Essendon president Paul Brasher has called for patience from the Bombers faithful as the club announced an internal review into their football operations will take place.
Football director and premiership Bomber Sean Wellman is set to oversee the review with the help of club greats Kevin Sheedy and Simon Madden.
The timing of the review immediately raised questions as the club noted they would not go down this path only months ago, with the change of mind coming on Monday night in a message to club members.
Brasher stated that an internal review will take place, with an aim to look "at every element of the football program" as the Bombers currently sit in 16th with a record of 2-9.
The disastrous opening half of the season comes as a shock descendency for Ben Rutten's men, who amassed a finals finish last season.
Two years on from a club review that fell in the same season Rutten was handed the reigns, the Bombers' top brass are now returning to investigate key areas of their football department.
"We are looking at every element of the football program," Brasher told club members.
"The actions that come out of this review are likely to be incremental in terms of additional resources, rather than transformational."
Brasher noted that while the club remains in a strong position to bolster its playing list this season, there will be a focus on recruitment and list management, as well as coaching and player development.
He added that the Bombers will attack the coming off-season with "a real head of steam" as they're comfortably placed financially for the year ahead.
"The recruiting and list management area is one that's going to be taking on a lot more importance this year because of the opportunities we have," Brasher said.
"It's always important, but this year we're likely to have reasonably high draft picks, room in our salary cap and the ability to go into a period of trade, free agency and drafting with a real head of steam."
As far as the club's on-field woes, Brasher stressed the need for patience as the club continues to work through a development phase under Rutten.
Late last year the club announced blueprints of a five-year plan to secure a premiership by 2026, while increasing their membership tally to 125,000.
While 2021 was a surprising step up for the Dons, the Bombers have seemingly taken two steps back this year.
Despite the rocky run of form across the past 18 months, Brasher noted that the club remains on the right path.
"Make no mistake about it, we are still in development, we're still a work in progress," he said.
"Again, I would say to you that progress is not going to be linear, but it is going to be there."
Adding to the Bombers' arduous campaign was the manner of chief executive Xavier Campbell's contract extension at Tullamarine.
Reports had emerged that Campbell's tenure had been extended until the end of 2024 amid a battling period of the Bombers' season, while the club had not noted the announcement to their members.
Brasher addressed the members' concerns and questions, apologising for the way it was handled while adding his support to Campbell.
โI've had one or two people say to me that it was inappropriate that they should read about this in the paper before the club informed them and questioned whether we were trying to pull some sort of swift one," he added.
โTo the second question, the answer is absolutely no, but I should apologise for the fact that you didn't hear it from us first.
โBut to the really fundamental question, the board unanimously agreed to extend Xavier's contract because we believe that he is the best person to provide the stability that we need and to lead us through this next stage of our five-year strategic plan, including football success.โ
The Bombers are scheduled for their mid-season bye this week before clashing with rivals Carlton on Friday, June 10 at the MCG.
