MARK Thompson essentially had one question for his Essendon players after their 18-point loss to Richmond – when are the form fluctuations that prevent them from becoming a consistent finals team going to end? 

Thompson locked his players away in a meeting for almost 45 minutes after Friday night's game at the MCG.

Afterwards, he told reporters he had no answers on how Essendon had lost a game that they had dominated in the first quarter and in patches thereafter.

Thompson admitted he was angry with the loss that could see his team drop out of the top eight by the end of round 20.

The Bombers coach said it was the second time he had delivered a stern post-match message to his players this season, the first coming after the round 13 loss to Melbourne.

"Today wasn't nasty or anything, it was more about when, when, when are you going to change?" Thompson said.

"When is it going to happen where you take yourself from an average team to a team that consistently plays finals and you can handle the stage and you look the same every week? 

"When, when, when?

"Because they do it in patches; it's not as if they can't play. 

"We were within 10 points last week against Sydney based on 20 minutes of football – just smashed them in the third quarter – we can play. 

"What makes the team fluctuate? That's what I'm trying to unlock."

The Bombers had 12 more inside 50s than the Tigers (57-45), but struggled to hit enough targets in attack.

Thompson said the Bombers had been working on their efficiency going inside their forward 50, but continued to make poor choices and too often mucked around with the ball rather than taking the first option. 

The Bombers conceded two consecutive 50m penalties at the 21-minute mark of the second term that gifted Bachar Houli a goal from 20m out.

Jake Melksham conceded the first when he failed to return the ball on the full to Houli following a free kick, but it was the second 50m penalty conceded by Essendon forward Jake Carlisle for grabbing Chris Newman around the throat that raised Thompson's ire. 

"The second one was worse, I was a bit frustrated about the second one, clearly," Thompson said. 

"It gave them a goal and in the end might have been the reason why they won. 

"They won by more than that, but you shouldn't give teams free shots of confidence."

The seventh-placed Bombers now face West Coast, Gold Coast (both at Etihad Stadium) and Carlton (MCG) in the run home and will likely have to win at least two of those games to make the finals.

Thompson said the Bombers would welcome back captain Jobe Watson (hip flexor) and Michael Hibberd (hamstring) for the Eagles clash, but Dustin Fletcher remained in doubt.

Watson last played in round 12, but Thompson said he would come straight into the Bombers' senior team despite the risk of him breaking down.

"It's a danger when they come back, especially Jobe. He hasn't played for a long time," Thompson said.

 

"What do they say about Group 1 horses? They don't run in the country?

"It'd be a brave coach who didn't play him."

Essendon's Federal Court challenge to the legality of the joint AFL and ASADA investigation of the club's 2011-2012 supplements programs begins on Monday.

Thompson said he hoped the hearing would provide some closure to the saga that has dragged on since Essendon requested the investigation in February last year.

"I won't be watching, but yes, it's a big, very important week for this part of the whole process and hopefully we get some answers from an independent body that's going to judge all the evidence they hear," Thompson said.

"It'll be welcome to, hopefully, finally wrap it up soon.

"It's been a hell of a couple of years."