Veteran defender Cale Hooker says the entire Essendon squad will be based in Melbourne within the next fortnight as the AFL restart nears.

Hooker, who’s been in isolation on his family vineyard in WA, is one of several Bombers who have returned to their home states during the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The club is encouraging us to come back (to Melbourne) about halfway through May,” Hooker told SEN 1116 on Wednesday.  

“I’ve had a pretty good stint out here (in WA), so I’m going to come back later this week and nestle into Melbourne, keep my training going there and get into a routine before we go back. 

“The COVID stuff seems to be going pretty well, so we need to be ready to train (as a group) as soon as we’re allowed to do so.”

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan wrote to all clubs on Monday, reiterating that the week beginning May 11 would be the timeframe for an announcement of plans to restart the season. 

In a long memo, McLachlan confirmed a hub, or hubs, would be used to restart matches, which were suspended after round one. 

Hooker, who’s been honing his winemaking skills with his dad, joked that his family vineyard should be considered for a hub location. 

“I think the Hooker Vineyard would be the perfect place for a hub. I can fit around 40 boys up here, having them work during the day, doing the training and playing games,” he said. 

“We’ve got the Swan River just down the bottom, so I can have the boys doing their recovery here. I reckon it’d be a good experience for everyone.”