John Worsfold says there will be no preferential treatment given to the Essendon players returning this season as the Club aims to push up the ladder.

The Bombers are targeting a return to the finals after their wooden-spoon finish last season, and will be bolstered by the availability of 10 senior and experienced players.

But Worsfold said there would be no guarantees given to the group ahead of the home and away season, with no extra loyalty afforded their way for knocking back rival offers to come back to Essendon after their suspensions.

The West Coast premiership coach, who is due to enter his second season in charge of the Bombers, said it wasn't vital all fit players ran out together against Hawthorn in round one.

"I don't think there's anything significant to be drawn in all of them playing [in round one] and I think they would be disappointed if they felt they were playing just for a token statement," Worsfold told AFL.com.au.

"Those players, I know, want Essendon to be a great footy club and to win a lot of games. All those guys plus the rest of the squad should be expecting we'll be picking the best team to represent Essendon on that day."

Ruckman Tom Bellchambers may not be ready to face the Hawks in the Bombers' season-opening clash after having knee surgery over summer, but the remaining nine players who have returned to the Club are all on track to be available.

Worsfold said he won't favour the returning players in any tight selection matters but will consider their respective track records when making the hard calls.

"No I won't [view them differently]. But I certainly have a sense of what they've earned – and that's respect. We know what they can deliver consistently over a long period of time, and that is something you use when you're picking a team," he said.

"The knowledge of how they perform in big games, on different grounds, in front of big crowds, travelling, we already have a knowledge of what those guys can do."

Essendon will enter the season as one of a bunch of clubs who finished outside of the top eight last year who believe they can push into the finals in 2017.

Worsfold said it is difficult to place any win-loss hopes on the year, but that the group will continue to try to lift its internal standards – a work in progress for Worsfold since he took on the Essendon job at the end of 2015.

"Our expectations are on raising the bar in terms of the way we prepare and how our players understand what a professional footballer means – the balance between down time and elite athlete time, building great relationships with each other and the coaching staff," Worsfold said.

"It needed to be reset. I felt as though everyone was a bit lost as there had been other focuses. I was about 'Who do we want to be?' instead of 'What are we coming out of?' That's what I've worked with the whole footy department about."