ESSENDON will unleash debutant Joe Daniher against bitter rival Carlton tomorrow night.

The 201cm forward has pushed his case for senior selection with continued excellent form in the VFL.

The Bombers have so far resisted the temptation to call-up the 19-year-old but coach James Hird today insisted Daniher was "definitely ready".

SuperFooty can confirm Daniher will be named tonight for his AFL debut.

See highlights of Daniher playing junior footy below.

Blues coach Mick Malthouse said this morning he expected the Bombers would name Daniher.

The strong-marking and mobile big man is considered one of the best players to come through the TAC Cup system.

media_camera Joe Daniher flies for a mark during the VFL match between Essendon and Geelong last Saturday.

Essendon, which plucked him via the father-son rule in November, will finalise the team after a final training session this afternoon.

"It's a big game and he's a young player and there is a chance he will play, but there's a chance he won't play," Hird said.

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"We need to sit down and go through the side and it's really only five days since we played (against Sydney) and we need to work out who is sore who is not sore, who's ready to play, and who is not.

"(There's) No doubt at all he is ready to play. "He is definitely ready, its' just whether a player who is ahead of him that deserves a chance more, so we'll make that decision later."

Dashing backman Courtenay Dempsey will miss the Blues clash after suffering a heavy hit to his back last weekend against the Swans.

The Bombers have struggled to kicks goals in recent weeks and Hird said the team needed to kick the ball more accurately into its forwards.