Jake Stringer no certainty to play for Essendon despite being medically available

Essendon needs a fit and firing Jake Stringer to make the finals but as always issues with his fitness are posing problems.

Jake Stringer has been cleared by medical staff but is no certainty to play against the Swans. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Essendon coach Brad Scott says Jake Stringer remains “medically available” to play but will be under the microscope at training ahead of a do-or-die clash against Sydney.

Stringer trained lightly on Wednesday morning after he struggled physically in the loss to the Western Bulldogs, in which he managed only eight disposals and did not start at a centre bounce after quarter time.

Scott said Stringer would need to show he could draw on his trademark strength and power to be picked against the Swans despite being cleared by medical staff.

“We’ve had a few of these (situations) this year … Dylan Shiel is another example where players were not medically ruled out, but I think it’s probably plain for all to see that in Shiely’s case he just couldn’t play the way we knew he can,” Scott said.

“Jake’s medically available, we’ve just got to assess whether he can perform somewhere near his best.

“Like all coaches say, once you declare yourself fit to play, you’re fit to play … but particularly at round 20, every player has got a degree of ‘fit to play’.”

Jake Stringer only trained lightly on Wednesday morning. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The Bombers need to cover the loss of crucial defender Jordan Ridley against a Swans forward line bolstered by Lance Franklin’s return to form in the past fortnight.

Scott said Sam Weideman was in the frame for a recall in the vacant key defensive post after he switched to the backline in the VFL following his omission last week.

The former Demon impressed with 24 disposals and 13 marks in a narrow loss to Williamstown, but a fit-again Kaine Baldwin looms as the frontrunner for the spot after playing in defence at senior level earlier this season.

“(Weideman) played really well in defence given he’s probably played about a half of footy in his life in defence,” Scott said.

“He’s got a lot of attributes that suit playing as a key defender … he’s certainly an option.”

Scott said whether the Bombers remained in finals contention in coming weeks might influence how soon Sam Draper and Dylan Shiel return “by degrees”, but neither would return until they were close to 100 per cent fit and remained “week-by-week propositions”.

The duo were put through a series of movement drills away from the main group on Wednesday.

Scott said No.5 pick Elijah Tsatas was closing in on a senior debut after adapting well to coaches’ demands in the last fortnight in the VFL.

Originally published as Jake Stringer no certainty to play for Essendon despite being medically available