Essendon rookie Jake Long has suffered a minor setback in his pursuit for a spot on the team’s senior list.

The signs did not look good for the youngster when he was carried from the ground by trainers during the final quarter of the Essendon VFL game against the Tigers last Saturday. 

However, the news is not as bad as first suspected, with scans revealing a minor MCL injury. 

“Jake Long got a knock to his knee, “ said High Performance Manager Justin Crow

“It’s a low level injury, grade one, so Jake will miss at the best 2-3 weeks.” 

Long has been in blistering form so far this season for Essendon VFL averaging 16 disposals, four tackles and four marks in just his second year at the Club.

The son of Essendon champion, Michael Long, Jake’s consistency and development has seen him earn the attention of Coach John Worsfold – who revealed that the youngster was close to making his debut for the team.

Long will be joined on the sidelines by teammate Sam Grimley, who underwent surgery on his hand during the week. 

Grimley aggravated a previous hand injury over the week and is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.

The news is better for other Essendon youngsters with Jayden Laverde and Alex Morgan both making good progress. 

Morgan has overcome a quad injury and is expected to return for Essendon VFL following the bye, where he will build his fitness and mount a case for his senior debut.

Similarly, Laverde is back training and will be seeking to return to football for the first time since injuring his shoulder in round 4. 

“Laverde is tracking beautifully and he’s been back in training,” said Crow

“He won’t play this week, but he’ll be pushing very hard to prove his fitness for the week after.”