Essendon in top shape for pre-season training but will manage defender Michael Hurley

ESSENDON has few concerns heading into the start of pre-season training with with just one key player under an injury cloud as excitement builds after a bumper trade period.

ESSENDON will ease Michael Hurley into pre-season training next month but expects the rest of its list to be fully fit as excitement builds after a bumper trade period.

Hurley, who earnt All-Australian honours at centre-half back this year, has had off-season hip and wrist surgery and will be carefully managed before Christmas.

But the Bombers have few other concerns ahead of their return to the track, with first to fourth year players back in action on November 13 and the full playing group coming together from November 27.

GARY BUCKENARA: SORRY PIES, HAWKS IN BOX SEAT FOR LYNCH

TRADE ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA RATES YOUR CLUB

MARK ROBINSON: WAS STRINGER A RISK WORTH TAKING?

Essendon football manager Rob Kerr said the club was thrilled with the aquisitons of Jake Stringer, Devon Smith and Adam Saad over the AFL trade period and believed its side was now better balanced with more speed and more players who could rotate through the midfield.

“We feel like our group’s in a good space and so to complement that a little bit further, the idea is obviously to try to challenge (next year),” Kerr said.

“We’ve got a good number of young players on the list as it is so we felt if we could bolster it with some 23, 24-year-olds that was probably the ideal scenario for us.

“We’ve also got the players like Aaron Francis, Josh Begley and Mason Redman. We’re looking for those guys to push their claims as well. So I think the list is probably better balanced now as a result of that trade period.”

Essendon defender Michael Hurley will be eased into pre-season training after off-season hip and wrist surgery. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Francis had been keen to return home to South Australia over the trade period but is staying put after a deal could not be brokered.

The Bombers are confident the 2015 No.6 draft pick — who has two years left on his contract — can live up to his potential despite managing just five AFL games in his first two seasons at the club.

“He’s pretty positive about staying and keen to attack the season and prove himself to be a good footballer,” Kerr said.

“We’ve got great faith in his ability to be a good footballer, there’s no doubting that. So he just needs to continue his development and with any luck he forces his way in.”

Kerr said Essendon would like to add another tall to its list at next month’s national draft but conceded the club may have to settle for “best available” players, with its first selection at pick 48 after first and second-round selections were traded away as part of the Stringer and Smith deals.