ESSENDON'S top draftee Sullivan Robey will have his training load scaled down days after joining the Bombers, with the club discovering a back concern for the midfielder.

Robey was the Bombers' first of their three first-round picks at last week's Telstra AFL Draft, joining as their No.9 pick.

But the draft bolter will have his training program wound back until after the club's Christmas break after the club found signs of back stress that he had managed in recent months.

The Bombers will look to ease him back into training in January.

It comes just days after the 18-year-old joined the Bombers, having burst onto the draft scene in the second half of the season and made a stunning rise up draft boards with his Eastern Ranges form. He had trained earlier this week at the Hangar.

Robey, a 192cm talent, broke through for the Ranges as a half-forward before moving into the midfield deep in the season and played a key role for the club in its Coates Talent League premiership.

He also played in the Grand Final carrying a cracked collarbone and booted four goals, and was joined at Essendon by Jacob Farrow and Dyson Sharp as prized early picks last week.

Robey's injury management comes as Essendon waits on the severity of Nic Martin's knee injury, with AFL.com.au revealing last week the gun Bomber had slipped at training and undergone follow up scans on his reconstructed knee.