Fears that Essendon’s current two-game losing streak is the start of yet another mid-season slump for the AFL club have been dismissed by coach James Hird.

Hird’s first two seasons in charge started well then tailed off badly.

The Bombers won eight of their first nine games last season before fading disastrously to miss the finals.

In 2011, they notched five wins and a draw in Hird’s first eight games in charge, but a five-match losing streak followed.

While Essendon scraped into the top eight, they were thrashed in an elimination final.

But Hird says this year – which began with a six-game winning run – will be different.

“We’re confident that’s not going to happen,” he told reporters on Friday.

“We’ve certainly put a lot of work into the players pre-season-wise.

“We’ve got a very good injury list.

“The last couple of years we’ve had significant injuries this time of year even though we’ve been winning.

“This time I think we’ve got Alwyn Davey, which is our only legitimate football injury as to why someone won’t play.”

Hird, who said the Bombers had trained poorly in the lead-up to last round’s upset loss to Brisbane, said training in the lead-up to Saturday night’s blockbuster MCG clash with Richmond had been much better.

“So we’re confident that we’ll come out and give a good performance tomorrow night,” he said.

The Bombers have recalled Courtenay Dempsey, who was left out for disciplinary reasons last round, and Leroy Jetta, who has played just once previously this season.

Hird said Jetta had needed to work on the defensive side of his game.

He guaranteed star forward Michael Hurley would play despite being subbed off with concussion against the Lions.

The Tigers have regained Chris Newman and Ivan Maric from injury and added former Bomber Sam Lonergan for his Richmond debut.