ESSENDON spearhead Joe Daniher is set to play his first competitive match in 10 months when the Bombers start their pre-season campaign on Thursday.
Provided Daniher recovers well from Monday's full session and gets through Wednesday's hitout unscathed, he will face Carlton in the opening match of the JLT Community Series.
It is understood the 24-year-old will feature on restricted minutes at Ikon Park.
A promising showing in the Bombers' intraclub has fast-tracked the decision to play Daniher against the Blues, with original plans to have him return against Geelong on March 7.
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An All Australian and best and fairest winner in 2017, Daniher failed to play after round seven last season when an ongoing osteitis pubis injury worsened.
Having endured a modified pre-season program prior to Christmas, Daniher has since ramped up his fitness in recent weeks.
Skipper Dyson Heppell (hamstring tendinitis) will join midfielder Zach Merrett (ankle) in playing on Thursday night, having recovered from recent setbacks.
"Zach Merrett's progressed as planned, he's done very well since he's come out of the (moon) boot," Bombers physical performance manager Justin Crow said.
"We saw him do some match play here last week and he's going to participate in some of the match.
"(Dyson) has been on his individual program with his hamstring tendon issue. We're really comfortable with where he's at (and) he will also do part of the game."
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Jake Stringer (groin) and Orazio Fantasia (quad) will be monitored in the lead-up to the clash with the Blues after leaving the track early on Monday.
"Jake, after all of the talk about how good of a pre-season he's had, slipped over in the warm-up," Crow said.
"It's nothing serious, he felt some tightness in his groin and we decided not to train him after that.
"We'll be conducting a fitness test on him later this week and if there's any doubt, he won't play as there's little to be gained."
"Raz got a knock to his quad and he's got a corky. We'll fitness test him over the next couple of days and make a decision on whether or not he plays."
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Key defender Cale Hooker also trained on Monday as he overcomes a hamstring complaint but won't meet the Blues on Thursday night.
"Cale's progressing well, he's getting up to full speed at the moment – we wanted to leave that as late as possible," Crow said.
"He'll complete full training basically from here on in with a view (of him) having a run around in JLT two."
Meantime, defender Matt Dea, who managed 12 games for the Bombers last season, will miss the start to the season after suffering a knee injury.
