Bombers hopeful on Heppell injury

ESSENDON general manager of Football Josh Mahoney is “hopeful” skipper Dyson Heppell will be fit to face Sydney on Thursday night.

Heppell was a late withdrawal from the club’s round 2 loss to Port Adelaide with a back spasm and missed the round 3 win over St Kilda.

Essendon has been ravaged by injury with Dylan Shiel (knee), Sam Draper (syndesmosis) and Jye Caldwell (hamstring) to miss extended periods.

Mahoney said Heppell is a chance to return for Essendon’s round 4 match against the Swans.

“It was a particularly difficult game for him to miss given we were coming up against Port Adelaide who have a really strong forward line and we’ve got an inexperienced defence,” he told SEN Breakfast.

“The role he’s been playing down there just for a bit of leadership has been important.

“He had a little back spasm on Thursday, it’s got a bit of disc issue which can take some time.

“We’re hopeful that he’ll get up for this week, if not, maybe the game after that which we play in Sydney five days later.

“He’s moving around better than he was, he had a quiet weekend, we trained a bit today (Tuesday) and how he goes today will probably dictate whether he plays this weekend or not.”

– BY ALEX ZAIA/ SEN