ESSENDON key defender Tayte Pears is expected to miss eight weeks of football after breaking his arm in the Anzac Day clash.

The 19-year-old will require surgery to set the bone, although it is not known yet if a plate will be inserted.

Bombers' football manager Paul Hamilton told the club's website that Pears would be a big loss.

"He will be a big loss, without any doubt,” Hamilton said.

“It’s really disappointing for Tayte and the team - it is one of those disappointing collision injuries that can happen.

“He has had a really good start to the year but unfortunately we are going to have to do without him for 6-8 weeks and we will be looking for others to step up and fill his spot.”

The Bombers were humiliated by the Magpies on Sunday to the tune of 65 points and can ill-afford to lose an integral part of the backline which has spent the majority of the season under siege.

Essendon has won just one match from five and faces a massive battle to make the finals after playing in them last year for the first time since 2004.

Coach Matthew Knights praised his defensive unit after Sunday's thrashing, putting the blame squarely on his midfield and forwards.

"I think the least of our worries, or my worries, are our back six or seven," he said after the game.

"It's the midfields and forwards - when you've got the opportunity when you're going through the corridor and you've got the last kick inside 50, and you've got time and space, you've got to make that kick in this game.

"At the worst you halve it when it goes in there, but at the moment, from 70 metres and in, we're not hurting the opposition with that last kick or last disposal.

"When we're going inside it's coming out too quickly, and it's putting Cale (Hooker) and Tayte (Pears) and Dustin (Fletcher - Essendon's tall defenders) under all sorts of pressure.

"That's what I was alluding to - it's not my back seven, they're not my issue.

"It's our disposal inside forward 50 - it's not productive enough, and when it goes in there it's coming out too quick."