ESSENDON'S improvement this season will mean little if the Bombers can't make the top-eight, according to star midfielder David Zaharakis.

The Bombers' finals tilt is precariously placed with four rounds left in the home and away season, and they will need to win at least three games to feature in September.

Even that might not be enough given the logjam of sides fighting for a finals position, but the Bombers do have a strong draw and will enter games against Carlton, Gold Coast and Fremantle as favourites. They also face Adelaide (in Melbourne).

Zaharakis said the situation meant if the Bombers can break into the eight they will have deserved their place, but that it will take their best.

"We have improved, but we – and the fans – will still be disappointed if we don't make the finals. We're still an inconsistent side that still has faults where we lose games we shouldn't lose, and why fans gets so upset about it (is) because they can see our greatest and so do we," he told AFL.com.au. 

"We know that we can be really good, but then we know we can be really inconsistent at times. We want to try to take that out. This year would be a step forward in a sense, but not if we don't reach our goal of making finals." 

Inconsistency at Essendon isn't a new thing. It has been an issue throughout Zaharakis' career at the club, and even before he was drafted at the end of 2008. Zaharakis has had five coaches in his time at Essendon and none have been in charge for longer than the three years he played under James Hird between 2011-2013 (Hird returned for a fourth season in 2015). Zaharakis believes the unsettled nature of the club has been a factor in being unable to string wins together regularly.

"We haven't had that consistency of one coach for more than three years in my nine years. 'Woosha' (current coach John Worsfold) is only really in his first year coaching this list and you can see the talent we've got, but we can't waste that," he said. 

"I'm not taking away from what we can do this year, but moving into next year it will be the second year of really having this group together. It can take time. Yes, we want to do something now. But it's hard to go from 18th last year to first this year.

"We're trying to get there, and trying to make improvements, and hopefully we can do something this year but if not, next year you'll really see it."

Zaharakis, who remains out of contract and will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, is enjoying perhaps the best year of his career at the club. He's getting more of the ball (averaging 25 disposals a game) than his best and fairest year of 2011, although that year he booted 31 goals and was stationed more across half-forward.

It hasn't been the case all year for the speedy and classy Bomber, however, with Zaharakis overcoming a slow start before recapturing his best. A tweak in his role about 12 weeks ago, with more midfield time afforded his way, saw a turn in his form. 

"We've got a lot of guys rotating through there which is a great dynamic for us. Plus I'm just playing better myself. I have to acknowledge that I wasn't playing well and now I am," he said.