Essendon’s AFL clash against Carlton on Saturday will go ahead as scheduled with only one other Bombers player deemed to have been in close contact with Conor McKenna, who returned a positive coronavirus test last weekend.

The entire Essendon playing list was tested at Marvel Stadium on Monday.

Fringe key forward James Stewart was the only other Bombers player, along with McKenna, who will go into quarantine after a ruling from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Stewart, 26, missed almost all of the 2019 campaign with a groin injury and did not feature in the Bombers’ opening two wins this year against Fremantle and Sydney.

Essendon’s round-three clash with Melbourne last Sunday was postponed after McKenna’s positive test and has yet to be rescheduled.

There were fears that the Bombers could be without a host of players for the next fortnight as fellow defenders Adam Saad, Cale Hooker, Michael Hurley, Matt Guelfi, Jordan Ridley and Mason Redman had reportedly been in McKenna’s training group.

Full-contact training has since been banned at all clubs by the AFL in response to McKenna’s test result and with COVID-19 cases continuing to increase at concerning levels in Victoria.

Clubs will be permitted to continue contact training in groups of up to nine, and larger groups can still conduct ball movement drills without contact.

Essendon’s match against Carlton is at the MCG on Saturday night.

-AAP