ESSENDON's season has slipped further into the mire after suffering a 50-point loss to West Coast at Domain Stadium on Saturday.

After a tight first-quarter tussle, the Eagles grabbed a 29-point lead at half-time and never looked back, running out 14.12 (96) to 6.10 (46) winners in front of 37,306 fans.

Five talking points: West Coast v Essendon

The loss sees Essendon slip to 4-7 and 13th on the ladder. 

West Coast’s forwards proved the difference, with Mark LeCras (four goals), Josh Kennedy (three), and the returning Jack Darling (two) kicking the bulk of their side’s score.

In the Eagles midfield, Andrew Gaff racked up 33 disposals, Matt Priddis gathered 32 touches (22 contested) while Nic Naitanui (43) and Callum Sinclair (30) combined for 73 hit-outs. 

"It was a bit of a grind," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said after the game.

"I'm not sure it looked too pretty but I thought for the most part we handled ourselves pretty well.

"We weren't great with our ball use but I thought we did grind away and found a reasonable way to win."

The Bombers failed to kick 10 goals for the sixth time this year and the third week in a row. Shaun Edwards was their only multiple goalkicker with two in his first game for the club. Jobe Watson, Zach Merrett and Brendon Goddard fought hard through the middle. The Bombers had 50 more disposals but they used the ball poorly and lacked targets up forward.

Coach James Hird conceded that electing not to play a recognised ruckman had a significant bearing on the outcome, but he said the Dons' effort was much better than last week.

"Compared to last week the effort and intensity, even the enthusiasm, was a lot better," Hird said post-match.

"That's the one thing, we wanted to come over here and give a good effort. I thought that we did. We tackled well and the pressure was good. 

"The first half of every quarter we were doing well in the clearances and also the contested football. But we just seem to drop away in the back-half of quarters."

The Bombers were competitive early placing heavy numbers at the stoppages in the opening term to try and quell the influence of Naitanui. The Eagles won the hit-outs 19-7 for the quarter but the Bombers won the clearances 14-11.

The visitors shared the football around and controlled the game with a slower tempo. They had 31 more disposals and kicked two goals straight for the term.

The Eagles had seven shots for the quarter from 14 entries but missed some golden chances to establish a larger lead. LeCras kicked 1.2 for the term from seven disposals.

The Eagles kicked straighter in the second term and turned their five-point quarter-time lead into the strong half-time position.

The concern over Naitanui's influence in the ruck led to the Bombers giving away four free kicks to him at stoppages in the second quarter. The Eagles went inside 50 13 times to five and the Bombers defence was under siege.

LeCras continued to wreak havoc kicking his second and setting up another. The Bombers found plenty of the football but turned the ball over 18 times by foot in the opening half.

The visitors fought back in the third term but could not eat into the Eagles' advantage on the scoreboard, having the first five scores of the term but watching four of them sail wide. 

The margin was cut to 19 before the Eagles kicked the next two. Gaff gathered 11 touches for the term.

Paul Chapman was substituted out as the Bombers tried to change the mix up forward but continued to struggle to find scoring avenues inside 50. McGovern was subbed out at three-quarter time and applied ice immediately to his right thigh after suffering a heavy cork in the first quarter.

McGovern is now in doubt for next Friday night's clash against Richmond at the MCG. 

The Eagles put the game to bed kicking the first four goals of the last quarter in 11 minutes.

The Bombers now have the bye to regroup while West Coast has a second consecutive six-day break before facing Richmond at the MCG on Friday night.

Chris Masten attempts to tackle as Jobe Watson fires off a handball. Picture: AFL Media. 

WEST COAST   2.5   7.7  9.8   14.12  (96)
ESSENDON      2.0   3.2  5.7    6.10   (46)

GOALS
West Coast: LeCras 4, Kennedy 3, Darling 2, Naitanui, Gaff, Sinclair, Selwood, Hill.
Essendon: Edwards 2, Heppell, Chapman, Melksham, Goddard.

BEST
West Coast: LeCras, Gaff, Priddis, Naitanui, Cripps, Schofield, Selwood.
Essendon: Hooker, Hibberd, Goddard, Stanton, Heppell, Watson, Merrett.

INJURIES
West Coast: McGovern (thigh)
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Dom Sheed replaced Jeremy McGovern at three-quarter time.
Essendon: Michael Gleeson replaced Paul Chapman in the third quarter.

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Armstrong, McInerney

Crowd: 37,306 at Domain Stadium