Knights: McVeigh needs to focus

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Essendon coach Matthew Knights said suspended midfielder Mark McVeigh should just concentrate on earning a recall and banish his captaincy ambitions after the Bombers were humbled by Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.

McVeigh was handed a club-imposed one-match ban because of a weekend drinking session with former team-mate Dean Solomon.

The tough midfielder later publicly apologised for the indiscretion and said he had forfeited any hope of the captaincy when Matthew Lloyd retires, which could be as early as next season.

Knights said McVeigh had more important things to worry about.

"I am probably one that doesn't think that's an item or agenda anyway, the captaincy," he said.

"Matthew Lloyd is the captain. We have never come out and publicly said we are looking to change the captaincy in the near future."

"I think it's something Mark just needs to worry about getting back and playing good football in 2009. That's Mark's major focus."

"He will get back in training this week. I think the captaincy is a little bit irrelevant at this time because we have a wonderful captain."

McVeigh and midfield hardnut Jobe Watson (ankle) were missed against the Magpies, who won the clearances 39-29 and the hit-out count 45-20.

"To beat a good side, you would have Jobe in there, definitely," Knights said.

"He is quite dynamic around the clearances. Mark McVeigh, we have been schooling him up and getting him ready to play in the midfield in the second half of the year."

"We have slowly introduced him and he would definitely have played in there as well."

"Having those two important men and strong bodies, it would have been nice to have them there because we were certainly beaten around the stoppages."

After feasting on Carlton a week earlier, the Bombers were sluggish and struggled to deal with the Magpies' intensity and attack on the man and ball.

Poor kicking for goal early in the night hurt, as did a dire second term when the Magpies drilled six-straight goals to take command.

"I just think we were clearly outpointed," Knights said.

"You run into a Collingwood team that is full-loaded, has got their ammunition in them. I thought they outworked us, particularly through the middle of the ground."

"I thought they spread into space really well."

Ruckman Patrick Ryder had one of his worst games of the season as counterpart Josh Fraser made amends for his Anzac Day meltdown.

Ryder was thumped 35-15 in hit-outs when directly opposed to Fraser and had little influence around the ground.

"I guess in the midfield and ruck positions, we were comprehensively beaten on the night," Knights said.

The Bombers, now with a 7-7 record, must regroup for Saturday's clash against Sydney at the SCG.