ESSENDON'S Jobe Watson admits his side faces a daunting task this weekend when it tries to inflict St Kilda's first loss of the home and away season.

But the midfielder says the Bombers will take something from a mid-year meeting against the ladder leaders.

The Saints have proved unstoppable in 2009 and have recalled eight of their best players for Sunday's clash at Docklands.

After a one-week lay-off, St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt will rejoin the team along with stars Steven Baker, Nick Dal Santo, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert, Brendon Goddard, Lenny Hayes and Leigh Montagna.

Speaking from Windy Hill on Friday morning, Watson said he had seen the Saints' changes and knows his ninth-placed team must be at its best to challenge the premiership favourite.

"It's pretty daunting, isn't it?" Watson said of the Saints' massive class injection.

"When a team can defeat the reigning premier and then bring in those guys … we were hoping they might need another week just to get 100 per cent."

The Bombers will regain some of their own guns, with Andrew Welsh and Andrew Lovett certain to return and Cale Hooker and Tom Bellchambers in the mix for a call-up.

Essendon got within 19 points of St Kilda in round eight, with Ross Lyon's men holding off a hard-running Bombers line-up.

Watson says his side's slow start proved costly that day, but the Bombers form against St Kilda after trailing by 28 points at the first change would give them hope heading into Sunday.

"I think we do take a bit of confidence from the way we played against them earlier in the year … I think that we've got the weapons on the ground to cause them some trouble," he said.

"It's just going to be about whether we can match their intensity.

"I think you have to go into a game believing that you can win, and we certainly do that."

An upset win could see the Bombers in the top eight at the end of round 20, with Matthew Knights' team to play Fremantle (Subiaco) and Hawthorn (MCG) to close out its home and away campaign.

While several teams in contention for eighth spot appear to be spluttering towards the end of the year Watson believes the Bombers have turned the corner after a couple of flat weeks.

Last week Essendon drew with the top-four aspirant the Brisbane Lions and Watson says a finals berth is still within reach.

"We're really focused on getting something out of this season," he said.

"We feel as though we've taken a step from last year but to play in a finals series, I think [that] would be a great learning curve for a lot of players.

"It's been five years for this club to be part of finals and it's a long time. I think the supporters would really appreciate to be around September and not taking holidays, and so would the players.

"We're desperate to play [in finals]. Our performances probably haven't reflected that in recent weeks but we're still there and it is up for grabs still, so it's going to be interesting and [it] will probably go down to the last round."