Essendon midfielder Brent Stanton says last night’s heartbreaking result will only strengthen the resolve of the side when they come back from the mid-season break.

“You don’t really know how to feel after a game like that,” Stanton said.

“It was a tough, hard game and the boys put their bodies on the line which was important but we didn’t come up with the win.

A slow start by the Bombers put them on the back foot early and despite being able to work themselves back into the match, Stanton says Essendon can’t allow opposition sides that kind of room.

“It was disappointing. We put ourselves in a good position in the final quarter and unfortunately we couldn’t finish it off,” he said.

“In the end it was the first quarter margin that they really won by. We let ourselves down in the first quarter and they came to play.

Hawthorn spearhead Lance Franklin proved the difference between the two sides, kicking five goals despite a strong performance by Cale Hooker.

“He is a fantastic player and he does things out of the ordinary and that is what makes him so good,” he said.

“I think Cale Hooker did a fantastic job all night but Buddy kicked a few goals in the last quarter that probably won them the game.

“Overall I thought the boys really put a good effort in and we were there until the end but we will just need to get better and hopefully we will see that against Adelaide.”

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