Collingwood
B: Lockyer Prestigiacomo Cox
HB:H Shaw Clement R Shaw
C: Pendlebury Toovey Thomas
HF:Maxwell Cloke Didak
F: Swan Rocca Johnson
FOLL:  Fraser O'Bree Rover: Dick
INT:  Bryan O'Brien Burns Davis
EMERG: Richards Egan Iles
IN:Didak Bryan
OUT:Licuria (hamstring) Richards

Essendon 
B: McVeigh Michael Slattery 
HB: McPhee Fletcher Ryder 
C: Dyson Stanton Heffernan
HF: M Johnson Lucas Hird 
F: Davey Lloyd Monfries
FOLL: Laycock Peverill Rover: Lovett
INT: Bradley Bolton Johns Watson
EMERG: Houli Jetta Lonergan
IN: Bradley Bolton
OUT: Hille (chest) Jetta (groin)

Collingwood recalled star forward Alan Didak to spark his AFL side against Essendon tomorrow, but will give several players a last chance to prove themselves fit.

Didak was named for his first game of 2007 after training well today to prove his fitness after knee surgery in the off-season.

The reigning club best and fairest, who starred in last year's Anzac Day match, is a big boost to the underdog Magpies, who are likely to be more wearier of the sides as the game goes on.

Injuries have blighted the build-up to the blockbuster clash, which should attract a crowd of more than 90,000.

Several of Didak's teammates might have to prove themselves fit tomorrow, as midfielders Scott Burns and Dale Thomas did not train today and remain in doubt.

Burns injured a knee and Thomas an ankle in Saturday's loss to Port Adelaide in the wet, and although coach Mick Malthouse said it was not a prerequisite for them to train the day before, admitted he was prepared to wait as long as possible.

"If the player's less than perfect I would suggest he's not going to be picked," Malthouse said.

"If he's got a chance (of playing) we'll wait to tomorrow."

Fullback Simon Prestigiacomo trained and gave every indication he had overcome a groin injury, but Malthouse said the Magpies would err on the side of caution with selection.

"You can't afford to have someone sitting on the bench who can't go on," he said.

Onballer Paul Licuria will miss because of a hamstring problem, while midfielders Scott Burns (knee) and Dale Thomas (ankle) and Simon Prestigiacomo (groin) are all in doubt.

Burns, Thomas and half-back Rhyce Shaw all missed training today, but Malthouse said the session was not a prerequisite to getting a game.

The Magpies dropped ruckman Guy Richards and replaced him with former Carlton big man Chris Bryan, who will debut for the club.

Essendon also changed their ruck, as David Hille (chest) was forced out along with speedster Leroy Jetta (groin).

"Jetta probably had scar tissue that he'd been building up over a year or two, so he's most likely going to be available to play.

"We just probably panicked a little bit and thought he might have hurt his groin, but in the end he's a lot freer than what he was before.

Star James Hird was named on a forward flank despite limited game time against St Kilda on Saturday, and tall utilities Kepler Bradley and Mark Bolton were recalled.

Midfielder Nathan Lovett-Murray (groin) also faces a fitness test before the game.

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said Hird was a certainty for his final appearance in this fixture, having been awarded three previous Anzac medals for best-afield performances.

Both coaches said they had no excuses despite their short breaks, and noted the diggers who carved the Anzac legend were not afforded any such luxury.

"If we get beaten by Collingwood, it's because they were better in getting up in three days than Essendon," Sheedy said.

Essendon start tomorrow's game a warm favourite given their settled side and good start to the season. They hold a 6-5 lead in this fixture since the draw of 1995.

It's a happier scenario for Sheedy than the one which confronted him last year, when the Bombers were amid their longest losing streak and the coach thought he might have overseen his last Anzac Day game in charge.

"Definitely last year, I was thinking 'ooh, it could be' (his last Anzac Day as coach)," he said.

"It doesn't matter - it (tomorrow) is all about the footy team and the footy club, not me, I said that before and I mean it."

Fine forecast conditions have MCG officials expecting a crowd of over 90,000, depending on the attendance of 20,000 club members who have reserved seats.

Away from football, both sides turned their focus towards chapters of Australia's military campaigns in their build-ups.

Collingwood discussed Australia's defence of the Libyan port of Tobruk in 1941, while Essendon focused on the battles fought over the Kokoda Track in 1942-43.

AAP