Out of favour and out of contract, Essendon veteran Cale Hooker is no certainty to return in Sunday's AFL clash with the red-hot Western Bulldogs.
Hooker is the Bombers' equal leading goal kicker with 33 majors in 18 games this season but was dropped for last weekend's loss to Sydney.
Essendon will make at least two forced changes, possibly three, with Kyle Langford (hamstring) and Dyson Heppell (broken thumb) already ruled out.
Jayden Laverde is in doubt after being substituted out of the Swans game with a shoulder complaint.
Bombers coach Ben Rutten said Hooker was one of his team's best in a VFL scratch match last weekend.
But he cannot guarantee the 219-game swingman will be recalled for the Marvel Stadium meeting with the ladder-leading Bulldogs.
"I'm not sure where we're going to go from a selection point of view just yet, we'll have to see how the week unfolds and see if Jayden (Laverde) comes up - that will be a key part of what we're discussing," Rutten said.
Hooker has been an Essendon stalwart over the past 14 seasons but turns 33 in October and may not be offered a new contract.
"(The decision) is obviously not based on the last week or couple of weeks of footy," Rutten said.
"He's got a body of work and been a champion of our footy club, but we're still yet to make a definitive call on that."
Laverde has been reinvigorated in a new defensive role this season and will have his recovery from the shoulder injury monitored in the coming days.
"He's been cleared of any major structural damage in his shoulder but he'll be pretty sore for a couple of days," Rutten said.
"We'll have to wait and see how the week goes for him."
Rutten said Andrew Phillips, Alec Waterman, Matt Guelfi and David Zaharakis will all be in the selection mix this week.
There is still no timeline on Harrison Jones' return from a stress reaction in his right foot, with the Bombers to take a conservative approach with the promising youngster.
