ESSENDON is hopeful it can assemble a full group of top-up players by Monday and introduce them into its VFL training program ahead of the NAB Challenge.
Fresh from signing their first group of former AFL players to represent the club in pre-season matches, the Bombers will use the rest of this week to finalise their top-up list.
Football manager Rob Kerr said the club had been approached by a number of agents and their players keen to earn a second chance by representing the Bombers.
"We said to the AFL today we'd like to get some players in for medicals as soon as we can," Kerr told SEN.
"We've got to make sure they're fit and ready to go, and hopefully there are no injuries.
"We'd be thinking that come Monday we've got a pretty reasonable group of top-up players to come in and join with the VFL squad in the first instance to train."
Kerr said the Bombers were not discussing temporary contracts for players beyond the first two NAB Challenge matches, with hopes the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal will deliver a favourable ruling for those players provisionally suspended.
The Bombers are also finalising compensation arrangements for state-league clubs that are concerned about their players suffering injuries in the NAB Challenge.
"The players are doing us a favour by making themselves available and the clubs are also making a sacrifice there," Kerr said.
"Some of the finer details to be agreed involve implications for state league clubs and compensation in the event of injury."
