Carlton has included three players into its 25-man squad to play Essendon at the MCG on Sunday.

The Blues have named, Mark Austin, Steven Browne and Darren Pfeiffer on the extended interchange bench.

Earlier in the week Brett Ratten highlighted having a reasonably settled 22 as one of the reasons for wins over Port Adelaide and Collingwood. But he says the club still needs to get a number of games into its younger players.

“It’s a tough one; we need to get games into our younger-type players to give them experience,” Ratten said.

“That’s been the pleasing aspect as we go along, maybe earlier in the year we might have given some free games away to players to get that experience, but now you’ve really got to earn your stripes to get into this team,” he said.

The interchange bench will be reduced to four following training at Princes Park at 10.30am on Friday morning.

Backs
Andrew Carrazzo Setanta O’hAilpin Michael Jamison 
Half backs
Bryce Gibbs Bret Thornton Dennis Armfield
Centreline
Kade Simpson Nick Stevens Heath Scotland 
Half forwards
Brad Fisher Jarrad Waite Jordan Russell
Forwards
Eddie Betts Brendan Fevola Matthew Kreuzer
Followers
Cameron Cloke Chris Judd Marc Murphy
Interchange
From: Mark Austin Adam Bentick Steven Browne Shaun Grigg Shaun Hampson Darren Pfeiffer Simon Wiggins

In – Mark Austin, Steven Browne, Darren Pfeiffer