The up and down season of Dean Rioli has taken another turn for the worse with news he will miss at least two weeks with a torn calf. Rioli injured the calf at training late last week and will now commence rehabilitation with his likely return the Bombers round 19 clash with Sydney at Colonial Stadium. Medical staff are still assessing the condition of mid-fielder Justin Blumfield who left the field limping just after half-time. ""It's possible he re-injured his posterior ligament but the initial diagnosis indicates it isn't anything serious,"" Essendon football manager Matthew Drain said.

""He may have simply unsettled the knee joint and felt some pain as a result of the previous injury. He will be assessed today and we should have a clearer picture of where he is at early tomorrow,"" Drain said.

In other injury news, Bomber top-up player Josh Mahoney will miss the next five weeks after breaking his jaw in the Bombers' reserves match against Geelong. Mahoney, who has starred for the Bombers in the VFL, had his jaw fractured in two places and had it wired yesterday.

The Bombers will train this Wednesday and Friday at Windy Hill with both sessions commencing at 3.00pm.