No guarantees for Bomber cult hero

Essendon ruckman Sam Draper is back in full training after knee surgery and coach Brad Scott expects him to “be available from this point” for the push to September.

But Scott stopped short of locking in the “energiser” for an immediate return, declaring the big man stocks at the Bombers, with veteran Todd Goldstein having made his mark in Draper’s absence and Nic Bryan in the mix, made it anything but clear cut.

Essendon could also be bolstered by the returns of Mason Redman (hamstring), Xavier Duursma (quad) and Ben Hobbs (calf) for Sunday’s clash with West Coast.

But luckless defender Kaine Baldwin has suffered a setback after pulling up with some ankle soreness following training last week and could be sidelined for a month.

Draper, who only played 14 games in an injury-interrupted 2023 season, hasn’t played since the Anzac Day draw with Collingwood in round 8 after having an arthroscopy last month.

Scott said the big man had made a “really solid return” from the operation and the Bombers “look like a good team” with him in it but couldn’t lock him in for a return this Sunday against West Coast as Essendon looks to end a two-match losing streak.

“All we can do is prepare Sam the best we can,” Scott said on Tuesday.

“He’s made a really solid return from his minor knee surgery and has been in main training for the last couple of weeks, so we expect him to be available from this point on, it’s just a matter of when we pull the trigger.

“We have a bit to work through with our talls and ruck set-up because Nick Bryan has had limited opportunity but is a definite AFL ruckman and is pushing really hard for opportunity and Goldstein has been really good for us as well. There’s clearly not a straight answer to that.

“He’s (Draper) obviously an important player for us. He’s an energiser. When Drapes plays and plays well we look like a good team.”

Scott said he was keen to play two ruckmen when available but wasn’t keen to lock in one of Draper or 35-year-old Goldstein, who has played 12 games after crossing from North Melbourne, as his No.1.

“We talk about horses for courses,” Scott told SEN.

“We haven’t been in the position where we have had Draper, Goldstein and Bryan all available. When we have, we have gone with two rucks, but that’s not set in stone.”