Always associated for their parallel careers and similar names, Essendon duo Joe Misiti and Mark Mercuri are set to face the extremes of the AFL experience.

A week after doing a pre-match lap of honour to mark his retirement, Misiti is now suddenly back in the selection frame for the Bombers' elimination final against Melbourne this weekend.

Sidelined for the past three weeks with a knee injury, Misiti held only slim hopes of forcing his way back into the side this September.

But with Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy slowly piecing together his first-choice team, Misiti's finals-hardened frame has made an impression on the training track.

"Maybe two or three might get in and I think Joe Misiti will put his hand up this week and that's a player we weren't sure about," Sheedy said.

"We're only going to have one or two players out of our best side.

"Adam McPhee won't play and maybe one other, so we're just about getting there."

The identity of that "one other" was up for speculation, with last week's absentees Jason Johnson, Damian Cupido, Dean Rioli, Matthew Allan all completing Tuesday training, with the latter two having both missed a month of football.

Sheedy conceded that playing any of that trio would be a risk, but believed they could still offer the side more than likely omissions Mercuri and Jason Winderlich.

"A lot depends what players you take a risk with, some players might have an 80-minute game up their sleeve," Sheedy said.

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