A CAREER best seven goals from Ben McKinley at Subiaco Oval on Sunday enabled West Coast to all but end Essendon's chances of playing finals in 2008.

After opening up a 38-point lead at the long break, the Eagles repelled a second-half fightback from the tenacious Bombers, and ran out a 10-point winner to wrap up the AFL's Tom Wills Round.

West Coast's small forwards dominated the opening two terms, McKinley (four goals to half time) and David Wirrpanda (three) helping give their side a six-goal advantage at the major change.

McKinley's fourth, a miraculous  grubbered kick from the boundary line, was the highlight of a second quarter punctuated by poor decision making and execution from both teams.

Adam Selwood also chimed in with a major in each of the opening terms, his first with only 18 seconds on the clock, and the Eagles turned a 19-point lead at quarter time into a six-goal advantage at the long break.

Leroy Jetta provided a rare highlight for Essendon in the first half with a clever bouncing goal from an acute angle in the opening quarter.

In the third term David Hille gave the Bombers a boost on the long road back by kicking the opening goal.

Mal Michael was thrown forward by Bomber coach Matthew Knights, but it was through a more traditional goal-scoring outlet that Essendon notched its second of the term when veteran Matthew Lloyd opened his account.

After Dustin Fletcher punched himself almost senseless at full back repelling West Coast attacking raids, Angus Monfries then put Essendon within 20 points when he slotted his first.

Mark LeCras booted a settler for the Eagles and McKinley again showed good skill at ground level to kick his fifth, but the Bombers came back to win the term.

Essendon skipper Lloyd did his utmost to keep the red and black in the contest, marking strongly and putting through his second from a set shot.

Jason Laycock's mark and goal to cap the term then put the visitors within reach at three-quarter time, when they trailed the Eagles 12.9 (81) to 9.7 (61).

An outstanding individual goal from Quentin Lynch to open the final term made it very hard for the Bombers. The big Eagle gathered the loose ball, turned his opponent, and bombed through a telling goal from outside the 50m arc.

With eight minutes gone in the term, Henry Slattery dragged the margin back to 20 points with a nice running goal on his left boot.

McKinley slotted his sixth with a set shot from a difficult angle, but two quick goals to the impressive Andrew Lovett and Courtenay Dempsey made the margin only 15 points.

Veteran Michael Braun seemed to kill off Essendon's challenge when the retiring Eagle carried the ball through the midfield and goaled on the run from 45m.

But Jetta popped up with second of the day, another audacious snap, and Lloyd's third kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Chad Fletcher pounced on an Essendon error to kick his first, and two late Laycock goals were split by McKinley's seventh, as it went right down to the wire at Subi.