ESSENDON’S star forward Jake Stringer has been cleared of a serious ankle injury and could play in their AFL game on Thursday night.
Stringer limped off during Friday night’s win against Hawthorn but scans have shown no structural damage to his right ankle.
Bombers coach John Worsfold says Stringer is a “slight chance” to front against West Coast on Thursday night.
“We really weren’t sure of what the injury was and it could have been a number of things that were all fairly average,” Worsfold told reporters on Monday.
“So it was really good news but now it’s a matter of just assessing how he’s feeling and what he’s going to be able to do.
“We will monitor that day by day.”
Worsfold said the hard surface of Perth’s Optus Stadium won’t be a factor in determining if Stringer played against the Eagles.
“If he looks like he’s going to be available, I don’t think the hardness of the ground will make too much difference,” he said.
The Bombers are 10th on the ladder after consecutive wins as they prepare for their away game against fifth-placed West Coast.
But Worsfold cautioned against declaring his Bombers capable of playing, and winning, finals just yet.
“The real big picture is winning the premiership, not just winning a final … and that (premiership) is what we’re working on,” he said.
“How far (away) that is … it’s still too hard to tell.
“Once every team has played each other once, which sometimes doesn’t happen to very late in the season, you start to get a feel for where you sit.
“We have got a lot of work to do against some good opposition coming up.”
After the Eagles, Essendon has three consecutive home games – against GWS, Sydney and North Melbourne – before an away fixture against Adelaide.
© AAP 2019
