Essendon expect captain Dyson Heppell to play against Sydney on Sunday while the Bombers are hopeful that Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti will be available for AFL selection.

Heppell missed round one following his off-season foot surgery but provided he gets through training, will face the Swans at the SCG.

“Do we expect him to play? Yes. But that doesn’t guarantee that he’s going to play,” Essendon coach John Worsfold told reporters.

“We’ve got to work through where his preparation’s at and where it fits with the roles that we’ve been using different players in.

“So I’m looking forward to that this afternoon.

“I’ve got no doubt he could play a full game in the midfield.”

McDonald-Tipungwuti rolled his ankle at the end of match simulation training on Saturday and Worsfold said the forward would be given every opportunity to prove his fitness after pulling up better than originally expected.

“We took precautions, sent him off for a scan, and obviously put him in a moon boot and on crutches just to keep all his weight off it for the next 48 hours, but he presented really well yesterday and he’s not ruled out,” Worsfold said.

“Obviously he’s got to pass a few tests but we’re not gonna put him through that until as late as possible.

“So it’s great – I originally just ruled him out from what I expected, from what I saw but it’s come up a lot better than that.”

With Orazio Fantasia sidelined and McDonald-Tipungwuti in doubt, Worsfold flagged Irish speedster Conor McKenna as an option in attack.

Fellow forward Jake Stringer is set to face the Swans despite toe soreness while Mason Redman was also fit to play after previously training away from the main group.

The Bombers have the opportunity to go 2-0 if they beat the Swans in Sydney for the first time since 2009.