ESSENDON is a “very good chance” to regain star forward Scott Lucas for its clash with top-four aspirant Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.

Lucas has been missing since injuring his posterior cruciate ligament in the Bombers’ round one win over North Melbourne, but coach Matthew Knights says Lucas should return as his side tries to redeem itself following a disappointing showing in Saturday’s Dreamtime at the ‘G clash.

“At this stage he’s been selected in the 22 to play,” Knights said at Windy Hill on Wednesday morning.

“We’ve got our last training session tomorrow morning [and] if he comes through that with flying colours he’ll play in the 22 on Friday night.”

The Bombers' coach paid tribute to his veteran’s professionalism in returning faster than expected, and said he considered bringing him back to football via the VFL. However, Knights believes the way in which Lucas had overcome his injury will hold the key forward in good stead for a return straight to League football.

“The way Scott’s attacked his rehabilitation, his skin folds, his attention to detail, has just been enormous for nearly 10 to 12 weeks,” he said.

“When someone attacks their football and their rehab like that, with the experience that he’s got, you have no questions.”

Knights said it was important expectations weren’t “too high” but he still believed Lucas, who kicked seven goals in Essendon's victory over the Crows at AAMI Stadium in 2007, would offer good service given his experience and football smarts.

His return will be a welcome inclusion for the Bombers who turned in their worst performance of the season in the opening half against Richmond last week.

Knights didn’t hide his disgust with his players, delivering two vicious sprays at the first two breaks, and also speaking to his team for a significant period after the match.

He said there is times when a coach simply must get his message across, and the weekend was definitely one of those times.

“It’s important to be calm and measured so you get the lesson across, but I think at times you know you have to wake people up and you have to make them realise that it’s not quite good enough", Knights said.

“The odd spray doesn’t hurt. It’s not something that you’ll see a lot [from me] but I felt it was needed last week during the game, and also at half time and even post-game.

“So it was an interesting night for us all.”

However the normally calm coach doesn’t believe his outburst will have any lasting effect on his young side.

“I’m not sure it actually rattled their confidence after half time,” Knights said.

“I thought they clearly played better -- eight goals to six after half-time.

“I wouldn’t have thought it would have an adverse effect for this week because I think young men have an ability to bounce [back] and come back pretty hard.”

While the Bombers are set to get one familiar face back in Lucas, Knights said Mal Michael was likely to spend at least another week with the Bendigo Bombers.

“I think sometimes when you put players back in the VFL for one week, I’m not sure how much that achieves,” Knights said.

“Possibly it might be a two, three-week scenario.”