Six weeks before the AFL premiership season begins, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs will stage a rare summer blockbuster at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

Unlike most significant sporting contests, the figure that counts at the end of the night will not be on the scoreboard, it will be the amount raised for bushfire relief.

Likewise, the biggest stars will mostly be mingling with the crowd rather than on the field.

In football terms, the NAB Cup clash means no more than any other early in the pre-season - a chance for the competing teams to test off-season gameplan alterations and build match fitness.

But for the players, the potential record crowd tipped to attend and most significantly, for those affected by Victoria's bushfires, it means much more.

The venue switch from Darwin to Melbourne to make the game the centrepiece of the AFL's response to the bushfire crisis prompted stars including Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd and Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson to shelve plans to skip the game.

They joined with captains of all clubs on Thursday in urging fans of any persuasion to pack the ground and break the venue's AFL crowd record.

"We are all part of the one community, and as footballers, we are no different in that the pressing question we are asking ourselves is `How can we help?'" the skippers said in an open letter.

"... We now understand that the bushfires are the worst peacetime disaster in Australia's history.

"We as the football family must act to do something to help.

"This Friday night at Telstra Dome, the Western Bulldogs are playing Essendon. But we hope it will be more than a game of footy.

"We want to sell out the ground and send a clear signal that we as the football family support the communities affected by this disaster."

A star-studded roll-call of representatives from all 16 clubs - including Hawthorn premiership captain Sam Mitchell and Carlton skipper Chris Judd - will be collecting donations.

On the field, much of the focus will be on youngsters seeking to make a name for themselves and players working their way back from injury.

The young Bombers' squad has plenty in both groups, after a horrific season with injury last year.

Coach Matthew Knights said for youngsters like Scott Gumbleton and Courtenay Dempsey, restricted by injury to a total of five games each over the past two seasons, it was significant just to take the field.

"They're out there and they're competing, they're playing with their teammates that they've done a lot of work with over the summer, that's the most important aspect of it," Knights said.

"It's not the be all and end all how they perform individually.

"It's how they gel with the rest of the group and how they contribute, I'm not too fussed about disposals or marks or goals."

The game will also give midfield speedster Andy Lovett his first chance to impress since coming desperately close to be traded away at the end of last season, after being twice suspended by the club during the year.

Bulldogs star midfielder Ryan Griffen will not be at the game, as he is in Adelaide mourning the death of his father John, who died on Wednesday.

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