Follow all the action from Saturday’s round three games

Brayden Fiorini during the R2 match between Port Adelaide and Essendon at Adelaide Oval on March 22, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

ESSENDON has lost winger Brayden Fiorini just minutes before the first ball-up for Saturday night’s important clash with North Melbourne.

The former Gold Coast player has been withdrawn from the match with a back complaint and replaced in the Bombers’ 23 by Matt Guelfi, who will play his first game of 2026.

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Fiorini is in his first season at the Bombers after 10 seasons at the Suns.

The Bombers (0-2) are already at risk of a wasted season after a poor performance against finals contender Hawthorn was made worse by a dismal display when facing a Port Adelaide outfit widely expected to be around the same mark.

The Bombers were again unable to prevent the opposition scoring triple figures but can take some hope from booting five goals themselves in the final term.

North Melbourne (1-1) picked up where it left off in its win over Port Adelaide as it burst out of the blocks against West Coast before being outmuscled in the contested ball battle.

The Kangaroos will be eager to show the defeat was not the first glimpse of yet another false dawn as they look to break a horror 12-match losing streak against the Bombers stretching back to 2017.

North Melbourne has dropped veteran Jack Darling along with Jacob Konstanty, but has regained young midfield ace George Wardlaw.

The Bombers have made four changes of their own, with Jade Gresham, Jacob Farrow, Saad El-Hawli, Archer May and Archer Day-Wicks coming in for omitted youngsters Jayden Nguyen, Max Kondogiannis and Hussien El Achkar along with injured Dyson Sharp (ankle) and Mason Redman (knee).

Essendon v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 7.35pm AEDT

Essendon: Brayden Fiorini (back) replaced in selected side by Matt Guelfi
North Melbourne: Nil

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