JAMES Hird may be running for the Essendon Football Club this weekend.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights was asked about the possibility at his weekly media conference, and chose his words carefully when replying.

"James Hird? I haven't spoken to James about that as yet," he said. "I reckon if you put James Hird out as a runner you'd be concerned about him filling the hole and maybe getting a few disposals, and we certainly don't want that happening – there's been a few issues with 50-metre penalties with interchange and bits and pieces the last couple of weeks."

Knights said Hird, who played 253 games over 16 seasons for the Bombers, and is revered by those in red-and-black, would clearly be willing to do anything he could to assist his former team.

"As far as I know, all our runners are fine, so unless that changes in the next 24 to 48 hours. He's expressed to the boys, Mark McVeigh and Andrew Welsh that he's fit, and he runs, so he is alright to go with whatever we want to throw at him.

"He's one of those guys, James, he'd be willing to help out in whatever area you needed, he just loves the football club.

"He was down in the rooms after the Carlton game, and he had a good chat to Matthew Lloyd, and his boys were rolling around on the floor.

"Anytime James is involved with the Essendon footy club, whether it be match-day or during the week, is a benefit for us.

"He loves the environment of football, but I haven't spoken to him about running this week or next week."