Essendon coach Ben Rutten feels his job is safe after a three-game winning streak that has revitalised the Bombers' stuttering 2022 campaign.
While the club has undertaken an internal review, announced when they were reeling at 2-10, the second-year coach appears set to fend off calls for a change at the helm of the Bombers.
His side has beaten finals-bound Sydney, a COVID-depleted Brisbane and top eight-aspirant Gold Coast in consecutive weeks, and Rutten believed he'd shown what the Bombers could be capable of with him in charge.
"I've got a lot of belief about what this group is capable of, and we're a developing group and we're starting to learn about each other," he said.
"And the last few weeks have been really important for us to get a bit of belief and a bit of confidence in what we've been doing.
"There's a lot of work getting done that's starting to bear a bit of fruit now, there's always a bit of a lag effect when you start doubling down on a few areas, you don't quite see the results probably for four to six weeks, potentially, after the fact."
While acknowledging reviews can often spell the end of a coach's tenure, Rutten said he'd rely on his continual dialogue with Essendon heavies to feel confident he was not in the firing line.
"I've got a really strong relationship with (football boss) Josh Mahoney, (chief executive) Xavier Campbell, (president) Paul Brasher, we talk weekly, a couple of times a week, and it's really important we're really aligned with what we're doing," he said.
"Certainly we weren't having from a results point of view a season we liked and part of the process of getting better and continually defining your best is reviewing and making sure that we're looking at all areas.
"My role is to support the players and continue to lead and direct the club ... hold the vision.
"That's been a really good learning period for me as a less experienced coach and we've put a lot of work in the last month to six weeks."
Meanwhile, Rutten confirmed Essendon would offer captain and unrestricted free agent Dyson Heppell a contract, as the 30-year-old is linked to other clubs.
"We absolutely want him at our club next year, there's no doubt about that," he said.
"I know 'Hep' is keen to stay, so it's about getting the finer details sorted."
