Essendon duo Jake Carlisle and Scott Gumbleton will be pushing for senior selection this week after the key position players impressed in the Bendigo Bombers' 79-point loss to Williamstown in round 13 of the VFL on Saturday.

The Bombers started well and led by 18 points at quarter-time, but were blown away by the Seagulls in the second quarter and finished losing 13.9 (87) to 25.16 (166).

Bendigo coach Shannon Grant said the Bombers needed to improve before being able to match it with the best teams in the competition.

""We started really well but unfortunately we couldn't sustain our work rate and our intensity around the footy. They were the two biggest things that dropped off,"" he said.

""It's probably just a reflection of where we're at the moment. But the way the group is developing and the way the young kids are coming along, I think it's a real positive for the club,"" he said.

Carlisle had an injury-interrupted first half of the year, but the 19-year-old enjoyed one of his best games of the season in the loss.

""He was pretty good for us, he played at both ends, and throughout the course of the game he was pretty consistent, so he is in pretty good touch at the moment,"" Grant said.

""He wouldn't be too far off (senior selection). He's certainly starting to string games together in the VFL and he's got a very big future.""

Gumbleton backed up his strong return to the VFL with another solid effort against Williamstown.

After playing approximately 75 minutes of game time in round 12, Gumbleton played 95 minutes on Saturday and Grant said the 22-year-old was getting better with each week.

""The most pleasing part of it was that we extended his minutes from last week and he managed to get through the game unscathed and ran it out really well,"" Grant said.

Wingman Michael Ross played his best game since being drafted by the club with pick 80 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, while Alex Browne had an excellent first half before a heavy collision forced him off the ground.

""It was probably Rossy's best game for the year,"" Grant said. ""He's put on six or seven kilograms since he got here in the pre-season and he's one of those players who, with the more experience he gets, is going to continue to improve.""

""Browney was pretty good for us in the first half, but unfortunately he copped a heavy knock and didn't really take any part in the game after that,"" he said. ""I'm pretty sure he will be available this week.""