ESSENDON coach John Worsfold again resisted the temptation to label his team’s season a wasted one after running another likely finalist within four points on Saturday.
Worsfold's side has firmly established itself as a threat to most teams in a span where it has won eight of 11 games, including the setback to Hawthorn at the MCG.
But the horrible 2-6 start to Essendon's much-hyped campaign still remains a black eye in an otherwise productive year and will almost certainly cost it a finals berth.
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The Bombers' only defeats after round eight were to first-placed reigning premier Richmond, Collingwood and now the Hawks.
Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, West Coast, North Melbourne and Sydney were their victims in the same period.
They can't afford to lose any of their last three games against St Kilda, the Tigers and the Power (in Adelaide) if they want to feature in September – and even then will need some luck.
"The focus is on trying to get to where we want to be as a team and a footy club," Worsfold said post-match.
"We know this year we've been learning a lot, and I've been rapt the way the players have grabbed the learning opportunities and not gone into their shell – and we won't do that over the next three weeks.
"We just want to play really good footy and keep learning, which will make us a better team in the mid-to-long term."
Worsfold said he would leave it up to others to judge whether Essendon's season would go down as a waste, after luring likely club champion Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad in the off-season.
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"Today was a missed opportunity, because it was a good, tight game and one team was going to end up in front when time ran out and next week's another great opportunity," the coach said.
"That's an individual perspective (whether the whole season was a missed opportunity).
"We've brought a fairly new group together this year and we want to become a team that's capable of winning the flag – and that's our absolute focus."
Captain Dyson Heppell had treatment on what appeared to be his groin until four minutes before the first siren and was clearly hampered throughout the afternoon.
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He unsuccessfully tried to tag Tom Mitchell and was guilty of some costly turnovers by foot.
"(Heppell's) carrying some soreness at the moment. He didn't train at all during the week, in terms of trying to get him as fresh as possible for this game," Worsfold said.
"It's week to week for 'Hep' at the moment on how he pulls up and how he manages his load. There's no doubt he wasn't moving as freely today as he has over the last few weeks.
"He's managed it over a number of weeks and … we have to rely a lot on talking to 'Hep' about that and managing his workloads, but I'd expect he'll get up for next week."
The Bombers lost Matt Dea (concussion) and Matt Guelfi (illness) before the game and Jake Stringer's lower leg injury late in the third term curbed his influence for the rest of the day.
It was the latest blow to Essendon, which was already without fellow tall forwards Joe Daniher and Shaun McKernan.
"I thought the guys who came in, (Travis) Colyer and (Ben) McNiece, were … pretty good (after) coming in late," Worsfold said.
"Unfortunately, we've had some injuries that have knocked us a bit in the last few weeks, some early in games and today was a bit later, but Jake got back out there and still contributed."
