Midfielder Ricky Dyson, who had 15 touches against Collingwood, will have a knee arthroscope this week and will join David Zaharakis on the sidelines after he strained a medial ligament last week.
Another unnamed Bomber may also miss depending on how he trains on Thursday.
Andrew Welsh won’t return this season after having a groin release operation this week and Essendon won’t rush back Dustin Fletcher (hamstring) and Jason Winderlich (hand), who both missed last Friday night’s clash with the Magpies.
Coach Matthew Knights said the club would not risk the chances of Fletcher and Winderlich having productive pre-seasons by playing them now.
“We won’t push the envelope with those guys and have them miss six or eight weeks in the off season. That would seem pointless,” he said.
“We’re a few down but it’s an opportunity for young guys to play this week.”
The missing Bombers join Scott Gumbleton (ribs), Mark Williams (ankle), Alwyn Davey (arm), Tayte Pears (pancreas), Jason Laycock (foot), Darcy Daniher (adductor tendonitis), Taite Silverlock (fibula) and Anthony Long (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Knights said the Bombers were pleased to get game time into their young midfielders.
“[The midfield] is an area we want to keep regenerating,” he said.
“You would have seen it with Travis Colyer and Jake Melksham and Zaharakis playing on a wing, and last week young Stewart Crameri coming in for his first game and playing in the midfield.
“It’s more about giving them opportunities rather than mass experimentation.”
Knights said injuries to key players and a tough draw that often pitted them against top eight sides contributed to Essendon’s poor season.
He also said while he took his share of responsibility for missing the finals, he looked forward to working on the Bombers’ defensive game again this off-season after being exposed by Collingwood last week.
“Defensively we have to be better. In numbers, we’ve certainly improved our tackling as the year has gone,” he said.
“The reality is, because we’re not going to play finals football, which was our aim at the start of the year, the season has been a failure.
“But this summer we have to work on our defensive aspects and improve.
“It’s not a mountain to climb. You’ve only got to pick up in a few different areas.”
