Essendon is hopeful of welcoming back some big-name players ahead of Sunday's Anzac Day blockbuster with Angus Monfries, Brent Stanton and Mark McVeigh to undergo fitness tests later this week.

All three missed the West Coast clash due to various injuries, but football boss Paul Hamilton is hopeful to see them back in the side this week.
Click here to bid on Hille's guernsey from Friday's clash with West Coast.

""Monfries has missed two weeks now with his quad injury but we would certainly like to see him back out on the MCG because he plays very good football there with the way he runs and leads,” Hamilton said.

“Stanton is one of our best runners and we would like to have him back in the side so he can run the lines and work the angles because he can work both sides and it is pretty important for us to get a bit more run back into the side.

“Also McVeigh is an important player for the club and he certainly injects a lot of passion and spirit in the way he goes about things and he would love to play on Anzac Day.”
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McVeigh was sent back to the VFL last weekend to regain some match fitness following five days in hospital with an elbow infection. Despite getting through the game, Hamilton says the 29-year-old still has some hurdles to overcome before being cleared to return to the senior line-up.

“He did play for Bendigo on the weekend and he was a bit worse for wear really,” Hamilton said.

“He has come back from a massive week having been in hospital for five days. He got through the game but wasn’t feeling the best in the second half and did struggle a little bit.

“We are hoping he will be healthier, fitter, stronger. He has lost a little bit of weight and we hope that comes back on and by the end of the week he is ready to go.”
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An ankle injury to emerging midfielder Ben Howlett put a dampener on the Bendigo Bombers’ first win in 18 months but Hamilton is confident the 21-year-old will be back sooner rather than later.

“It’s an injury that I would think would keep him out for at least this week or maybe one more,” Hamilton said.

“It’s obviously disappointing for Ben given the promise he has shown early but we are confident he will be back and raring to go pretty soon.”
Fan Update: Watch the Essendon squad train for 45mins at 10am Saturday, 24th April at Windy Hill in the lead-up to Sunday's big ANZAC Day blockbuster.
There will also be an opportunity to purchase the latest Essendon merchandise, visit the Hall of Fame or sign up as a 2010 member.