JOBE Watson believes Essendon "deserve" to be in the finals this year after being lucky to make the top eight in 2009.

The Bombers sneaked into an elimination final against Adelaide two years ago after losing more games than it won for the season (10-12-1), and were crushed by 96 points, the worst finals defeat in the club's history.

The Essendon captain says his team has earned its place in 2011 after winning 11 and a half games in the home and away season and enduring a tough fixture.

"It's the most games we've won since 2004 for the season, so I think that probably a couple of years ago we were pretty lucky to play in the finals," Watson said on Monday.

"This time around, if you look at the draw we had before the season started, it was rated as one of the toughest of the league.

"We only played two of the bottom nine teams twice, and we've been pretty competitive against the other top-eight sides and I think we probably deserve to be in the position that we are.

"It gives players enormous confidence when you know you can compete against the better sides in the league."

Watson was appointed captain of the club before the 2010 season, but led the Bombers against the Crows in that 2009 final with skipper Matthew Lloyd suspended for the game.

The 26-year-old said the players would not be haunted by that experience, with a number of Bombers set to play their first final for the club against Carlton on Sunday.

"It was a pretty embarrassing performance and the guys were well aware of it," Watson said.

"I said to the guys before the game 'Play this game as if it's the last one you'll ever play', and I don’t think I'll be using that line again.

"There's a lot of guys who haven’t played a final for the Essendon Football Club. In front of hopefully 95,000 people on a Sunday afternoon at the MCG, with one of the greatest rivals historically, it's going to be a great opportunity for those guys to run out there and really know what playing finals football is all about."

Callum Twomey covers Essendon news for afl.com.au and essendonfc.com.au. Follow him on Twitter at @Cal_Twomey.