ESSENDON has not given up on Scott Lucas, Andrew Welsh and Jason Winderlich playing again this season, with all three a chance to return in the next few weeks.

The trio will miss Saturday night's clash with the Brisbane Lions with injuries that have previously sidelined them for extended periods.

Lucas will nurse a knee injury that plagued his start to the season, Welsh will miss with soreness in the leg he broke in February and Winderlich will sit out his second straight game after suffering from back pain.

"We don't expect [Lucas] to be too long. His knee was just starting to wear a bit, along with Welsh and Andrew Lovett, who's got a bit of a corked leg as well," assistant coach Gary O'Donnell said on Friday.

He said Welsh had a slight thigh injury as well as leg soreness and was likely only to miss a week.

Winderlich had the most serious injury, with a split disc in his back needing two operations last year. The complaint nearly ended his career when it didn't respond to the first round of surgery.

O'Donnell said a training incident last week sent a scare through the camp when it was thought the speedy midfielder had suffered another setback.

"He was in a little bit of a bad way last week. He pulled up fairly stiff and sore during training last week," O'Donnell said.

"Scans have revealed no damage, so it's just a wait and see approach for him.

"We'll err on the side of caution, but he's a chance for St Kilda. He's getting better and better every day, and he would be a good chance to come up next week."

O'Donnell said the Bombers, whose faint hopes of playing finals rest on their result against the Lions, would continue to refrain from selecting sore players.

"The four games we've got are pretty important – three highly-ranked teams and an interstate team – and we've got to be all guns blazing to give ourselves every chance."

O'Donnell warned ruckman Paddy Ryder was on the verge of "a breakout game" and said the inclusion of young Irish midfielder Michael Quinn was justified.

"People will say young Michael Quinn, you're clutching at straws again. He's an Irishman who's only played two games in his first year of AFL footy, but he's been in fabulous form for us for Bendigo. He deserved his spot."