The Bombers won't shy away from the external hype placed on them, according to senior coach John Worsfold.

Speaking at Essendon’s Annual General Meeting at Marvel Stadium on Monday evening, Worsfold said the Bombers were focused on a strong pre-season to carry them into next year.

“I understand there are a lot of expectations on us as a team to have a really successful year,” Worsfold said at Essendon's Annual General Meeting on Monday evening.

“That is what we are working our backsides off for, to make sure not only 2019 but 2020 and beyond are very successful years for this football club. 

“There have been expectations on every football club I have ever coached every year, whether we finished last or won a premiership (the season prior). 

“I want the expectation to be that we are good enough to shape the finals and have a real crack at it.”

Despite a disappointing start to 2018, Essendon will enter the 2019 season on the back of 10 wins from their past 14 games.

With the recruitment of Dylan Shiel during the national trade period and looming returns of Joe Daniher, Marty Gleeson and Orazio Fantasia, expectations on the Bombers have only been raised. 

Worsfold said his players remained focused on the hard work, however, rather than on-field results.

“We should enjoy the expectations of raising the bar and be excited about what we are trying to achieve,” he said. 

“Only time can tell what we can actually achieve in the immediate upcoming season but we are certainly raising the bar high in terms of the work rate we are putting in and what we are trying to achieve.” 

Essendon will break for the holiday season at the end of the week, returning to The Hangar in mid-January.