Essendon's opening-round thumping has been compounded by confirmation utility Kyle Langford will miss between eight and 10 weeks with a hamstring injury.
Langford suffered the injury when leading for a mark in the first quarter of Saturday's 66-point loss to Geelong.
The versatile forward/midfielder has become a key player over 99 games but an injury to the same hamstring that saw him miss Essendon's 2021 finals tilt could potentially require surgery.
"Unfortunately for Kyle, the strain is on the same side as his previous injury and therefore we will take a conservative approach with his rehabilitation," Essendon football boss Josh Mahoney said.
"Kyle is likely to be sidelined for approximately eight to 10 weeks, but we will consult with a surgeon in the coming week to assess all options for recovery.
"We're disappointed for Kyle who had completed a strong pre-season but we look forward to welcoming him back to the fold mid-season."
Meanwhile Essendon said small forward Will Snelling would be sidelined for "a few" weeks with a calf strain suffered in the lead-up to round one.
Harrison Jones is still sidelined but Essendon expect to get much-needed reinforcements in attack against Brisbane on Sunday.
The Bombers should welcome back star forward Jake Stringer, who missed round one but is no longer on the club's injury list.
Aaron Francis (knee) is also in contention after getting through a VFL practice match.
