WHEN challenged by the Brisbane Lions last week, Essendon steadied, kicked five goals straight and ran out the match comfortable 37-point winners.

It was hardly the response of a team that had lost eight games in a row to round 11, but this was not the same team that battled a heavy injury toll and unrealistic expectations in the first half of the season.

After a five-point loss to Adelaide in round 10, the signs of a turnaround were evident, according to coach Matthew Knights, who said his players had "put themselves right on the line from minute one" in hostile territory.

The previous week's loss to Richmond, a 91-point hiding against Sydney and heavy losses to Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Geelong had left the Bombers languishing near the bottom of the ladder.

Yet if there was a ladder for the past four rounds, only Geelong and the Bulldogs would sit above Essendon. Before beating Brisbane the Bombers defeated Fremantle, Carlton and West Coast, repaying Knights, who had publicly — and coolly — carried the can as the losses mounted.

Assistant coach Gary O'Donnell described the winning feeling at Windy Hill as infectious, but said positive results over the past month were no reason to get swept up in talk about finals.

"That's pie-in-the-sky stuff," he told The Age. "This footy club has to concentrate on getting the next group together and developing this young list."

However, statistics over the past month suggest the team is brimming with confidence. After ranking last or second last in several key indicators in rounds 1-11, the Bombers look a different team in the past four rounds, ranking first for long kicks, first for inside 50s, first for contested possessions, second for goals, second for clearances and fourth for marks.

"Teams haven't taken as many marks against us in the last five or six weeks, either," O'Donnell said. "And we're not getting scored against as much, so our players have been more accountable as a group (and) tried to be close to their opponent more often."

Statistics for the past four rounds suggest the Bombers are playing more like the Swans — having conceded the fewest disposals and fewest uncontested possessions to its opposition.

Compare that to rounds 1-11, when the side conceded the fourth-most disposals and the sixth-most uncontested possessions in the competition.

Not that Knights' attacking game style has suffered, having kicked 16, 20, 14 and 24 goals in the past four games to keep a top-eight finish within sight. Skipper Matthew Lloyd's 37 goals and the return of Scott Lucas has bolstered the forward line, which has also benefited from Kyle Reimers and Leroy Jetta's natural flair.

After ranking 15th for goals scored to round 11, the Bombers have jumped to second for rounds 12-15. "We've got such a potent forward line with Lloyd and Lucas, (Adam) McPhee and (Angus) Monfries doing a good job and Leroy, too, the last few weeks." O'Donnell said.

Scoring from stoppages has also improved, with David Hille's ruck work a major factor in recent weeks. "That's been a really pleasing aspect and (Andrew) Welsh has been a find the last five weeks, doing his role in there with a bigger body, making us a bit more robust," O'Donnell said.

Knights has repeatedly said a more settled team has helped deliver far greater consistency. "I've said for the last week or two, the continuity in the team, not making five or six changes a week … has been a bonus for us," he said after last week's win.

And the statistics support the theory. Between rounds 1-11, only three Essendon players played every game, while 18 players have been involved in each of the past four.

"Being more settled has allowed some of our younger players to play the same role each week and that creates stability," O'Donnell said.

Ricky Dyson and Jarrod Atkinson come into the side for today's game against Richmond. Key midfielder Mark McVeigh misses following knee surgery on Thursday and Andrew Lovett has been suspended for two games for disciplinary reasons.

"We haven't had a lot of changes, so it's disappointing to have two this week," O'Donnell said.

The Tigers made no change to the side that beat West Coast by 77 points last week.