Essendon defender Courtenay Dempsey will miss the club’s season opener against North Melbourne after an injury interrupted pre-season.

Dempsey has resumed full training with the team but is expected to miss the first few rounds of the home and away season.

The dashing defender is yet to line up for the Bombers in a pre-season match but has been training with the main squad for the last fortnight.

Coach Mark Thompson said Dempsey would have to prove his fitness ahead of a return to the senior team.

“Dempsey won’t be right (for round one). He will play a few weeks in the VFL,” Thompson said.

“It is a bit about the amount of work he has done accumulative over the summer.”

“He hasn’t had enough hours at training so we are going to try and give him a little pre-season and get him strong to get through the pre-season.”