Essendon has changed its training focus in an attempt to avoid another late-season fadeout in 2014.

Over the last three years the Bombers have started seasons well before limping to the end, but a restructured program has been introduced this summer under new coach Mark Thompson and fitness boss Justin Crow.

In James Hird's first year in charge – 2011 – the Bombers staggered into the top eight but were thumped by Carlton by 62 points in the elimination final.

In 2012 they lost their final seven games having been in the top four at the half-way point of the year, and last season saw them drop five of their last six matches.

"We've played some terrific footy over the last three years but we've conked out every year, so this year we're trying to replicate the start of the year and hopefully finish off better," coach Mark Thompson told said.

While most believe the off-field distractions of the ASADA investigation and AFL penalties impacted on the club's ability to win games in the latter stages of last year, the numbers still make a strong point about the Bombers' staying power.

Over the last three years they have won 20 out of 27 games played in the opening nine rounds. They have won six of 22 games played from round 17 onwards.

Thompson said a tweak in training philosophy and a more flexible selection process could provide more even performances.

"I think the group is a little bit fitter and we can just probably pick the side sometimes bearing in mind our roster and where people are at.

If they do look like they're flagging a little bit we might rest them more than we have in the other years," he said.  

"And we've certainly trained differently over the summer. We've done intense, game-like [drills] at training so hopefully that holds us in good stead too."

In an interim role, Thompson expects to change the game plan about 10 per cent. He acknowledges a hard draw means the club doesn't know what its side is capable of this year.

There is a view Thompson wants his players to be more versatile, with a number of positional changes to be made.

Michael Hurley will go back, and stay there.

"The plan is just to play him there, down back. Hurls has been thrown everywhere really at times last year, but I think he's a natural defender, he got recruited as a defender, he likes the ball coming to him," he said.  

"Even when he's in the forward line he runs straight at the ball.

"In our minds, we just think we're going to put him back and let him get some confidence, let him control the back half of the ground, and from the early signs he's going to do really well."

Jake Carlisle, despite his breakout year in defence in 2013, will spend more time in attack, with Thompson unperturbed about shifting the talented key position player from the back half despite his success there.

"If you had the choice between a very good centre half-back or a very good centre half-forward, I think most people would want to probably put them up the front end," he said of Carlisle.

The forward line, Thompson hopes, will be made up of a number of different options, and isn't of a concern to the new coach, despite losing three-time leading goalkicker Stewart Crameri to the Western Bulldogs.

Jobe Watson and Brendon Goddard will offer options alongside Paul Chapman, Jason Winderlich and one of ruckmen Paddy Ryder and Tom Bellchambers. Kyle Hardingham has also been training as a forward, where he began his AFL career several seasons ago before moving to the backline.

"It won't be a problem kicking goals," he said.

Carlisle will partner Joe Daniher, who Thompson says should have played more than just five games last year.

"We're going to definitely play him. We probably felt he didn't get played enough last year, but in saying that he was quite young. If he plays 15 games this year it would be terrific," he said.

"You've got to get from one to 30 games somehow and the only way to do it is by playing. So he's going to get played."

The Bombers are expecting a rise to come from within. They know they matched it with most sides last year until the supplements scandal became too hard to ignore, and they feel a number of players are ready to step up.

According to Thompson, speedy midfielder Travis Colyer is on track for that, Elliott Kavanagh has "improved and matured", Jackson Merrett could see more permanent midfield time, and Shaun Edwards, one of the Bombers' GWS recruits, has an AFL apprenticeship behind him.

Despite suggestions David Myers was looking for a permanent midfield position during last year's trade period, he is still likely to be switched through all parts of the ground.

"No-one's a full-time midfielder," Thompson said.

"David will play a fair bit on the ball but [when] resting, he's actually one of the guys that can play forward and back."

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