ESSENDON will meet on Saturday to make a decision on Joe Daniher's immediate playing future, with the club still in the dark over whether the star forward will return this year.
Daniher has been sidelined for more than two months with a groin injury, having struggled with his fitness throughout an inconsistent start to the season that yielded just eight goals from his first seven games.
He has only just resumed light running at training, with a host of the club's medical and coaching staff to meet over the weekend to map out the next stage of his recovery.
The meeting will take place prior to the club's crucial clash with Collingwood on Sunday and could go some way to deciding whether the 24-year-old plays again this year.
"We've got a big group discussion about where he's at and what his program is going forward on Saturday," Essendon coach John Worsfold said.
"I'll be able to give a better update next week … but Joe is pretty happy with where he's at and what the program is for him.
"(The meeting) will be everyone involved in Joe's welfare, so it'll be doctors, physios, his coach, myself, our performance guys, our conditioning guys and the weights coaches.
"There will be a lot of people sitting there talking about Joe's groins."
Asked whether Daniher was still a chance to play again this season, Worsfold replied: "I couldn't answer that."
Essendon has returned to finals contention over the last three weeks with victories over Brisbane, West Coast and North Melbourne putting the Dons back in the September picture.
Just one game outside the eight going into a pivotal encounter with arch rivals Collingwood on Sunday, Daniher's potential return would provide the Bombers with another boost.
But Worsfold stressed Essendon's position in the finals race wouldn't impact on Daniher's recovery and whether he returned before season's end.
"On Saturday, we'll map out where he's at now and what his program is to get him back to 100 per cent health," Worsfold said.
"That won't take into account any time-frames, it will just be, this is what it's going to take."
However, in good news on the injury front, Essendon expects to regain midfield duo David Zaharakis and Darcy Parish in the coming weeks.
Zaharakis has been out for more than a month after undergoing surgery on a broken collarbone, while Parish has been sidelined for even longer with a fractured thumb.
Although both won't feature at any level this weekend, the Bombers are hopeful they will soon return to the senior team in order to aid the side's unlikely finals push.
"Zaka is still a few weeks away from playing," Worsfold said.
"Darcy's not too far away. I don't think he'll (play) this week, but he's not too far away."
