""I'm very proud of our players, but disappointed that we lost and didn't do everything that we wanted to do,"" Hird said post-match.
""I think we came up against a very good opposition … they're a terrific side and they came to play today, and at certain times played a lot better than us.
""But I'm still very proud of our guys the way they fought back and gave themselves a chance to win.""
Blair's match-winner came almost immediately after Brent Stanton's snap put Essendon ahead for the first time since the eight-minute mark of the first quarter.
The Collingwood small forward ran onto the ball after it spilled out the back of a marking contest, leaving Hird to wonder what might have been.
""We tried to push a couple back [after Stanton's goal], and we got sort of one-and-a-half back behind the ball,"" he said.
""The ball got out the back, and you never want to let the ball get out the back on a wet day.
""But I don't think you can dwell too much on that last two minutes.
""There's so much throughout the game that we could have done better, and probably that they could have done better as well.""
After racking up 36 disposals in a best-on-ground performance against Carlton the week before, Stanton copped a hard tag from Magpie Martin Clarke and could muster only two touches to half-time.
Hird credited his star on-baller with fighting back after the main break, as he finished with 13 touches.
""I thought Brent fought through the tag really well … and really had an impact in the second half for us,"" Hird said.
Following their short four-day turnaround leading into the Anzac Day clash, Essendon will now enjoy a 10-day break before facing the Brisbane Lions in round six.
Bombers skipper Jobe Watson said his team had handled the unusual preparation well.
""We did everything we possibly could to get up for the game, and obviously Collingwood did as well, and I thought the way the players were still running at the end of the game was a credit to the professionalism of the group over the four days,"" Watson said.
