Essendon skipper Jobe Watson doesn’t feel he’s carrying too heavy a workload but admits the Bombers need to bolster their midfield to stay in the AFL’s top eight.

And he’s set to get what he needs with key players Brent Stanton (hamstring) and David Zaharakis (quad) set to return for their must-win clash with Carlton at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Ruckman Paddy Ryder (calf) is also likely to take his place as the Bombers look to arrest a four-game losing streak.

Following their 24-point loss to North Melbourne, Watson’s teammate Sam Lonergan said too much was being left to their captain, who had 32 disposals, laid seven tackles and kicked an important goal just before three-quarter time.

Watson said the team, sitting eighth, needed to re-focus on beating the Blues and not think about making the finals.

He hoped the addition of experience would make a difference to the Bombers’ ball movement, which has fallen off after an impressive start to the season.

“Brent Stanton and David Zaharakis, who are two really important players for us, are out at the moment,” Watson said.

“Jason Winderlich, who’s really important for us, wasn’t there on the weekend.

“We’ve got to be an even midfield group and when we’re playing well we’ve got a lot of contributors.

“I think at the moment the personnel isn’t enabling us to do that.”

He said Stanton was a certainty while Zaharakis was awaiting final clearance after scans on Monday morning.

Watson admitted he had a restless night pondering what might have been for the Bombers, who failed to take advantage of the Kangaroos losing midfielders Daniel Wells (calf) and Leigh Adams (shoulder) to injury before quarter-time.

“I thought we were playing a reasonable style for a fair period of the game but to North’s credit they were able to control the tempo of the game,” he said.

He said it would be a challenge to get his team up to become a finals force following their run of losses but believed they were up for it.

“That is the challenge of the game; to be able to fight your way through contests and fight your way through down patches and will yourself to get out of that.

“At the moment we haven’t been as strong as our opposition.

“If we win the games we’ll make the eight and if we don’t than we probably don’t deserve to be there.”