Essendon coach James Hird has refused to look towards his teams chances of finishing top four instead saying the focus is firmly on West Coast in seven days time.

Essendon went down to Hawthorn by 56 points in round 18 and followed that performance with its heaviest defeat of the year on Sunday against Collingwood.

The club faces an uphill battle to displace fourth-placed Fremantle, but Hird said earning a September double chance was not his team's focus.

"I think every side that's playing in that top half of the competition at the moment is just worrying about next week," he said.  

"We have to get back to playing how we want to play, which we haven't had for three or four weeks.

"Our focus isn't on top four. Our focus is on the West Coast Eagles in seven days' time."

Hird declared his players would continue to show the on-field resolve that had been their trademark before damaging back-to-back losses in the past fortnight despite the ASADA report being handed to the club.

"Obviously there'll be suggestions of that, but we are very confident our boys are in a pretty good headspace and they'll keep playing good football," Hird said.

"There's a bit of the basics of football that need to come back into our game.

"With a lot of hard work and dedication and a mindset, we can get back to where we were a few weeks ago."

Hird praised captain Jobe Watson, who was superb with 31 possessions in his return from a broken collarbone, standing up despite constant jeers from opposition supporters.    

"He showed tonight what a good player he is to come back and have the touch he had and lead his team," Hird said.  

"The doctors assured us he was going to be fine, and it's pretty remarkable that he can get back in three weeks from that sort of injury.

"Unfortunately he didn't have enough around him."

Hird said Courtenay Dempsey's hamstring injury was not as bad as first feared and he had not been ruled out of next Sunday's clash against West Coast at Etihad Stadium.

The important defender was substituted after pulling up sore midway through the first quarter.

"It's over a big area of his leg, which is probably a good thing ... it's not just a spot on his hamstring," Hird said.