ESSENDON’S Jay Neagle will undergo surgery for an ankle injury on Friday and will miss the rest of the season. The 20-year-old sustained a fracture during the Bombers’ agonising four point defeat to the Tigers on Saturday.

In better news for the Dons, Dustin Fletcher (ankle), Andrew Welsh (concussion) and Angus Monfries (ankle) all look likely to play in the round 17 clash with Collingwood.

“Welshy’s pulled up really well and as far as I know Dustin’s ankle has come on really well so we expect them to train and if they get though that they’re a very good chance to play,” Essendon’s Adam McPhee said.

Monfries, 21, said he is optimistic that his ankle will come good for the MCG clash against the Bombers.

“The ankle is feeling pretty good,” Monfries said.

“I iced it on Saturday night and throughout the week and I’ve been getting some physio on it so hopefully I’ll do some straight line running on it today and then test it out a bit on Friday and hopefully I’ll try and play this week.”

Monfries admitted that the Bombers’ growing injury list meant getting fit for the round 17 clash was a big focus.

“With limited numbers to choose from… to get up this week would be great. And to be out there on the MCG against Collingwood, our arch rivals, is something you always want to do.”

McPhee admitted that the large number of absentees means the Dons will particularly miss Andrew Lovett, who is serving out the remaining week of his two week club imposed suspension for missing an obligatory training session.

“It would be great to have him in the side. He certainly creates a couple of goals for us. But in the long term it is better for our club because it’s going to put the rest of the players on notice.”

As for Joel Bowden’s now well-documented time-wasting tactic, which saw him rush two consecutive behinds to run down the clock against the Bombers on Saturday, McPhee said he would want one of his teammates to do the same if necessary.

“For Joel it was a smart thing to do within the rules of the game. And if one of our players, say Dustin Fletcher was in the same position I would have liked him to do the same.”