Paul Medhurst, Tarykn Lockyer, Nathan Brown and Jarryd Blair have all come into the team for an array of injured players including Luke Ball (hip), Leon Davis (quad), Ben Reid (quad) and Tyson Goldsack (ankle).
Collingwood's chief of football Geoff Walsh stressed that the injuries were minor and with the club in a strong position ahead of finals, would not be risking any long-term injuries.
"It's better to be a bit conservative at this stage of the year", Walsh told collingwoodfc.com.au on Thursday afternoon.
"All four incidents, we hope, don't keep them out for more than one week. Their return will be dictated when they train Monday and Wednesday next week."
The changes give several players an opportunity to work their way back into the finals-bound side.
Medhurst has not played a senior game since round 12 earlier this year and will add to his nine matches in 2010. The 2008 All-Australian has featured in the VFL best over the last month spending time both in the midfield and as a small forward.
Lockyer is another Magpie who has found form in the VFL up forward, with the 30-year-old notching 23 disposals and 10 marks in the loss to Bendigo.
Young Magpie Blair, who did not play for either the AFL or VFL side last week as he was held over, will add to his five senior games in his debut season. The shortest player on the list has averaged 14.6 disposals and 4.4 tackles at the AFL level.
Finding plenty of possession in the VFL with 26 disposals, seven marks and one goal, Brown returns for his seventh game this year. A top 10 draft pick in 2006 (overall 10), the 195-centimetre defender has played 43 games after three seasons.
Josh Fraser remains on 199 games named as an emergency as is Luke Rounds and Simon Buckley.
Essendon, meanwhile, has made five changes headlined by the loss of veteran defender Dustin Fletcher. The five Bombers named include Ricky Dyson (95 games/40 goals), Henry Slattery (83/11), Jake Melksham (11/4) and debutants Stewart Crameri and Jake Carlisle.
Round 20
Essendon v Collingwood
Friday 13 August
MCG, 7:40 PM
Collingwood
B: Nick Maxwell, Simon Prestigiacomo, Ben Johnson
HB: Harry O'Brien, Nathan Brown, Heath Shaw
C: Sharrod Wellingham, Dane Swan, Alan Toovey
HF: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Tarkyn Lockyer
F: Dayne Beams, Leigh Brown, Steele Sidebottom
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas
Int: Jarryd Blair, Paul Medhurst, Chris Dawes, Brent Macaffer
Emg: Josh Fraser, Luke Rounds, Simon Buckley
In: Nathan Brown, Paul Medhurst, Tarkyn Lockyer, Jarryd Blair
Out: Ben Reid (quad), Leon Davis (quad), Luke Ball (hip), Tyson Goldsack (ankle)
Essendon
B: Henry Slattery, Michael Hurley, Heath Hocking
HB: Kyle Reimers, Cale Hooker, Mark McVeigh
C: Stewart Crameri, Jobe Watson, David Zaharakis
HF: Angus Monfries, Jake Carlisle, Travis Colyer
F: Kyle Hardingham, Jay Neagle, Patrick Ryder
Foll: David Hille, Jake Melksham, Ben Howlett
Int: Brent Stanton, Ricky Dyson, Sam Lonergan, Courtenay Dempsey
Emg: Leroy Jetta, Brent Prismall, David Myers
In: Dyson, Slattery, Melksham, Carlisle, Crameri
Out: Davey (arm), Winderlich (hand), Prismall, Houli, Fletcher (hamstring)
New: Stewart Crameri, Jake Carlisle
