ESSENDON coach James Hird has been left bewildered after his players simply "stopped playing" in their 110-point loss to St Kilda.
The Bombers were outplayed in every facet of the game on Sunday but it was the lack of effort and intensity from nearly every player, except star midfielder Dyson Heppell, which most concerned Hird after the game.
The Saints were given the freedom to do as they pleased, racking up 311 uncontested possessions for the game, with 98 of those coming in the third term when the Bombers lost complete control of the contest.
Click here to watch James Hird's full post-match press conference
Hird said the performance was unacceptable.
"Certainly today, I don't want to say this, but we stopped playing," he said.
"We actually stopped playing. That's concerning when guys go into themselves and they stop playing. That hasn't happened very often over the past three or four years. There could be several reasons for that.
"Our effort and intensity was poor and they beat us around the contest and got their confidence going. We failed to compete, I think that was the most disappointing thing."
Hird still believes he's the right man to coach
After a strong week on the training track Hird conceded he didn't see such a huge loss coming, and said he was still "scratching his head" about the lack of effort against the Saints.
The Bombers have six days to arrest their form with Saturday's clash at the MCG against Melbourne looming as another danger game for Hird's men.
The coach said the players needed to improve their work ethic if they wanted to rediscover their best football but believed his side would "come out firing" against the Dees.
"Really, I think when you play as badly as we played, or you didn’t perform, you have to go back to one simple principle and that's hard work," Hird said.
"You've got to work as hard as you can, focus on the central part of your game and get that right first. It all stems from stoppages and clearances and getting that right.
"We got out-spread, we didn't use the ball well, we didn't defend them properly but essentially the game starts at the stoppage and around the contest and we got absolutely smashed in that area."
Essendon's growing injury list will restrict Hird's ability to make too many changes to his side for next weekend.
Veteran Jason Winderlich was a late withdrawal from the game against the Saints with shin soreness, while former Bulldog Adam Cooney was subbed out in the third term with an adductor injury and is unlikely to face the Demons.
Paul Chapman could be in line to return after training well on Saturday but will be monitored throughout the week.
