FINALLY, Essendon will get to play a full, four-quarter game of football on Friday night and will do so with some good news on the injury front.

The NAB Cup clash with the Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium will be Jason Winderlich's first game since undergoing a knee reconstruction after round 4, while Scott Gumbleton is showing early signs that he might finally be overcoming the back injury that has prevented him from playing his best football.

"He (Winderlich) is excited," said Essendon football manager Paul Hamilton told The Age. "It's been a long time for him. He's done a good chunk of the pre-season. He's looked after himself really well. He had some minor setbacks in the pre-season … but he's in good condition and happy to be back out there again."

Season-ending injuries to Winderlich and Courtenay Dempsey in the same quarter of the round four clash against Carlton last year robbed the Bombers of much of their pace and ability to transform quickly from defence to attack.

"He's quick and he's a great ball-user," Hamilton said. "What we noticed when he and Dempsey went down last year at the one time was that we lost leg speed and we lost ball use.''

Gumbleton, who last played senior football in 2010, had back surgery in December and is making great strides with his rehabilitation. So much so, the Bombers expect him to be back playing football within six weeks.

Essendon coach James Hird is gushing over the progress of Gumbleton, the second overall selection at the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, who he said he had never seen him move so confidently.

"He's been flying in his rehab. He's running better than I've seen him run since I've been back at the club; bending, moving, jumping, doing all the gymnastic stuff and looking in terrific condition," he told The Age.

"We've just got to get him footy fit, which should take about six weeks, and then he'll be ready to play, hopefully."

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