Essendon key defender Michael Hurley is confident his body will hold up in his return to football after serving a 12-month AFL ban.

Hurley has recovered from a minor ankle injury and will be one of seven previously banned Bombers lining up in Thursday’s preseason clash with Collingwood at Etihad Stadium.

“I think the way that we’ve been able to do some match play training during the weeks for the last month or so … we’ve been able to build those loads up that way,” he said on Wednesday.