Joel Fitzgerald is remaining bullish on Essendon’s VFL potential amid some difficult losses in recent weeks.

The Dons have found themselves on the verge of snapping their losing streak in some tight contests over the past month but have fallen short late in games.

Fitzgerald told Essendon FC that despite the results, the group is confident their play can bear fruit over the coming weeks.

“We still think we’re playing good footy. We’ve been beating teams that are playing well for the majority of the day and just running out of legs late,” Fitzgerald said.

“It’s a bit flat when you can’t break that cycle, but if we keep playing the way we are, I have no doubt a win is around the corner.”

Fitzgerald has been a consistent contributor for the Dons this season, averaging 18 disposals per game splitting his time between half-back and the wing.

Since joining the Bombers in 2022, the Northern Knights product has enjoyed the challenge of not only becoming flexible in a new position, but also adapting to new team structures coming into play.

“With some of the AFL boys coming back in I’ve been pushed up to the wing, running that pattern and connecting between our forwards and backs. I like trying to impact and challenge forward, keeping my man accountable,” Fitzgerald said.

“We’ve been focusing a lot on switching defensively and getting in the right spots when we can’t impact offensively. We’re still learning some new structures that we go into late in quarters, but we’re trying to get those into our game to help us close out.”

Fitzgerald has been impressed by the team’s camaraderie this season, with the general vibe amongst the group sticking positive in the middle of a tough run.

Despite being one of the younger heads in the VFL side, Fitzgerald has also embraced the personal task of setting the tone for the other members of the squad.

“Knowing most of the boys from last year, I’ve built those relationships so it’s not really new for me, but we try to keep it as connected as possible with team dinners and craft sessions to keep the morale going,” Fitzgerald said.

“I’m only 19 myself, so I’ve had to grow up quickly and be a leader amongst the boys, but I do try to drive the standards and it’s something we’ve all had to adapt to quickly with the young group we have here.”

Feeling refreshed after the bye round for both Essendon’s AFL and VFL sides, Leigh Tudor’s men will be looking to reverse their fortunes quickly, and Fitzgerald is ready to jump at the opportunity.

“Hang in there with us, we’ve got a few wins coming very shortly. We’ve had some very promising signs the last couple of weeks, and there’s a good feeling we’ll be able to get back on the winners list,” Fitzgerald said.

Image: Gallivant Photo.