Essendon vice-captain Mark Baguley was set to meet with his surgeon on Tuesday as the Bombers wait to find out whether he will be available again in 2016.
Baguley hasn't played since round 11 after undergoing surgery on a cartilage issue in his knee.
The Bombers announced at that stage that he was out indefinitely. The club hopes to be able to plan Baguley's comeback after the meeting with his surgeon Julian Feller.
Baguley, 29, was appointed vice-captain after 12 senior Dons were suspended for the season in January by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Previously a lockdown defender, Baguley had been tried as a forward in recent weeks.
Meanwhile backman Matt Dea will be available to face West Coast in Perth on Thursday night after overcoming a groin issues which kept him out of the Dons' side that lost to Greater Western Sydney in round 13.
Dons high performance manager Justin Crow said Dea has been given the all-clear.
"We had the bye round, so he had plenty of time to recover and build up his training," Crow told the club's website.
"He'll be available to play."
Jonathan Simpkin and Ryan Crowley are both 2-3 weeks away from returning from hamstring injuries.
"They'll both start joining in training over the next week and really building up their running and high speed training so that they're ready to go."
Big man Sam Grimley will return from a hand injury in the VFL this weekend.
