ESSENDON coach James Hird has defended Patrick Ryder, saying calls branding the Essendon ruckman "lazy" are wrong.

Sydney Swans premiership coach Paul Roos said on FoxSports' On the Couch on Monday that Ryder was lazy in the Bombers' 21-point loss to North Melbourne last week, but Hird described the 23-year-old's season as 'OK'.

"I don't think Paddy is lazy," Hird said at Windy Hill on Tuesday.

"Paddy does need to work hard at certain times and get involved defensively a bit more, but I definitely wouldn't call him lazy.

"His year's been OK. I think the thing with Paddy is, like a lot of guys with huge talent, they do show so much and at times people expect a lot of them," Hird said.

"We'd like Paddy to be the best player on the ground every week, because when he is the best player and plays tremendously well, he's unstoppable.

"But, we want him to get involved defensively and that's the area we're working strongest with him."

Essendon's form has fallen away since round eight when it sat third on the ladder, losing four consecutive games and clinging to eighth position by only percentage.

Hird said the Bombers' consistency had been a major issue in all four losses.

"The consistency of what we're doing week-to-week, and also within a game, has to be looked at," he said.

"That comes with a young team, and also comes with a team playing a style of football they're not used to, or is newish to them.

"It should be becoming more and more like every day for them because they've been doing it for a while now, but we still see lapses and that's where we have to improve."

The first-year Essendon coach has preached all season that 2011 was about development and improvement.

Although he admitted the club "would love to be winning," he denied there was any panic at the perceived setbacks endured in the last month.

"Things don't change straight away," Hird said of the team's progression.

"I don't think many clubs finish 14th and then win the premiership the next year."

"What we want is for our players to get better and better and better so that when we do have that opportunity, whether it's next year or the year after or whenever it is, we're good enough to take that opportunity," he said.

Hird said David Hille would return to face Hawthorn on Friday at the MCG after the veteran ruckman sat out last week's game with with soreness, while Mark Williams, Alex Browne, Travis Colyer, Kyle Reimers and Alwyn Davey were in line to come into the team.

Callum Twomey covers Essendon news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter at: @Cal_Twomey