ESSENDON could welcome back a quartet of players for its round two NAB Cup clash against the Brisbane Lions next Friday night at Telstra Dome.

Alwyn Davey (knee), Jason Winderlich (back), Scott Lucas (knee) and David Myers (illness) are all available to face the Lions after overcoming their complaints to join in the main training session at La Trobe University on Tuesday.

"Davey has been given a clearance now so he's right to go and it's just a matter of the coaches picking him," assistant coach Ashley Prescott said from the session.

"He's certainly been giving a few winks and nods to the coaches to make sure that's not too far away. He's ticked all the boxes and he's really ready to go.

"It's really positive to have quite a few exciting and important players back for the team."

Davey and Winderlich will return after lengthy absences. Davey has not played since round five last year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament at a training session, while Winderlich last played in round 11 before undergoing two bouts of back surgery.

Lucas missed the final five rounds of 2008 with back problems and then had a post-season knee operation.

Midfielder Brett Stanton is two weeks away from returning from a quad injury, but the club remains unsure of how long big man Jason Laycock will be sidelined with a foot problem.

"Laycock has been getting a bit more of a surgical review," Prescott said.

"They're not quite sure what's happening with it. I haven't had an update this morning but I think he had a review last night.

"He's participating in modified training but at the moment, he can't push himself up into the main group.

"We've just got to wait and see with him."

Ruckman David Hille was absent, given the morning off after pulling up slightly sore from Friday night's one-point win over the Western Bulldogs.

He was expected to attend the club's afternoon weights session.

Prescott said the other Bombers who played in the win after restricted pre-seasons have all recovered well.

"Full credit to Stuart Cormack (high performance coach) and the high performance crew and everyone involved," he said.

"Some of the players that have come back in that have been on modified programs were tremendous and really got through well.

"All in all, I think the whole squad is shaping up particularly well."