Essendon tackle machine Devon Smith has shrugged off the Bombers boo-boys, dismissing the poor support as no different to his days at GWS.

The Bombers’ sloppy loss to St Kilda on Saturday night continued their winless start to the campaign and sets up a mustn’t-lose match on Friday night against Melbourne.

Defeat to the Demons would be just the second time in the Bombers’ 122-year history, and first time since 1967, they’ve lost their opening three games of the season.

Smith and his teammates were booed at several points of Saturday afternoon’s loss to the Saints, most vociferously at quarter-time.

At fulltime, the Bombers fans that stayed for the final siren went again.

“I’m pretty used to it, playing at the Giants,” Smith told AAP.

“I don’t think we had too many cheers there. It’s not something I notice too much.”

Smith’s sledge shows the combative midfielder isn’t backing down on tough talk on his former home; last week he declared Giants Stadium a ‘graveyard’.

He wasn’t as jocular on Essendon’s performance against the Saints though insisted there were upsides from the 11-point loss.

“Our effort and energy was there. So that’s a positive,” he said.

“A lot of it it was in our control we just didn’t execute going forward.

“I thought some individuals stepped up in the second half including our skipper but we need more players jumping on board.

“We’ve just got to kick goals, get the belief going in the front half.

“Just be smarter with the football, I’m not too sure what the inside 50s were, I felt we like had our fair share but we butchered it a bit going forward, including myself.”

Smith had 19 touches, seven tackles and five inside-50s in the loss.

Captain Dyson Heppell had just seven disposals to halftime, often starting on the wing, but exploded with 10 possessions in the third term as Essendon launched a comeback.

Coach John Worsfold said he would mull the best use of his on-field leader against the Demons.

“If Dyson goes in and gets amongst it he pushes someone out. We’re always looking at the balance,” he said.

“The midfield group, led by our coaching group and the players, will talk about what the best mix was around the ball.”

Like Smith, the premiership-winning coach wanted to focus on the positives.

“We’re 0-2 and have a big game against Melbourne which we’re really excited about taking on,” he said.