Ball has been sidelined since tearing his ACL against Carlton in round three last season and the 29-year-old also suffered a minor set back on the eve of this season, delaying his return further.
Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said Ball's determination to fight his way back was admirable.
"Luke is right to go. It's been a long journey for him, and frustrating at times, especially given his dedication throughout it all," Walsh told collingwoodfc.com.au
"Obviously, he has to get through training this week but we expect that he will and we expect him to line up on Friday night. Hopefully, from there he can build on his match condition and we can see his quality back in the AFL team pretty quickly."
The Pies expect to have key defender Nathan Brown (groin), Tyson Goldsack (leg soreness) and ruckman Darren Jolly (ribs) available for the blockbuster ANZAC Day clash against Essendon on Thursday.
The trio will need to pass fitness tests before Thursday, but the Pies are confident they will be fit to play.
Veteran defender Ben Johnson is also a chance to play against the Bombers, after missing the game against the Tigers with calf soreness, but he too will need to pass a fitness test.
Dayne Beams remains two to three weeks away with his quad injury and captain Nick Maxwell's fractured wrist is still expected to sideline him for up to six weeks.
