Essendon coach Mark Thompson will persist with playing Jake Carlisle as a forward despite a poor return in front of goal in the first five rounds of the season.

The 22-year-old has kicked just three goals from the first five matches of the season after being moved to the forward line under Thompson.

Carlisle had a breakthrough year in 2013 playing as a centre half back against some of the competitions best forwards.

Thompson said he would continue to play Carlisle as a forward.

“Some people are (wrestling with where he should play) but I am not,” Thompson said.

“I think he just has to work and run. He played down back last year where he would run with his opponent because he had to.”

“Up in the forward line he is just waiting for the ball to come in.”

“When he went to the forward line last year and played there as a junior he has an amazing aerobic ability so he just has to use it.”

The Bombers loss to St Kilda on Saturday night sees the team slip to tenth on the ladder with two wins and three losses.

“We were in front of Hawthorn two weeks ago with a minute to go. How can we play so good and then so poorly?,” Thompson said.

“We played like we played in the pre-season against St Kilda when we didn’t look like we could play.”

The Bombers face a second consecutive six-day break between games ahead of Friday’s ANZAC Day blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG.

Thompson said his side would turn their attention towards the Magpies as soon as tomorrow.

“It will be like any other week, it will be a pretty light week and we won’t concentrate too much on the week just gone,” he said.

“It has to be all about Collingwood and making sure we put in our best efforts as I would expect that we play a lot better.”