ESSENDON coach Matthew Knights believes his team went into its shell, which ultimately led to Collingwood belting the Dons by 73 points at the MCG on Friday - a record between the two clubs since the annual Anzac Day clashes started in 1995.

Speaking in his post-match media conference, Knights said his team didn't stand up and be counted, when the Bombers were right in the match, trailing by just one-point at quarter-time.

"I believe as a coach, we did go back into our shells, which is disappointing because you say to your younger players that they must take up the slack when you have got a few [players] out … but I thought today, we probably did go back in our shell a bit," Knights said.

"It was disappointing that we didn't make a stand, when we had the opportunity."

Knights said he was particularly disappointed with his side's "dismal" sustained efforts.

"It was a very disappointing day. It was unacceptable, the way we played," Knights said.

"Even early in the game - we were around four or five goals each - and we didn't really play that well early in the game, I didn't think. After that initial quarter period, I just thought they monstered us around the stoppages.

"I think if you get beaten around the stoppages and monstered around the stoppages, it then translates into inside 50s, which Collingwood got a plethora of."

Knights said his side was not going to shy away from what he described as a "run-and-gun-style" of play.

"You play hard, you take the game on and a lot of teams play fast football. Geelong plays fast football [and the] Western Bulldogs play fast football," Knights said.

"We're going to continue to grow this list and to develop the way we want to play our footy and I don't think we're going to go into our shells - we won't go back into our shells."

Although Knights conceded some of his match ups were "ordinary", he also spoke of the inclusion of Courtney Johns, who had been earmarked to play on Collingwood forward Anthony Rocca, before being a late withdrawal.

"Match-ups, you win the game and you look like geniuses," Knights said.

"In the end, we ended up a bit too top-heavy in our forward half and we had four or five bigs in our forward half. So that's just a lesson and as a coach I've got to learn that maybe we should've gone in with a slightly smaller line-up and I've got to take responsibility for that.

"I wanted to give him an opportunity to play. Courtney has been at our club for a number of years now and he's had three or four VFL games and we thought he was right to come in and play and we've given him an opportunity.

"Now, we'll look at the vision and see how he came through the game and how we rated his game - he's also been booked, so we'll just have to see what comes of that also.

"We have to find out whether he can play at this level and that was one of the reasons to play him today."

Meanwhile, Knights spoke of how recently retired great James Hird spoke to the Bombers before the entered the field of play.

"James spoke just before the players entered the ground at around about 2:20pm and he spoke for two minutes, before we went out there and I was really appreciative James could be involved," Knights said.

"It was actually his daughter's birthday and he actually came and spoke and then went back for her birthday and he's normally playing on Anzac Day, so he wanted to spend the day with his daughter, so he came and spoke with us.

"It was just fantastic to come and have him involved."

But Knights said the traits Hird "typified and hung his hat on as a player" were not adhered to by the players.

"[He spoke about] keeping your eye on the ball and staying low … he played with courage, both in the air and on the ground and the way he ran and we certainly got out-pointed in those areas today," Knights added.