Essendon will be looking to play more instinctively when it opens its home and away season against Gold Coast next week. 

The Bombers registered one win and two losses from their NAB Challenge campaign. 

After an encouraging win against Carlton, the side was outclassed against top eight fancies Geelong and West Coast. 

Line Coach Guy McKenna said an increased possession count was one of the positives to emerge from an otherwise disappointing match against West Coast. 

The Bombers had 234 possessions against Geelong two weeks ago but improved that to 359 against the Eagles. 

“We played a Grand Final side that’s well drilled, on their home deck – we’re still putting the jigsaw together,” he said. 

“The positive for us on the weekend was our possessions went up close to 100 possessions. 

“We got the footy – we’re just not playing instinctive football, but you’d expect that from a group that has been put together over the last four or five weeks. 

McKenna had experience at binding a new playing group together as Gold Coast Suns Coach during their formative years.

“Having been there and done that – it takes time, it’s not going to happen overnight,” McKenna said. 

“It’s not panic stations.  

“It’s about building and developing these boys in to a premiership winning side.”

McKenna said a lack of cohesion at this early stage was understandable given the disrupted pre-season.

“There were elements against West Coast for patches of five to ten minutes where we were able to own the football,” he said.

“We just couldn’t do it for long periods of time like West Coast could.

“The way the squad’s come together – you reap what you sew - that’s what happens. 

“As long as we can build ten minutes, into 15 minutes, into 20 minutes, into 30 minutes, into a quarter, into a half – that’s going to be our challenge for this year.”