Essendon tagger Heath Hocking is continuing to enjoy the challenge of taking on the best midfielders in the competition each week.

Hocking has played a key role on some of the competitions most elite midfielders this season limiting their influence on the game.

The 26-year-old said he was still embracing the task of shutting down his opponent eight years into his career.

“I think the excitement that the team has in this period of the last couple of years has been good,” Hocking said.

“It is a hard role each week but the reward for doing it is higher than the stress and pressure of actually performing it.”

“I am excited to do the role each week and I have come to terms with the fact that the players are going to get a few touches.”

“It is about limiting where they get the possessions and how effective they are on getting the team to win.”

The veteran midfielder is excited by the short and long term future of the club following an eleventh this season against West Coast on the weekend.

“I see that there is an exciting period for the club going forward and I want to be a part of it,” Hocking said.

“Essendon has been fantastic for me throughout my career so I want to be involved with the club into the future.”

Hocking averages 13 disposals and 6 tackles a game this season from his 19 matches in the red and black.