IT has been 17 weeks since James Hird last took the field for Essendon Football Club - he has missed the past 16 games and was also laid up during the State-of-Origin break.

Hird's last match for Essendon was in round two when the Bombers took on the Kangaroos. After that match he was diagnosed with stress fractures in his right foot and the problem has kept him on the sidelines ever since.

But Bomber fans will be heartened by the news that Hird is almost certain to return to senior action this season.

A recent scan of Hird's right foot revealed the fracture in his foot had healed well and it cleared the path for his return to the Bomber line-up this season.

"We expect James to return this season. Given a final medical clearance we think he will play a part in the club's finals campaign," Essendon player development manager Matthew Drain said yesterday.

"It will be a great boost to the whole place to see James back among the action again. I know James is thrilled that there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel."

On the more immediate front, Essendon could include Dean Rioli in its senior side to tackle the West Coast Eagles this weekend.

Rioli has missed the past four matches because of a hamstring injury but he is rated an 80-20 chance of resuming Friday night.

"He is very close but you don't like to take risks with hamstring injuries," Drain said. "He will be very close to playing this week. We will test him later in the week and see how he pulls up."

"The selectors will have to weigh up whether to rush him straight back into the seniors because he has missed a bit of footy."

The wash up is that Essendon selectors will have the pleasant problem of trying to fit Barry Young (bavck from suspension), Dean Solomon (back from suspension) and possibly Rioli into a winning side.