Essendon coach James Hird took the opportunity to experiment in the dying stages of the Bombers' eight-point loss to Richmond on Saturday.

The Dons stuck close to the Tigers Tigers throughout a thrilling last quarter, played in front of a packed house at Wangaratta Showgrounds.

"We tried a few things late in the second half of the last quarter and that probably didn't help us, the things we tried," Hird said.

"I think we let them score too much, we let them run it out of their half-back line too easily at certain times. And around the contest early on in the game we weren't as good as we have been."

The Bombers played in bursts and weren't able to produce when the game was up for grabs, but Hird said there were positives to take.

Jake Carlisle's effort against Jack Riewoldt was acknowledged, Nick Kommer's rugged approach has seen him be in round one contention, and Hird was happy to get more game time into a group of senior players.

Hird said Hurley, who had his right leg bandaged and then left the field after colliding with Astbury, had only suffered a cork and will be fine to take on Greater Western Sydney next Friday at Manuka Oval in Canberra.