The good news for Essendon is that for the next six weeks, they don't have to get on an airplane.

With just seven wins from their last 39 games outside Victoria, the Bombers are pretty much toast from the time the air hostesses ask them to pack up their trays and return their seats to their normal upright position.

Not that West Coast, which beat the Bombers by 23 points at Subiaco on Friday night is any better. The Eagles have won just one game on the road in the last two seasons, so perhaps the result of this one was in the bag from the time the AFL draw was released last October.

With the exception of some Nic Naitanui cameos, it was a dreadful match, broken open in by West Coast's six-goals-to-none second quarter and ruined after half-time when the dewy conditions led to both teams butchering the ball.

But the Bombers would appear to have more concerns. They missed Brent Stanton but nevertheless picked a side laden with runners, yet were shown up in the skill and pace department all night. They made the Eagles, arguably the least-skilled team in the AFL, look classy and composed.

They were well beaten in the ruck. Paddy Ryder and David Hille lowered their colours to Naitanui and Dean Cox, although they won't be alone in that respect in 2010.

And they struggled to kick goals again, although Michael Hurley showed glimpses of the form that made him a rising star in the second half of last year. It was his first game for the year and he'll be much better for the run.

At 1-3, the Bombers need to get their skates on. Next up is Collingwood on Anzac Day and at least in Essendon's favour is that form tends to be thrown out the window on one of the grandest football stages of the year. Then comes Hawthorn, which after the events of last year, will hit the Bombers with everything save for the MCG light towers. They'd want to win one of the next two in order to stay in touch.

West Coast, meanwhile, was on track for a thumping win and a boost for both its percentage and confidence. But the Eagles allowed Essendon a few too many junk time goals and the rarely-satisfied Perth media will spend the week querying the team's fitness and ability to run out games.

Not a good sign with a trip to uber-professional Sydney on the immediate horizon.