Essendon defender Mark Baguley has suffered a slight setback to his pre-season campaign after fracturing his left hand at training last week.

Baguley is expected to return to full training with the playing group within a fortnight after surgery to insert a plate into his hand.

“Mark fractured his metacarpal which is the long bone in your hand last week and they normally get better in six weeks to eight weeks (without surgery),” Club doctor Bruce Reid said.

“He has had surgery, so he will return to full training in two weeks and he has returned to running today.

“By putting a plate in there it means they don’t miss out on a pre-season but if you don’t plate it all they can really do is run.”

The majority of the club’s playing group has returned to full training in good condition following the off-season break.

Reid said it was pleasing to see ruckman Tom Bellchambers back in full training following post-season surgery.

“We are going very well, the ones that had surgery such as Tom Bellchambers at the end of last season are back in full training,” Reid said.

“He is much better than last year when he had that major injury just before the season.”

Forward Nick Kommer has shown strong signs since returning from his break and has returned to running following an injury interrupted 2014 campaign.

“We have had his shoulder reconstructed which is going well and his patella tendon that he had surgery on is improving,” Reid said.

“He has now started running but we won’t have him in full training until about January I would think.”