder played 5 games for Geelong after being drafted with pick 54 in the 2010 Draft. His VFL form at Geelong meant the Bombers swooped on another former St Bernard’s local in Schroder following his delisting from the cats at the end of the 2014 season. Like Polkinghorne, will aim to use any possible opportunity in the NAB Challenge and the season in the VFL as a catalyst for a senior recall in 2016.

Josh Freezer (age 25)
Club: Essendon, VFL
Position: Defender
– One of the more likely VFL listed players to appear in the NAB Challenge, Freezer’s opportunity may arise due to the Essendon key defence posts being the most depleted line for the Bombers as a result of the 2012 listed players sitting out the matches. The tall defender has impressed in previous seasons with Essendon and Bendigo in the VFL.

Aaron Heppell (age 20)
Club: Essendon, VFL
Position: Defender
– The younger brother of Essendon superstar Dyson, Heppell joined the Bombers VFL program last season after being overlooked in the 2013 National Draft. Out of the Gippsland Power, Heppell is only an outside chance of being selected in the NAB Challenge due to relative inexperience and question marks over his speed.

As of yet the Bombers have not officially named a full squad, so intrigue remains about the exact makeup of the line up, though the team sheet released prior to the opening game against St Kilda on Saturday week is likely to be the most anticipated pre season competition history.