Essendon coach John Worsfold is optimistic Irish star Connor McKenna will return to the club at some stage this year.
The 24-year-old, who battled homesickness in recent months, has gone back to Ireland during the coronavirus crisis and his football future is unclear.
But Worsfold is hopeful the dashing defender will play alongside Joe Daniher and Dyson Heppell, who are both recovering from injury, if and when the AFL season resumes this year.
McKenna spent time in Ireland over summer as he weighed up his future and said upon return to Melbourne last month that he would make a decision at the end of the 2020 season.
The COVID-19 pandemic and AFL competition shutdown have since thrown further spanners in the works.
"It's not the end of 2020 yet, so there's a lot of footy left, hopefully, to be played this season," Worsfold told reporters on Wednesday.
"Conor was up and ready to go. My expectation is that he's really keen (to play again).
"He's going to be over there following a training program and looking forward to getting back over here and getting into it."
McKenna and fellow Irish Essendon players Cian McBride and Ross McQuillan are all overseas at present.
There is some concern that border restrictions may prevent them from returning to Australia for an extended period.
"We'll deal with what the regulations are," Worsfold said.
"We've got three young Irish guys that are back in Ireland, which was the right thing to do in this period.
"When everything starts to open, our expectation is if they're allowed to come back and get into it, we'll have them back.
"If they have to go into two weeks' quarantine when they come back, they'll do that.
"But so much of that's out of our control."
Worsfold added Daniher had shown strong signs of improvement after battling groin injuries over the past two years and again during the 2020 pre-season.
The key forward had previously been slated for a possible mid-season return to action, but Worsfold said he could not put a specific date on Daniher reaching full fitness.
The delay to the season could work in the 26-year-old's favour.
"Potentially he's going to be available for round two, which I'd be pretty excited about if I was Joe," Worsfold said.
"He misses less footy than he potentially would have and I'm sure that's what he's focusing on."
Heppell underwent further surgery on his troublesome foot in February and had a screw removed.
Like Daniher, the Bombers captain missed the round-one win over Fremantle last month.
But he is expected be fit to play if and when football resumes this year.
Australian Associated Press
