IT WAS a familiar sight for Eagles and Bombers fans - the Essendon number five carving through West Coast defenders, attracting the football like a magnet and kicking goals at will.

But rather than James Hird producing deeds to break West Coast hearts and gladden Bomber souls, this time it was 21-year-old Brent Stanton doing the business - showing the mantle of Hird's number does not seem to be weighing him down.

It may only have been a NAB Challenge match in front of less than 10,000 at Subiaco on Friday night, but the 36-touches and four goals Stanton produced against a near full-strength Eagles were not lost on coach Matthew Knights.

"Brent has had a very specific program, he has not played much up until the last two weeks and we really upped his load in the last two weeks in the midfield," Knights said.

"Brent is a quality player, and wearing the great James Hird's number at this stage he seems to have taken that in his stride, which is fantastic.

"We are really proud to have someone the quality of Brent in our line-up."

Despite losing to the Eagles 15.10 (100) to 14.10 (94), Knights said the match practice portion of the Bombers' pre-season had ended on a high note - particularly with the safe return of Matthew Lloyd and Dustin Fletcher.

Lloyd's hamstring and Fletcher's knee were both eased back into use, with the pair playing just the first half in Perth and showing no ill effects.

Knights said with 16 days until their round one game against North Melbourne, the pair now had plenty of time to come good.

"Matthew Lloyd pulled up very well and he probably did a bit more than I thought he would, he moved around quite well," Knights said.

"And even though for Dustin it was good for him to have a game from a touch perspective, I have never been concerned ... the knee has been more irritation than structural problem.

"Both guys got through fantastically well, they recovered well and now we get a good 14 or 15 days training into them before our (Easter) Monday game."

Lloyd, playing on Eagles youngster Matt Spangher, moved well early, but spilled a couple of marks and sprayed two shots he would normally convert in his sleep.

But Knights said club precaution to gently ease the superstar back into action looked to have paid off.

"He is relieved he has come through the game well, although we did not really have any concerns that he would not," Knights said.

"It has been more precaution that he did not play last week ... so someone with Lloyd's experience I am comfortable going in to round one with what he has done so far.

"He did not miss a session for the whole pre-season, it just happens to be the last three weeks he has missed games, so he has done a lot of work."