Knights threw his support behind skipper Matthew Lloyd and returning forward Scott Lucas after the duo had a tough night against the Pies.
The second-year Essendon coach said of the pair that sometimes "you get beaten by your opponent and that's the reality and they got fixed up".
"It was his (Lucas’s) second game in six months and we're going to give him time to come up. I thought he (Lloyd) worked really hard and just a lot didn't come off on the night," Knights said post-match.
"His opponents played really well on him, but he worked his backside off – I really believe that – and they'll come together, they've proven that over time.
"Halfway through last year or a quarter of the way through last year, people were writing [Matthew] Lloyd off. He came out and had a magnificent part of the second half of the season, so they're quality players and they've been that way for a reason.
"So I've got a lot of faith in them that they'll come good."
Knights also went into bat for versatile Bomber McPhee, who did not play in the second half due to injury. He also said the 2004 best-and-fairest winner would play in round one, barring any fitness concerns.
"He would get a game, if we had to pick our side next week – he would play," he said.
"He just had a little tightness in the hamstring at half-time, so we didn't want to risk him in the second half, but the doctors assured me that everything is going to be OK."
Young defender Michael Hurley, who made his official AFL debut, spent time on Collingwood forward John Anthony, who booted seven goals in a best-on-ground performance. Knights said it was just the tonic to kick-start his career.
"He (Hurley) probably knows where he's got to get to now. It's a good result," Knights said.
"He took two or three nice marks, Michael Hurley, and he's going to be a very good player, but maybe it'll make his training intensity a whole lot better this week, knowing where he has to get to. So it's a good baptism in a lot of ways.
"He's very well placed in regards to size and strength and we had no hesitancy in putting him down there, as we did with [Darcy] Daniher early."
Meanwhile, Knights was pleased with the "polish" of debutant David Zaharakis, the "intensity" of Alwyn Davey and David Hille's "three-position" performance in the ruck, midfield and up forward.
On Hille, Knights added: "He looks like he's setting himself up for another stellar season".
