Essendon Coach James Hird will use the final month of the season to continue working on the areas costing the side.

The team went down to GWS by 32 points on Sunday despite a strong showing in the first half. 

The Bombers took an eight-point lead into the major break but it could have been greater with the Dons missing four shots at goal in the final stages of the second term.

The defeat was the side’s ninth in their last ten games.

“The last four weeks is about getting some players to realise where they’re at, what their deficiencies are and working on it,” Hird said. 

Cale Hooker started in the forward half against the Giants, with Jake Carlisle matched up on Jeremy Cameron at the other end of the ground.

The pair joined forces in the forward line briefly as the Giants took control of the game, but an injury to James Gwilt saw Carlisle return to the backline. 

“I actually thought our tall backs did reasonably well when we gave them an opportunity,” Hird said. 

“We threw Hooker and Carlisle around a little bit to try and create something and have a different look up forward.

“Jake did a pretty good job on Jeremy Cameron and certainly in the first half I thought we defended that part of the ground well.”

David Myers played in the VFL on the weekend and is a chance to return to the senior side for the match against Adelaide on Saturday. 

But Hird said he would also consider some younger talent.

“We’ve got some exciting young players we want to keep playing, we’ll bring in a couple more hopefully next week.”