ESSENDON coach James Hird hasn't given up hope of snatching a finals berth in 2012 despite Sunday's disappointing 24-point loss to North Melbourne.

In a game billed by Bombers assistant coach Mark Thompson as the club's 'Grand Final', the Kangaroos took the honours with a brilliant second half.

The defeat leaves Essendon clinging to eighth spot by less than 2 per cent ahead of ninth-placed Fremantle, who have also won 11 games.

The Bombers have now lost their past four games and five of their past six since beating the Western Bulldogs in round 14. They face Carlton at the MCG on Saturday before meeting Richmond and Collingwood after that.

Hird said he believed his side could still make it to September, but things needed to turn, and turn fast.

"We're in there with three games to go which is exciting, but we need to start winning," he said.??

"We've lost four in a row now and we have to win, because if we don't win we won't make it.??

"I've been around football for a long time and we haven't won in four weeks. But that can change really quickly."

Despite losing midfielders Leigh Adams (shoulder) and Daniel Wells (calf) to injury in the first quarter, the Kangaroos were able to outrun the Bombers, particularly in the second half.

Essendon had 92 fewer uncontested possessions and almost half the uncontested marks (101-54) North was able to take. Put simply, the Bombers couldn't get the ball off their opponents and Hird admitted it was an area they needed to improve.

"They certainly outran us, out-spread us and outplayed us," Hird said. ??

"No doubt they've improved out of sight. They're a very, very good football team and we matched them for a while, but we couldn't match them for the whole game."

Part of that might be the absence of key midfield duo David Zaharakis and Brent Stanton. Hird said barring any training mishaps Stanton (hamstring) and injured ruckman Paddy Ryder (calf) would return to face the Blues, and Zaharakis was a good chance after his severe quad tear in June.??

"'Zacka' should play, but we just want to be very careful," Hird said.??

"He's had this nasty tendon injury in his quad and he's back running flat out and kicking flat out, so we just need to make sure he can run out a game rather than rush him back in."

Callum Twomey is a reporter for the AFL website. Follow him on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.