ESSENDON has received mixed news on the injury front, with ruckman Paddy Ryder still a chance to play Carlton this week but dashing defender Courtenay Dempsey suffering a setback on his return towards senior football.

media_camera Paddy Ryder (left) hopes to recover in time to play Carlton this week.

Ryder, who rolled an ankle in Friday night’s narrow loss to Hawthorn, could yet prove his fitness for Sunday night’s clash with the Blues after scans cleared him of any significant damage.

THE BAROMETER: ROUND 3

“We hope we can get him up for Sunday but at this stage it is going to be close and with a nine day break we will decide later in the week,” club doctor Bruce Reid told the Bombers’ website.

Dempsey, who played a VFL practice match at the weekend as he returned from a calf injury, hit another hurdle when he left the field late in the game.

“Courtenay can’t take a trick,” Reid said.

“After getting over his calf injury he just got a slight grab in his hamstring.

“The physiotherapists at the VFL thought he might have strained his lower hamstring so he is having a scan this afternoon.”

THOMPSON FINDS POSITIVES IN LOSS

Essendon, 1-1 after the opening two rounds, could be strengthened by the return of a couple of key runners.

Jason Winderlich played the majority of the VFL clash and is in line for an AFL call-up, while midfielder Jake Melksham is also available after serving a two-match suspension.