The much anticipated return of Nathan Lovett-Murray to the Essendon team could be close with Bendigo Bombers coach Matthew Knights confirming the 24 year-old's fitness is nearing the standard required to play at the top level.
""I thought Nathan did a good job for Bendigo on the weekend at centre half-back against a good player,"" Knights said.
""The best thing is that he played some really good minutes - basically the entire game - so from a match fitness point of view he's getting closer.
""He's had six weeks training and three games for Bendigo so he's better prepared physically.""
Knight said Scott Camporeale was best on ground and got plenty of the ball.
""Scott went in and got plenty of his own ball which was encouraging,"" he said.
Another encouraging sign for Knights was the continued progress of Essendon's 2006 number two draft pick Scott Gumbleton who is on the come-back trail after a hamstring injury.
The Bendigo coach said, while Gumbleton didn't have a dominant game, he is progressing and looks to be one of the better young players brought to the club in the past few years.
The full interview can be seen now on BOMBER.tv
