Essendon coach John Worsfold admits Joe Daniher's self-belief has taken a hit with the young key forward struggling to replicate last season's All-Australian form.
Daniher was held to 0.3 as a fast-finishing Melbourne consigned the Bombers to a 36-point loss on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
The 24-year-old's lack of form has been a major contributor to Essendon slumping to 14th on the ladder with two wins and four losses.
Daniher has kicked just seven goals from six games, having booted 65 majors last season to finish third in the Coleman Medal count and claim club best and fairest honours.
Worsfold on Sunday said he was confident Daniher would return to his best form, adding that he couldn't fault the key forward's workrate.
"(The key is) believing in what he's good enough to achieve and working hard," Worsfold said.
"I can't make him work any harder because he's working hard already.
"Just the belief that he's got it there and he's not the only player ever to be not playing their best footy at any period in the game.
"He'll be playing good footy for us fairly soon, I'd be confident in that."
Worsfold said the Bombers' forward-50 issues weren't all down to Daniher with a lack of supply hurting their ability to score.
"It really doesn't matter who's in your forward line. It's strongly related to how many times you get it forward, and we're not getting it forward enough," he said.
"We've got to get better at the way we're moving the ball. There's times where we went inside 50 today and ... as an AFL team, you should kick a goal. We didn't get a shot at goal, and we saw the same at times last week.
"It's just decision-making and skills."
Worsfold said goalsneak Orazio Fantasia could return for next Saturday's clash with Hawthorn at the MCG, having recovered from a groin injury.
