ESSENDON captain Jobe Watson has come to the defence of Matthew Knights and believes the embattled coach has been unfairly criticised.

Watson said Essendon would learn who was “there for the team” when it takes on Hawthorn in Saturday night's season-defining clash at the MCG and he implored the players to take more responsibility for the Bombers' recent form.

“I think … when a team runs out, there’s very little control the coaching staff have on the game and that’s something that perhaps gets lost through media outlets,” Watson said on Friday.

“It’s the players who are out there who have control of the outcome … I think that the players, we have to lift as a group and we have to be a more consistent group and play at a higher physical level.”

In what many are predicting to be a physical encounter against the Hawks, Watson said the loser of Saturday night's clash faced a daunting task to make this year's finals.

Both sides have just one win from five rounds, and Watson knows all 22 Bombers will need to make contributions to down the Hawks.

“We're 1-4 and to climb back from 1-5, it's a steep hill,” Watson said.

“We've got a couple of tough games coming up so we really do need a win.”

Fireworks followed last year's round-22 stoush between the teams and Watson expected the Hawks to maintain their trademark aggression this weekend.

“I would expect them to come out and play with the ferocity that they do week in and week out,” he said.

“They're traditionally a really competitive team that places a huge emphasis on putting a physical contact on the player or putting their bodies on the line to get the ball for their teammate.

“And I think that's the way that Hawthorn has played for a very long time.”

Although Watson predicted a tough encounter, he said concentrating on the football was what counted.

“I think the players are intelligent enough to know that you win games of footy by putting your head over the ball and the team that will do that with more ferocity tomorrow and on a more consistent level will be, inevitably, the team that wins,” he said.

“I think the players understand that. You understand that there’s going to be times where there’s going to be physical contact and that’s part of the game and when you cross the line you accept that and you live with it.

“But I think if as a team we make our focus the ball then we’ll give ourselves the best chance to win.”

Young Bombers Jake Melksham and Travis Colyer have been dropped for Saturday night’s clash and Watson said the pair’s omission was to ensure they were fresh and playing well later in the year.