Essendon communications manager Simon Matthews yesterday confirmed the club would run a full-scale training session on Bendigo's premier sporting ground on Wednesday, March 17.

There is also the possibility of an intra-club match involving Bendigo Bank Bombers players taking place.

"It will be a full training session and might even involve some match practice as well," Matthews said.

"The full squad will be there and you'll certainly see the Bombers at full tilt, with the season only a little over a week away from then."

Bendigo Bombers' players will be involved in all the training drills.

"They're involved with everything we do in the region," Matthews said.

"We're closely aligned to Bendigo, particularly after the camp we held last year, and the players certainly enjoy getting back up there, and I'm sure all local fans of Essendon will get along.

"I'd like to think the club and the Bendigo community have formed a strong bond already in the 12 months we've been associated and we'll certainly continue to build on that," he said.

The training session in Bendigo will be held 11 days before Essendon's round one match against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

"Every session as the season draws close becomes critical because you certainly want to be ready for round one," Matthews said.

"The club has an enormous challenge first up taking on Port Adelaide over at AAMI Stadium, so the players won't be wasting a

minute getting the preparations right and the session up in Bendigo will be an important one."

Bombers' chairman Warren Driscoll is thrilled the Bendigo squad will get the chance to train alongside the likes of James Hird, Matthew Lloyd, Dustin Fletcher and Scott Lucas.

"It's going to be magnificent - it's going to be good for Bendigo, the Bendigo Bombers and these young guys to be training along

side the likes of Hird, Lloyd, Lucas and the Johnson's," Driscoll said.

"This is saying to the players; `You're considered important enough to train

alongside a player like James Hird."

The training session will begin at 5pm.