ESSENDON coach James Hird says his side's inability to cope with West Coast's pressure was the biggest reason for its 57-point loss at Patersons Stadium on Saturday.

The Bombers were competitive against the Eagles for much of the match and even led at half-time but faded out late in the game as the hosts kicked 12 of the last 15 goals to win 20.14 (134) to 11.11 (77).

Although Hird said injuries to Andrew Welsh (face), Jobe Watson (concussion) and Stewart Crameri (shoulder) ruined their interchange rotations late in the game and left them fatigued, the bigger issue was West Coast's greater intensity.

Hird said that was an area Essendon would have to improve in to match the top sides in this year's finals.

"We certainly played okay in the first half but the second half was a bit disappointing," he said.

"I wouldn't use the injuries as an excuse today, we were out-pressured. West Coast certainly had the better of us and would have won the game anyway.

"The Eagles were terrific, their pressure all through the game was fantastic. They just didn't allow us to use the ball the way we wanted to use it. For the amount of ball we had, they stopped us using it effectively.

"We're physically still trying to get ourselves to the level of the top sides and we'll be doing that over the next 12 or 18 months."

Hird said one positive for the Bombers was that the initial diagnoses for Welsh, Watson and Crameri were all positive.

The first-year coach said that Michael Hurley and Tayte Pears, who both missed the game with general soreness, were certain to return for Essendon's must-win game against struggling Port Adelaide next Sunday.

Despite the loss, victory against the Power will all but guarantee Essendon a finals spot, and Hird said the return of youngster Hurley would be a major boost.

"They (Watson and Crameri) are okay. They'll be alright for next week, or we hope so anyway," Hird said.

"Crameri hasn't had any problems with it before and it went back in pretty easily, so he'll be alright.

"But it's too early to say with Welsh. When you get a knock to the head, you just want to make sure they're okay early in the week, so we'll reassess.

"We'll be bringing Hurley and Pears back into the team, we hope Crameri is all right and we hope Watson and Welsh are all right.

"We know in our minds that we have to beat Port Adelaide to give ourselves any chance and we've got eight days to prepare. We just have to beat them, there are no two ways about it."