The immediate future of two of Essendon's brightest key position prospects - Scott Gumbleton and Michael Hurley - is uncertain heading into Friday night's AFL pre-season opener.

Gumbleton will miss the match, against West Coast at Subiaco, with a back injury, the latest in a line that have kept the highly-rated 21-year-old to just five senior games in his three seasons.

Hurley's fate rests with Essendon's leadership group and administration, who will decide in the coming days whether to suspend him over an alleged assault of a taxi driver last September, which is still before the courts.

Coach Matthew Knights said Gumbleton's back went into spasm during training on Monday.

While a back injury sidelined him throughout last season, the club believes the latest setback is only minor and hope Gumbleton can play in their second pre-season match in late February.

Knights took heart from fellow Bomber Jason Winderlich overcoming chronic back injuries to play 19 games last season, including returning from a minor setback late in the year.

"In virtually an innocuous incident yesterday (Gumbleton) just slightly twisted and locked up his back," Knights said on Tuesday.

"However, Jason Winderlich copped a heavy knock last season and had a back spasm and then three or four days later freed up pretty well.

"We're hoping it's along similar lines to what Jason Winderlich had and he came back and played pretty well."

A decision on Hurley's playing future will be made by Thursday.

The talented 19-year-old, whose case is due back in court in early March, faces charges of recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault, assault by kicking, failing to pay for a taxi and public drunkenness.

Knights said Hurley had recovered from a wrist injury, with the disciplinary issue the only impediment to him playing against the Eagles.

"The leadership group and the administration have to get together and we'll be doing that sooner rather than later to decide a course of action, then we'll go from there," he said.

"The reality is he's fit enough to go, but we'll make that decision in the next couple of days."

Meanwhile, the Bombers' top 2009 national draft pick, Jake Melksham, will play his first game for the club, as will fellow 18-year-old Michael Still.

Still has already spent a year at the club, but played just a few VFL games as he completed high school.

Experienced ruckman David Hille will not play, as the Bombers take a gradual approach to his comeback from a serious knee injury.

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