Essendon’s well-documented injury crisis is likely to ease this week, with the Bombers expected to regain three players for their Saturday AFL home match against Brisbane.

Bombers football manager Paul Hamilton said Courtenay Dempsey, Mark McVeigh and Nathan Lovett-Murray should all be available for selection after recovering from soft-tissue injuries.

But Essendon also confirmed that defender Michael Hibberd will be out of action for up to a month after he tore his hamstring in the Anzac Day loss to Collingwood.

Hibberd is the latest in a bad run of injuries for Essendon at the start of the season.

The Bombers deliberately put their players through a heavy block of strength training through the off-season.

Coach James Hird said after last Wednesday’s loss to the Magpies that they were trying to strike a balance between making their players stronger and minimising injuries.

“We are not happy about it – it is something we are looking to change,” Hird said post-match.

But Hamilton said on Monday that their injury woes would start to ease as they enjoy a 10-day break between the Anzac Day and Brisbane games.

“Dempsey should come back in to the side after recovering from his hamstring complaint which is very pleasing,” Hamilton told the club website.

“We should also have available for selection Nathan Lovett-Murray as well as Mark McVeigh this week.

“We are starting to get a few numbers back in the side and were putting real pressure on the selectors, which is what you want.”