Essendon are determined to reverse an unwanted trend of slow starts in the Anzac Day clash with arch-rivals Collingwood at the MCG.

The Bombers have won the first term only once in their five matches this season and had to fight back from 26 points down at quarter-time against the Western Bulldogs in round four.

Utility Andrew Welsh said the team could not afford to give up an early break to Collingwood.

"It's something that's really hurting us because we're playing catch-up footy for the rest of the game and not putting teams under the pump," Welsh said.

"That's something we're looking at, everything is new - new team structures, new team plans, new preparations - so that's all part of what the coaches have been looking at over the past couple of weeks."

With more than 90,000 people expected for Friday's Anzac Day clash, Welsh understood the importance of being the first team to settle into a rhythm.

And he accepted the senior players would have to set the example for the younger Bombers.

"As one of the leaders around the club, it's my job, Matthew (Lloyd's) job, to really settle the younger guys down," Welsh said.

"We need to get these guys up and ready to go but make sure they're don't go too overboard so they've played the game before they run out."

Welsh, who has played in six finals, said Anzac Day matches are played at almost the same intensity as finals games.

While he said form counted for little for the traditional clash, he accepted that there would be more at stake in this year's fixture with both sides having 2-3 win-loss records, having dropped their last two.

Welsh also appealed to Bomber fans to be patient with Lloyd, who has suffered the rare indignity of twice being held goalless in 2008.

"We've got new roles, new structures that we're all trying to learn," Welsh said.

"He's played out of the goalsquare for pretty much his whole career and now he is trying to adapt for the betterment of the team in new positions, so it's going to take time."

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