Essendon will consider its ruck options ahead of its match against Port Adelaide next week.

Shaun McKernan carried the load in the Bombers loss to North Melbourne with Todd Goldstein gathering 27 disposals, 56 hit-outs, eight clearances and eight marks in a best-on-ground display.

Former Greater Western Sydney ruckman Jonathan Giles will have a chance to press for senior selection when the VFL side plays today.

"We just want a more competitive effort from Jonathan," Essendon Coach James Hird said.

"He's starting to give us that and [it's] an expectation of the way he plays.

"He's got some really good attributes, particularly up forward. He's a good forward for us."

Tom Bellchambers went down earlier in the season with a long-term injury but Hird has so far resisted the temptation to include Giles.

"We're coaching him to be the player we want him to be and that sometimes takes a bit of time in a different system," he said.

"It's not a six-month program, it'll take its time. But as I said, he may play next week."

Hird said McKernan had deserved his opportunities so far this season and conceded the plans put in place to nullify Goldstein didn't work.

"I don't regret it. Shaun's been in pretty good form for us. Not necessarily in the tap outs, because he's an undersized ruckman," Hird said.

"But his competitive nature around the contest and giving us some good spread, I think he's been in reasonable form, so you back your players in form.

"There's no doubt he got beaten tonight, but Goldstein's beaten a lot of very good ruckmen. [He] had a bad night. We're not going to throw Shaun out straight away either."