The Bombers had declared last month that all players from the 2012 list would sit out the NAB Challenge to protect the identity of those who remain of the 34 who received Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority infraction notices. However Jackson Merrett, Nick O'Brien, Elliott Kavanagh and Lauchlan Dalgleish all played against St Kilda in Morwell last Saturday, distancing them from the biggest drugs scandal the game has known.

Zaharakis being added to the list of the innocent is no surprise. In 2013, former fitness boss Dean Robinson claimed the midfielder had not taken part in the program due to a dislike of injections, which the player's manager Scott Lucas later confirmed, saying his client "basically doesn't like needles".

The AFL anti-doping tribunal is expected to rule on whether the 34 are guilty of using an ASADA-banned substance by the end of the month. Essendon's final pre-season game is against Melbourne on March 20.

While the Bombers' 29-man squad to take on the Giants still includes 11 top-up players and six wearing numbers in the 70s, some genuine quality will return along with Zaharakis, who has recovered from a minor knee injury. Brendon Goddard, Joe Daniher, Zach Merrett and Patrick Ambrose are also picked, while recruits Adam Cooney and James Gwilt stand to have their first run in red and black.

The AFL last week stepped in to prevent those six players from taking part in an exercise against VFL team Williamstown that was dubbed "competitive training drills" as distinct from a practice match, permitting only 2012-listed players to contest the Friday evening hit-out at its Tullamarine base.

Dyson Heppell's brother Aaron and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti drop out from the list of fill-ins who played against the Saints, while youngsters Kyle Langford, Marty Gleeson and Jason Ashby stand to play against a Giants squad strengthened by the return of Heath Shaw, Adam Treloar and Devon Smith, and featuring Jarrod Picket, the club's first selection in last year's national draft.