DAVID Zaharakis expected it. He knew the extra attention would be coming. He knew after winning Essendon's best and fairest last year things would change.

He wouldn't get the space he enjoyed at times in 2011, and wouldn't be able to breakaway with speed and class and kick long, running goals from outside 50 with as much ease. But he did think he'd handle the change a bit better than he has so far this year.

Since finding 25 touches in Essendon's opening round win over North Melbourne, Zaharakis has gathered just 46 disposals and kicked only two goals in the Bombers' last three outings. He thinks he can do more.

"My form's been a bit quiet," Zaharakis told AFL.com.au.

"It's just about me coping with more attention that I'm getting out on the field. I've got to work with the coaches and deal with that and hopefully I can pick it up a bit more.

"It hasn't been too bad, but it's probably not where I expected it to be."

Zaharakis' slower start isn't through lack of effort. Over summer he picked the brains of coach James Hird and midfield coach Simon Goodwin - players who were tagged throughout their career - about the prospect of beating run-with players.

He's also trying things. After being held to only 12 disposals in round three against the Gold Coast, the 22-year-old used some different tactics in last week's win over the Blues. At times he started his run at half-back, and then swept through the midfield and up forward to mix it up.

Now into his fourth AFL season, Zaharakis knows it is his next challenge.  

"If you want to be a good player in this competition you've got to get through this sort of period," he said.

"It's about dealing with it and not trying to run away from the bloke who's chasing you but taking them to as many contests as you can and beat them there."

Don't mistake Zaharakis' honesty for excuses. Nerve damage in his elbow and a knee complaint that require taping aren't limiting his output. He knows the key to getting back to his damaging, explosive best is simple: more hard work.

Marks, uncontested possessions and contested possessions are often strong indicators of a player's ability to work over an opponent. Zaharakis' figures in all those departments are down on his 2011 efforts. Clearances and tackles are up, however.

Zaharakis doesn't need to look far for help. Teammate Brent Stanton was Zaharakis' mentor when he first arrived at the club at the end of 2008, and he knows he needs to get to Stanton's level of work ethic. "There's probably no better bloke at the footy club to look up to in terms of running hard, working hard and training hard," Zaharakis says.

Zaharakis' former teammate Andrew Welsh believes Stanton's role in helping is more tangible. There needs to be a 'quid pro quo' arrangement in the Essendon midfield where everyone works for each other.

"For guys like David who are trying to learn how to get rid of these players, you need to work closely with teammates to free yourself up, free them up, and become a lot more unpredictable than just trying to do it all yourself," said Welsh, who retired last year after 162 games at the Bombers.

On Anzac Day three years ago Zaharakis announced himself as an AFL player with his famous match-winning goal against Collingwood in the 2009 Anzac Day game.

So much has happened for him in the time since - he's played 53 more games, has a new coach, became the youngest winner of Essendon's best and fairest since 1981, and is now a part of the club's leadership group - that that kick feels a long time ago.

Naturally, he's matured as a player since then. Not only is Zaharakis now a mentor - he's taken keen interest in Elliott Kavanagh's development since he was drafted last year - he's also developed physically, and feels better prepared to match it with the top players and best teams consistently.

"Three years is a long time in football and you see even the whole team and how small our bodies were back then," Zaharakis said.

"We were watching footage of when we played Carlton last year in the draw and the coaches snickered and said 'Look how small you guys are'.

"So in 12 months the side overall, not just me, has improved in its maturity. We've been faced with a lot of adversity in the first three rounds where the [opposition] team's got on top of us but we've hung in and won games."

It's the approach he hopes the Bombers take into the Anzac Day game against Collingwood. The club viewed the block of two games in four days as a chance to claim eight premiership points and then move on to its next group of games. After some well earned rest, of course.

"It'd be nice to have a few days off after playing two games in four days," Zaharakis said, "but we'll see what happens."

Callum Twomey is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.