Young key forward Scott Gumbleton has sent a new injury scare through Essendon ahead of the AFL season, undergoing scans for a back problem.

While the Bombers have not ruled the 20-year-old out of the round-one game against Port Adelaide, he missed the last two practice matches and the club will be especially cautious.

There are big hopes at Windy Hill for Gumbleton, who was the second pick in the 2006 draft.

But injuries restricted him to five AFL games in 2007 and only two VFL games last year.

Football manager Paul Hamilton said Gumbleton had some nerve irritation in his back and this was causing hamstring tightness.

"It is a bit of a concern in that we withdrew him from a game a couple of weeks ago with some general soreness and expected him to be right the following week but he remained sore," Hamilton said on the club's website.

"It doesn't appear to be a major injury, but it is one of these lingering ones that we are seeking a second opinion ... so that we get him right and start the season with him in good health.

"We are being cautious with his training at the moment, he is doing some training but not all drills and it is almost a case of day to day monitoring with him.

"If he is able to complete full training this week then, obviously, that puts him in line for round one, but we will have to wait and see."

Meanwhile, Melbourne will know in the next day or so whether Daniel Bell needs a pin inserted in his broken thumb.

He is out for at least round one after suffering the injury on Saturday against the Western Bulldogs.

Aaron Davey (heel) and Ricky Petterd (hip) are not badly hurt, but ruckman Mark Jamar was put on the long-term injury list last week because of a foot stress fracture.

Rookie ruckman Jake Spencer has taken Jamar's spot on the main list.

Also, Geelong defender Josh Hunt must wait for swelling to subside before he can undergo a knee reconstruction.

Hunt met with an orthopaedic surgeon on Monday and, apart from the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, he also has minor damage to the medial ligament in the left knee.

Hunt suffered the injury as he went to ground in the first quarter of the pre-season cup final against Collingwood last Friday night.

A decision is yet to be made on the type of reconstruction.

Last year, Sydney's Nick Malceski underwent a radical procedure after he also ruptured an ACL during the pre-season.

A new synthetic ligament meant he was able to return in round eight.

Carlton full-forward Brendan Fevola suffered a bruised heel in the weekend loss to Fremantle, but is expected to be fit for round one.

The Blues also hope Shaun Grigg (hamstring) will not miss any games.

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