Essendon full forward Matthew Lloyd is expected to have recovered from a corked thigh in time for this Sunday’s critical clash with Adelaide at Football Park. Lloyd spent the second half of last Saturday’s torrid clash with Brisbane on the bench after suffering the injury late in the second quarter. The thigh was heavily strapped and iced extensively for the remainder of the game. But Essendon fitness staff are confident he will take on the Crows.

“He just couldn’t move freely on the Saturday night so that is why he spent the second half on the bench. It was a pretty physical game and you couldn’t leave a player on who wasn’t 100%,” Essendon football manager Matthew Drain said. “We did recovery straight after the match we had a good look at him then. He will get extensive treatment this week. We don’t play until Sunday so that should give us enough time to get him right.”

The injury came at a bad time for the Bombers with Lloyd starting to look very dangerous across half forward. “He took a nice mark and was moving well. To lose him certainly didn’t help our structure but that happens,” Drain said.

Essendon pair Mark Mercuri and Stephen Alessio will both face fitness tests this week. Mercuri had a groin operation following the Western Bulldogs game and will join in full training this week. Alessio has been struggling with an achilles problem and may miss another match.