ESSENDON father-son prospect Mason Fletcher is expected to miss the rest of his under-18 season with lower back stress fractures.

The son of Bombers champion and 400-gamer Dustin Fletcher is eligible for this year's draft but may not play again in 2018 as he deals with the injury.

Fletcher, 18, is a lean and lanky key defender like his father and has been training at Essendon as part of the club's father-son academy program.

He is likely to be a late or rookie draft selection, with his injury setback meaning rival clubs would be less likely to make a bid on the potential Bomber.

Calder Cannons talent manager Ian Kyte said the club had tried to manage and nurse the 199cm player through the injury,  but Fletcher has had to juggle training and playing commitments with the TAC Cup side, his school and Vic Metro trials.

"If it is the full year and that's going to be the final outcome of it, then he's surely done enough to show Essendon and other clubs that he's worthy of being listed," Kyte said.

"He's certainly got some things he needs to work on, like his body strength … this time out might enable him to do some more strength work that gets him to a position where he's better off with his body."

Dustin Fletcher is the Bombers' leading games holder and one of just four players in VFL/AFL history to have reached 400 games. He played in the club's 1993 and 2000 premierships and retired at the end of 2015.