Horrible, embarrassing and bitterly disappointing.

Essendon midfielder David Myers did not mince his words after the AFL elimination final fadeout against North Melbourne.

Myers said the Bombers had plenty of hard work in the off-season to rectify their bad habit of fading out during matches.

Essendon led by 33 points when they kicked the first goal of the third term, but North roared back to win an enthralling match by 12 points.

Interim coach Mark Thompson, who now hands over to James Hird, and the players were behind closed doors for nearly half an hour post-match.

“We’re probably more embarrassed than anything,” Myers said.

“Again, we played a good, strong half of football and then just threw it away, I suppose, in the second half and didn’t rise to the challenge.

“We knew what North was going to throw at us in the second half.

“We have a bit of work to do in the off season – it happened all year.”

Myers said the feeling in the rooms was good at halftime and they were well aware that North would try to hit back.

Most galling for Myers and his teammates is that at their best, as North discovered in the first half, Essendon are very tough to beat.

“We had patches of good footy and bad footy and it just doesn’t stand up at this time of year,” he said.

“We know our best is good – and probably good enough – but we have to find a way to drive that longer into games.

“I certainly didn’t see coming, what happened in the second half.

“We have all pre-season now to just keep driving and just make sure that never happens again.”

Essendon are a developing team with plenty of youngsters and Myers said the problem must be mental.

“It just comes down to guys’ behaviour,” he said.

“You can call it old habits, whatever you want, but as a side we’re not capable of maintaining a way of football that we know holds up.”

And Essendon now have several months to mull over their opportunity lost.

It comes after they were booted out of last year’s elimination final because of the 2012 supplements scandal.

“It’s a horrible feeling,” Myers said of Saturday night’s loss.

“Obviously after last year, having it pulled away from us, and then we get the chance tonight … to perform the way we did in that second half is bitterly disappointing.

“Guys have plenty of time now to stew on that.”