Essendon coach James Hird praised his acting skipper Brent Stanton after the Bombers scored a 31-point AFL win over the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Essendon (12-3 win-loss) remain third after their 18.13 (121) to 14.6 (90) win in their round-16 game at Etihad Stadium which drew a crowd of 32,500.

The Bombers went into the match without the league’s reigning Brownlow Medallist and club captain Jobe Watson, who broke his collar bone last week and is expected to miss at least another three matches.

Stanton notched a team-high 29 possessions and contributed a vital last-quarter goal, although Watson’s absence was keenly felt in the engine room as the Bulldogs won the contested-possessions tally 165-135.

“The leaders were excellent tonight,” Hird said.

“Three of our best players were Brendon (Goddard), Brent (Stanton) and Dyson Heppell and also Jason Winderlich (with four goals).

“They’re all part of our leadership team. They really stepped up tonight, those four leaders, and Michael Hurley really worked hard in the forward line.

“So I thought our leadership group did a great job in Jobe’s absence.”

Stanton said the Bombers desperately needed Watson back in their line-up.

“You feed off him and the way he leads is contagious really,” the 196-game veteran Stanton said.

“It is a privilege to be able to captain this football club and the opportunity from James is fantastic.

“We probably did miss him (Watson) a little bit around the football with his leadership but I think the other leaders really stood up and took it by the scruff of the neck when the game got a bit tight.”

Hird said he hoped David Zaharakis, who suffered a bruised back, would be fit to play in Saturday’s clash against the last-placed GWS Giants in Sydney on Saturday.