Essendon coach James Hird is tipping Adam Goodes to deliver a great performance against the Bombers following one of the most tumultuous weeks of the Sydney champion’s AFL career.

Hird also expects Essendon to have a really strong back half of the season now that the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) have completed their interviews of his players.

Essendon enter round 10 in third spot, two places and two points above the Swans going into Saturday’s SCG clash.

Goodes has endured a difficult week, being called an ape by a 13-year-old Collingwood supporter at the MCG and then having Magpies president Eddie McGuire suggest he promote the stage show King Kong.

The dual Brownlow Medallist was in scintillating form against the Magpies before the racial storm erupted around him and Hird is bracing himself for more of the same at the SCG.

“He (Goodes) was terrific last Friday night, and we’ve played against Adam a lot and he’s done a lot of damage,” Hird told reporters at the SCG on Friday.

“I’m sure he’ll come out and give a great performance tomorrow night.

“We just have to try and curtail his influence on the game.”

Hird and his players have had to deal with their share of off-field issues this year, but the Bombers coach said it was hard to quantify how distracting the past week’s events would have been to the Swans.

“I imagine whenever there’s media swirling around your football club for issues other than football, that it does take your mind off it,” Hird said.

Sydney coach John Longmire suggested his players had the experience to be able to focus on the task of beating the Bombers.

“They obviously talk amongst each other and there’s some experienced players in our group, they know what to say and how to do it and to support each other,” Longmire said.

Hird said his players, coaches and club had done a great job of focusing on football during the ASADA interviewing process.

“Now those interviews are over, (there’s) the ability for the players really to focus on the football even more,” Hird said.

“I think we’ll see a really good back half of the year.”

Hird said Sydney’s midfield had the best balance of attack and defence in the competition and the Swans looked terrific against Collingwood.

“That’s the best I think they’ve played for the year and they look like they’re into some really good form,” Hird said.

“Dangerous in attack, miserly in defence, and around the contest they are the hardest team in the competition.”