DAVID Zaharakis is trying not to pressure "loyal" teammate Michael Hurley to recommit to Essendon, as Collingwood joins the race for the star defender.

Hurley returned to Australia last week after an overseas holiday and AFL.com.au revealed on Monday that the Magpies had become a suitor for the suspended Bomber's services.

The Western Bulldogs are seen as frontrunners, with Melbourne, St Kilda and Adelaide also reported to be bidding.

"It's his call … Hurls is back now and hopefully he makes a decision in the next one or two weeks so we can excited by it if he comes back to the club or if the other way happens," Zaharakis told RSN radio.

"It is difficult, you don't want to put pressure on a player."

Hurley is contracted to the Bombers for next season and would need to leave the club as part of a deal – either a trade or as a delisted free agent if he took Essendon to a grievance tribunal following the disastrous supplements scandal.

"I've played footy with him since I was 14 years old, so I definitely don't want to break that chain of years playing together," Zaharakis said.

"I hope he's at the footy club next year, but who knows?

"The big bear, that's his main trait, he's loyal to his friends and he does have a very close-knit group of friends, so that's one of the positives I've been banking on to hope he stays at the footy club."

Hurley is one of five Bombers yet to recommit after their season-long suspensions handed down by WADA.

Michael Hibberd has been strongly linked to Melbourne, while former skipper Jobe Watson has given no indication whether he wants to continue playing.

But Zaharakis hoped the Bombers youngsters' fighting efforts this season, which reaped a second win over Gold Coast on Sunday, would help convince all of his banned teammates to return.

"Most of the year (I've been) hearing whispers about the way they're watching us play and the guys were pretty impressed with how we're playing and how the young guys are developing as a group," he said.

"That's why you've seen seven now have committed back to the club, and especially Hookesy (Cale Hooker) went early because he could see some of our young guys playing really good footy and he was really excited about that.

"Hopefully Hurls, Hibbo and Jobe and the rest of them are seeing that and get quite excited about next year; Ben Howlett and Tayte Pears are the other two, and we definitely want them playing at the footy club."

Michael Hurley and David Zakarakis with Essendon coach Matthew Knights after they were drafted