More than 500 games of senior experience have been added to the Collingwood line up that will tackle Essendon at the MCG this Sunday.

Collingwood has added Nick Maxwell, Luke Ball and Jesse White to the team that lost to Gold Coast by five points last Saturday, while Brodie Grundy, Sam Dwyer and Lachlan Keeffe were all omitted when the squads were finalised at 5pm on Friday.

Dwyer and Keeffe join Tim Broomhead as the Magpies’ three emergencies.

Maxwell's return will considerably strengthen Collingwood's young defence.

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The former skipper, who has not played a senior game since he injured his calf against St Kilda five weeks ago. showed outstanding leadership in his first VFL game since 2005 last weekend and will be hoping to quickly return to the career-best form he displayed earlier in the season.

Maxwell will be joined by fellow veteran Luke Ball, who was sidelined for a week with a minor calf complaint.

The 30-year-old has played 13 of his side's 15 matches so far in 2014, averaging 18 disposals and five tackles to date.

After playing in defence for three quarters at VFL level last weekend, White is also in line for a return to the senior side where he may act as ruck back up for Jarrod Witts.

In the absence of leading goal kicker Jamie Elliott, the Magpies will be hoping that White’s inclusion will relieve some pressure from Travis Cloke, who was the target of 11 of Collingwood’s inside 50’s in round 16 (Dane Swan was ranked second, with four inside 50s targeted in his direction).

Essendon v Collingwood
Round 17
Sunday 13 July
MCG, 3.20pm

Collingwood
B: Tom Langdon, Jack Frost, Alan Toovey
HB: Marley Williams, Nick Maxwell, Heritier Lumumba
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Paul Seedsman
HF: Tyson Goldsack, Jesse White, Ben Kennedy
F: Jarryd Blair, Travis Cloke, Dane Swan
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury
Int: Luke Ball, Taylor Adams, Clinton Young, Josh Thomas
Emg: Tim Broomhead, Sam Dwyer, Lachlan Keeffe

IN: Luke Ball, Nick Maxwell, Jesse White
OUT: Sam Dwyer, Brodie Grundy, Lachlan Keeffe (omitted)

Essendon
B: Dustin Fletcher, Cale Hooker, Jason Winderlich
HB: Mark Baguley, Michael Hurley, Courtenay Dempsey
C: David Zaharakis, Heath Hocking, David Myers
HF: Paul Chapman, Joe Daniher, Jackson Merrett
F: Travis Colyer, Jake Carlisle, Patrick Ambrose
Foll: Patrick Ryder, Brent Stanton, Dyson Heppell
Int: Ben Howlett, Jake Melksham, Zach Merrett, Cory Dell'Olio
Emg: Elliott Kavanagh, Orazio Fantasia, Nick O'Brien, 

IN: Cory Dell'Olio, Dustin Fletcher
OUT: Brendon Goddard (suspension), Kyle Hardingham (omitted)