Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd is considering extending his career in the hope of playing in a second AFL premiership.

The champion goal-kicker, who is in his 14th AFL season, will play his 250th game this Saturday against Adelaide at Telstra Dome.

While the Bombers are out of this year's finals race, the young group's rapid improvement over the course of the year has given Lloyd cause for optimism that success is not too far away.

After an eight game mid-season losing streak, Essendon have won six of their last eight and have confidently embraced new coach Matthew Knights' attacking and daring game plan.

Lloyd, 30, likened his position to the time when Hawthorn's Shane Crawford was considering his future as the club started their rebuilding process in 2005.

But three years on, the Hawks are a genuine premiership contender and Lloyd, who was part of the Bombers' last AFL flag in 2000, senses the club could be back in premiership contention in the not too distant future.

"I look at Shane Crawford and there's no doubt he was ready to finish a few years ago but now he just plays his part in the side but he can see there's a premiership not far away," Lloyd said.

"They are things that would make you want to keep playing."

For the majority of his career, Lloyd has been Essendon's go-to-man in attack.

He is currently the leading goalkicker in the modern era with 883 goals, including hauls of 109 and 105 in 2000 and 2001.

He has won three Coleman medals, will become Essendon's leading goal-kicker for an eleventh year by season's end and is closing in on Hawthorn legend Leigh Matthews (915 goals) as the game's seventh highest goal-kicker.

But in 2006, he tore his hamstring so severely against the Western Bulldogs, he missed the rest of the season.

Lloyd said he always believed he could return to his best despite some challenging moments.

"I always thought, you know at 28, that I had the chance to come back but the last few years there's been some trying times," he said.

"But I always felt that if I didn't have another injury I'd get there but I sort of look back as a whole at my career and wouldn't change anything - form, injuries, wins (and) losses, it's just been a fantastic journey since 1995."

Earlier this year, Lloyd suffered a form slump and was widely criticised for his below par output and going to ground more than he should after contests.

But a new free-roaming role across half-forward has rejuvenated the twilight years of his career.

So much so, he believes playing 300 games would not be out of the question.

"I might have said no earlier in the year but this time next year, if it's going like it is, now I'd say, 'Yeah I'm ready to go again'," Lloyd said.

"I think from the end of next year I'll just look at it from a year-to-year basis. Body-wise I'm in pretty good nick so I don't see why I couldn't (play 300 games)."

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