Going in as favourites against Essendon this week following successive wins as underdogs will have no bearing on Carlton's approach to the contest, according to coach Brett Ratten.

Ratten said that while the Blues derived tremendous confidence from their victories over Port Adelaide and Collingwood, the Bombers, who prevailed by 16-points against Carlton in a high-scoring shootout earlier this season, would also be pumped after beating West Coast at the Dome last Friday.

"It's pretty much business as usual," Ratten said on Wednesday.

"It's one week at a time for us and the job at hand is to beat Essendon - we owe them one and we need to respond to that. That is our challenge, to make sure our boys are switched on and focused."

"Why have we got ourselves into the eight? It's because we've done certain things … but as quick as we got into the eight, we can fall out too if we don't play the way we need to play."

Ratten said the Blues had made significant headway towards addressing the unevenness that brought the team undone against the Bombers back in Round 3.

"I think we're getting across the board an even spread, sharing the load type scenario," Ratten said.

"Last time we had six outstanding players on the ground and then we got virtually nothing from the rest of the group."

"That was our challenge to fix that and I think we have, to a degree."

Ratten said the team's good form was making it increasingly difficult to introduce new players.

He nominated second-year defender Mark Austin, who's been among the best in the VFL for the Northern Bullants for several weeks, as someone he's keen to promote, but who may need to be patient.

"Maybe earlier in the year we might have given some free games away to players to get that experience, but now you've really got to earn your stripes to get into this team," Ratten said.

Ratten said Andrew Walker was two weeks away from returning through the VFL following shoulder surgery and, depending on form, 'might be ready for St Kilda' following the split round.