Dustin Fletcher continues to show signs of improvement in his recovery from injury as hopes grow the veteran may be able to feature in the Dons line-up before the end of the season.
The 40 year old hasn’t played since his 400th AFL match against Richmond in May.
“We’re hoping we can get him up for maybe the last couple of games,” Essendon Coach James Hird said.
“There’s a couple of weeks to go and he hasn’t done a lot of work.
“He’ll be doing more work today and then next week and hopefully we can get him up in a couple of weeks.”
Michael Hurley, James Gwilt and Ariel Steinberg have performed the majority of the key defensive work in the absence of Fletcher.
Swingmen Cale Hooker and Jake Carlisle are also proven performers in the defensive half.
Hird said he’s keen for Fletcher to play again but he wants to ensure the veteran would be able to perform.
“If he’s underdone to the point that it’s going to embarrass him or it’s not going to help the team win then we wouldn’t do it,” he said.
“But we’re hoping that we’ll get him to a point physically that he’ll get through a game and play well.”
Another veteran, Paul Chapman, could return to the senior side soon.
The Norm Smith Medal winner was going to be considered this week, but a back problem ruled him out.
“I think he’ll probably play reserves but just having not played for three or four weeks in the seniors (then) getting that back spasm, I just wanted to make sure he could get through a game rather than throw him in,” Hird said.
“If he performs well this week, he puts himself up for selection.”