Midfielders Jobe Watson and Mark McVeigh have told coach James Hird they are fit and ready to help Essendon secure an AFL finals spot.

Hird said skipper Watson, concussed in a heavy hit during the loss to West Coast last weekend, had recovered well and would line up against Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

McVeigh has been dealing with family tragedy this week.

His niece Luella - baby daughter of his brother Jarrad - died of a heart problem during the week.

McVeigh went to Sydney to grieve with the Swans midfielder and his family.

But he returned to Melbourne on Thursday night and told Hird he was ready for the match.

Victory over Port will guarantee the Bombers a place in this year's finals.

"He came back into town last night and will use the next three days to prepare for the game," Hird said of McVeigh.

"I've only spoken to Mark on the phone in recent days and he's desperate to play and really wants to play.

"It's a very sad situation for the McVeigh family."

Watson sat out the latter part of the Bombers' loss to West Coast after being poleaxed by Eagles defender Beau Waters.

But he has trained strongly enough this week to win the confidence of Hird and Essendon's medical staff.

"Jobe will definitely play - it was obviously a sickening blow but he passed the concussion test the next morning," Hird said.

"He felt good in himself at training on Tuesday, trained really well yesterday and we'll have another session today and another session Saturday.

"If there were any signs, they should have come up by now."

The Bombers are without suspended midfielder Heath Hocking and injured forward Stewart Crameri for the clash against Port.

And pacy Ricky Dyson was a late withdrawal from the squad with illness.

But key position duo Michael Hurley and Tayte Pears have recovered from injury and will play - Hird confident Hurley can play the rest of the year despite a foot issue which has dogged his late-season.

"Michael's foot is actually getting better ... we scanned it yesterday just to make sure and it's shown signs of good healing in the bone.

"That was a bit of a surprise to us that it had healed so well."

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