ESSENDON coach James Hird says the club's 17-point victory over Richmond took a heavy toll on his players, and a number of them are likely to be missing from the Bombers' side that takes on Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium next weekend.

"We've actually come out of it with a number of guys very sore, so we'll have to make a few changes next week," Hird said.

"There are four or five guys that just got over the line tonight. They're not significant injuries, but injuries that say to me that we need to probably refresh the team.

"They're the sort of injuries that I'd rather not say too much about; ones that you don't want the opposition knowing.

"But they're guys that just need a good week to get their bodies settled."

Veteran defender Dustin Fletcher is certain to be sidelined for the clash with the Giants after the 37-year-old was subbed out of the win over the Tigers during the third quarter.

"Fletch has been carrying a very slight groin strain for probably four weeks," Hird said.

"He hurt it in the Carlton game [in round four], and in a remarkable effort he backed up and played against Collingwood [four days later].

"He played Brisbane, played West Coast, and was just sore on it tonight.

"He wasn't turning as well as we would've liked, so he's one that would be in doubt for next week, but in a week it should heal."

Half-back Kyle Hardingham, who suffered a knock to the calf early in the win over the Tigers, is another player likely to miss the trip to Sydney next weekend.

Hardingham managed to play out the game, although made a number of critical errors and tallied only nine possessions.

Despite the injury concerns, Hird was delighted his team recovered after squandering a seven-goal lead.

The Bombers were 42 points up three minutes into the third quarter, yet Richmond booted nine of the next 12 goals and hit the front at the 11-minute mark of the final term.

"Certainly, 10 minutes into the last quarter I thought we were the ones plodding, and we weren't running that well," Hird said.

"But I think a lot of the way you run has to do with the way you use the ball, and if you keep turning it over in the middle of the ground or across half-back the way we were, it's very hard.

"You run your backside off to get off your man and get the ball, and then you turn it over in bad spots. It makes you look pretty average when you're running the other way.

"And they made us look pretty average for a while."

The Bombers were beaten everywhere but on the scoreboard. They had seven less possessions, nine less tackles and 18 less inside-50s than the Tigers.

But, as Hird acknowledged, quality teams find a way to drag themselves over the line in such circumstances.

"They're good wins," he said. "If we had been given a 17-point margin at the start of the game, we would definitely have taken it.

"Probably the way it happened was a bit disappointing in certain patches, but we're happy to have won the game, got out of it, and we can get on with next week."

Essendon has now won seven of its eight games in 2012, and is just about certain to make it eight out of nine when it meets the Giants next Saturday.