Essendon’s defence has been unchanged for five weeks and Performance Coach Mark Harvey says the results are starting to show.

In the last five weeks Essendon is averaging just 62 points 'against', well down on its average points against for the season (89). 

The team is also averaging 106.6 points 'for' in that five-week period and the Dons are the number two-ranked side in the competition for rebounds from the defensive 50.

Michael Hurley, Michael Hartley, James Kelly, Martin Gleeson, Conor McKenna, Andrew McGrath and Mark Baguley have been the mainstays of the Bombers backline in recent weeks and the group could be further strengthened by the return of Patrick Ambrose who will make his comeback from a quad injury in the VFL on Saturday night.

“Arguably Ambrose is our best defender – purely ‘defending’ I’m talking about – obviously Hurley is our best ‘attacking’ defender,” Harvey told Bomber Radio.

“With that (Ambrose's absence) has come the evolvement of Hartley and we’ve introduced McGrath, McKenna and even Gleeson is starting to really find form.

“I think our younger players are starting to really show cohesion down there and they’re starting to give us drive – not just defending. 

“It’s getting to the stage where the opposition is starting to worry about our rebound which is good.”

Hurley appears on track to be named in the All Australian side for the second time in his career.

He's averaging career highs for disposals, marks and rebounds this season.

While McKenna is another one of the positive stories to emerge the Essendon defence this year.

He’s averaging almost four running bounces per game over the last five weeks as well as three rebounds and three inside 50s.

“Because of the fact he’s taken up this game quite late – I think his (growing) understanding of how the game is played has helped him,” Harvey said. 

“I think he really believes in what he’s doing now.

“The last two weeks he’s kicked a goal from the defensive area, where he goes into attack quite quickly.

“He takes kick outs – that’s a credit to a guy who was kicking a round ball until he was 18.

“He’s only going to get better.

“He’s still making some fundamental mistakes with his kicking because he tries to take the hard ones but it is what it is.”