MELBOURNE will be out to avenge its shock defeat earlier in the season when it takes on Essendon on Saturday.

The Demons (8-5) rose to the occasion of an emotionally charged King's Birthday clash to own the clutch moments late in the game and hold off Collingwood in a classic.

DEMONS v BOMBERS Follow it LIVE

Melbourne eventually overcame the Magpies to snap its own two-match losing streak and will now be wary of maintaining its momentum against a side that stunned it little more than two months ago.

Essendon (1-12) took tentative steps forward as it found a strength and spirit at clearance and in the contest to give Carlton a huge scare before it ran out of legs in the second half.

The Bombers paid the price for a lack of experience and composure when the game was on the line but can turn to their most recent win – and only victory in the past year – coming against the Demons earlier this season.

Mid-season recruits Joel Fitzgerald and Lukas Cooke will make their AFL debuts for the Demons, with Bailey Laurie and Jake Melksham also coming in.

Latrelle Pickett, Brody Mihocek, Caleb Windsor and Tom McDonald make way.

The Bombers are boosted by the returns of Jordan Ridley and Dyson Sharp with Max Kondogiannis and Saad El-Hawli dropped.

Melbourne v Essendon at the MCG, 1.15pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES

Hosting another game in Perth, North Melbourne will be desperate for an improved performance against West Coast.

North Melbourne (5-7) put on a horror show at its home away from home in Bunbury when conceding the last 19 goals of the game in a humbling defeat to the red-hot Fremantle. 

KANGAROOS v EAGLES Follow it LIVE

The Kangaroos have now conceded seven goals or more in a quarter seven times this season and need to find a way to slow – or even stop – opposition run-ons if they are to snap their 0-6 record away from Docklands this year.

West Coast (4-9) was given a reminder of the improvements it has made this year as it was left frustrated after failing to take its chances late in the game for a heartbreaking defeat to Port Adelaide.

The Eagles have been much more competitive since being handed a wake-up call by the Tigers and will be out to build on the blistering football they first played in an early-season win over the Roos.

Taylor Goad will make his AFL debut for the Roos, coming in alongside Tom Blamires and Cooper Harvey, with Wil Dawson, Riley Hardeman and Zac Fisher out.

The Eagles will also unveil a debutant in Marcus Herbert, while Josh Lindsay, Tom Gross and Elijah Hewett also come in.

Reuben Ginbey, Tom McCarthy and Willem Duursma are out injured and Malakai Champion has been dropped.

Sydney will be confident of continuing its good form when it meets Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Port Adelaide (4-8) finally turned the tables in a close finish after four losses this year by three points or less as it hung on against West Coast to claim a nailbiting victory on the road. 

POWER v SWANS Follow it LIVE

The pain of the narrow defeats at least means the Power have a decent percentage to use as a foundation for a surge for the wildcard spots especially if they can build on a strong recent record against the Swans.

Sydney (11-2) pulled off a heist when snatching victory from St Kilda with a goal in the last minute of the match after trailing by as much as 33 points in the second term.

The Swans continue to show that they can win in different ways with the triumph over the Saints their third this year by single figures while their blistering ball movement means they are just as likely to blow teams away. 

Xavier Bamert will make his debut for Port with Harrison Ramm and Kane Farrell coming in, while Christian Moraes, Jacob Wehr and the injured Josh Lai make way.

The Swans have replaced injured pair Justin McInerney and Tom McCartin with Joel Hamling and Harry Cunningham.