Bombers football manager Steve Alessio said the club was becoming confident Watson could be ready in a couple of weeks. It is even possible Watson could return in time for the round 19 game against Collingwood, which is shaping as pivotal for two teams gunning for a top-four spot. ''Jobe has been really good,'' Alessio said. ''The doctors have been really enthused by his rate of recovery, in terms of the range of motion in the shoulder and just the preliminary work he has been able to do. ''Remembering that it is a bone break, so it does take a certain amount of time for it to heal, but from all reports the operation was good and the wound itself has healed really well. ''So hopefully sooner rather than later for Jobe, but [he is] still a couple of weeks off.''

It's not all good news for the Bombers, with several key players set to be closely monitored this week after injury concerns following Sunday's win against the Western Bulldogs. Midfielder David Zaharakis was subbed out after copping a heavy knock to the lower back and is in serious doubt for Saturday's game against Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium. Scans on Monday cleared him of any internal damage and he will be tested this week, but considering the short turnaround, travel factor and opposition, the Bombers could opt to take a conservative approach. Alessio said: ''He pulled up a bit sore today, so hopefully it's just more of a corky towards the lower back and it frees up during the course of the week.'' Defender Dustin Fletcher had a similar concern after going down hard in a contest in the last quarter, but Alessio said he had pulled up better than Zaharakis.

Rising star Dyson Heppell had a broken nose, but the Bombers are almost certain he will play against the Giants, as will key forward Stewart Crameri, who has missed two matches with an ankle injury. Ruckman Tom Bellchambers also had a cortisone injection in a hand on Monday as part of what Alessio called the ongoing management of a complaint, while midfielder Heath Hocking could be another week away from resuming from a calf injury that has kept him out for a month. Meanwhile, Western Bulldogs youngster Clay Smith will have a knee reconstruction after injuring his right knee against the Bombers on Sunday. The 20-year-old, the club's first round draft pick in 2011, will have a traditional reconstruction this week to repair his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of this season and a portion of the 2014 fixture. In better news for the Bulldogs, captain Matthew Boyd is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a fractured cheekbone, has returned to full training and is a chance to play against the Hawks in Launceston.

Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin has declared he would be fit to play against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Franklin missed the Hawks' win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday with what the club termed ''swelling behind the knee'', but Franklin said after having scans on Monday that he was confident the issue was manageable and he could play this weekend. ''They've come up all right, just a sore knee,'' he said when asked about the scans. ''I'll play this week.'' But teammate Sam Mitchell was less certain about Franklin's prospects of playing, saying on Monday that the club could take a conservative approach, just as it had with Cyril Rioli's comeback from a hamstring injury. Loading