ESSENDON is optimistic top-10 draft pick Aaron Francis has dodged a serious injury after being carried from the field in Wednesday's intraclub match.

Francis was helped from the field by the trainers for assessment after hurting his left ankle late in the scratch match.

He was in pain after the incident and needed trainers to lift him off his feet to the sidelines, but coach John Worsfold said the Bombers are hopeful the South Australian has not done significant damage.

"He rolled his ankle, but he's got fairly loose ankles anyway so we're confident it's not a serious sprain," Worsfold said.

"A bit like 'Hurls' (Michael Hurley) last week, who was out there running with no worries today. So we're hopeful Aaron will be back out there running pretty quick."

The Bombers have been cautious with Francis since they selected him at No.6 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft, carefully monitoring his load after some soft-tissue concerns in his debut season.

He has trained as a marking forward this pre-season after playing predominantly as an intercepting defender in his first three games with the club last year.

Even last week Worsfold said Francis would need to continue his fitness progression before commanding a spot in Essendon's line-up.

"You feel for him, but you feel for any player who goes down. He's got a season to focus on and prepare for and this is just one thing he has to take into account," Worsfold said.

"I do feel sorry for him, but he has to work really hard to be able to bounce back really quickly and be up and going."

A degree of panic set in among supporters at the club's headquarter as the 19-year-old, one of their most talented youngsters, went down in pain. Worsfold was in a similar boat but said the diagnosis was positive.

"[When he went down] you just hope that it's as minor as injury as it can be, but you've got no control over it. You let the guys do their job and concentrate on the players who are out there playing the game and sort it afterwards, but I was pleased to get a good report," Worsfold said.

It was the major worry out of the three-period match simulation, which will be the club's final internal hit-out before next Thursday's JLT Community Series clash with Collingwood at Etihad Stadium.

Newly appointed captain Dyson Heppell was solid in the midfield alongside last year's best and fairest Zach Merrett, while the club's exciting stocks of smaller forwards – Josh Green, Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti – all impressed at different stages.

Tall forward Joe Daniher played about one-third of the game as he steps up his return from a knee injury, before heading back to the modified training group and running laps with Hurley.