Essendon's new chairman says the Bombers are ramping up their legal team and are confident they can keep coach James Hird and play in the AFL finals.
Paul Little's rise from deputy chairman to the top job, after David Evans' shock resignation on Saturday night, was confirmed by the Bombers board on Monday morning.
Little praised his predecessor, who quit amid health concerns, but said the change of leadership wouldn't harm the Bombers' defence against the soon-to-be-finalised investigation into their supplements saga.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the AFL are expected to report their findings next week.
"The board and the club remain very united about how we should approach the challenges of the investigation that we currently have in front of us," Little said in a message to supporters on the club's website on Monday.
"Not only are we united in relation to meeting those challenges but we're also united in our support of James Hird, who we believe can lead us into a successful finals campaign."
There is the potential for players to be suspended if they are found to have used banned substances.
Even if that's not the case, the AFL could still fine the Bombers, strip them of premiership points, impose draft penalties, or sanction club leaders such as Hird over their handling of the supplements program.
Hird, who described Evans' resignation due to the impact of the saga as a "travesty", also maintained on Monday he was definitely the right man to continue steering the Bombers.
Little said he and his colleagues were working hard to ensure the best possible outcome for the club.
"My understanding is that within two weeks we will have the report from ASADA at which time we will obviously need to work through any of the allegations or concerns that there are for the club in that report," he said.
"I can confirm that we are ramping up both our legal advisory input and also our PR input to make sure that the club is represented in the best possible way."
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and his deputy Gillon McLachlan have left for the United States, part of a delegation including club officials to consult with US sporting bodies on equalisation.
Demetriou dismissed criticism that he should have cancelled his place on the long-planned trip given the Bombers' situation.
Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett called for him to lose his job.
"We've got capable people here," Demetriou told the AFL website on Sunday at Melbourne Airport.
"I'm sure if anything does happen, we'll be across it.
"It's important that we do this trip. You've got to plan these things well in advance."
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