CARLTON defender Nick Duigan says the Blues are ready to fight tooth and nail for the premiership points against Essendon on Saturday despite the Bombers' injury woes.

The Dons have been beset by injuries in the weeks leading up to the encounter with their traditional rivals, but Duigan doesn't think that will count for much once the ball is bounced.

"We can't really worry about what they're doing or what team they put out on the park or what they say - we just know it's going to be a red-hot contest and we've got to be up for it," Duigan said after the Blues' final training session at Visy Park on Friday.

"It's pretty obvious that they're a really good attacking team. They've been in some great form, better than they're letting on. All you can do is beat the teams in front of you and they've done that on each occasion.

"Certainly beating the Roos (as the Bombers did in round one) is turning out to look like it's not an easy feat."

Both sides are unbeaten going into the round four match, but Carlton's form in disposing of Collingwood by 10 goals last week has seen Brett Ratten's team firm into favouritism for the flag in betting markets.

"There have been plenty of teams through history that have had a good start and gone nowhere," Duigan replied when asked if that development had had any effect on the playing group.

"We've just got to make sure that we keep our focus on what's got us the wins so far and keep playing pretty disciplined team footy."

Saturday's encounter will be the 27-year-old's 24th game for the Blues since bursting onto the scene as a mature-aged recruit last year.

He identified the competition for spots in the backline as a key reason for Carlton's stellar early season form and, while that's good news for the team, he conceded it presents him with a challenge too.

"Last year the guys were a year younger so a lot of the guys that I'm fighting for a spot with are at that age now where they'll take really big leaps pretty quickly like Zach [Tuohy], like Marcus Davies … and blokes like that," he said.

"They can come along really quickly between the ages of 20 and 23.

"There are plenty of blokes in that age category that are going to be improving a lot and if I'm going to keep my spot then I've got to keep improving as well."  

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs