Essendon president Paul Brasher is understood to have lodged his resignation at Tullamarine following a Sunday board meeting among the Bombers' top brass.
Amid a tumultuous campaign for Essendon, a season only made worse by Sunday's 84-point loss to Port Adelaide, Brasher called for an internal review of the club's football department in May.
The timing of the review raised eyebrows across the AFL landscape, with Brasher flagging only weeks prior to the announcement that a review would not be necessary at the club.
According to The Age, fellow board members are understood to have been left displeased by the decision for the review not to be external, prompting pressure on Brasher's tenure as president.
The announcement of Brasher's resignation is expected to be confirmed as early as Monday, with a second board meeting to take place less than 24 hours from the club's 14th loss of the season.
Currently tied to the 15th rung on the ladder, Essendon's 2022 campaign has mounted questions over senior coach Ben Rutten's future, with Brasher's predicted departure only tipped to amplify speculation linking Rutten to a potential departure.
Rutten is currently contracted to the Bombers until the end of next year, while an ideal successor in Alastair Clarkson is seemingly destined to join North Melbourne in the coming weeks.
Further attention will turn to Rutten's future once Essendon confirm Brasher's resignation, while other members of the club's football department could also be headed for the exit.
Recent reports have suggested a rift among members of the club's hierarchy, inluning football boss Josh Mahoney and list guru Adrian Dodoro.
Assistant coach Blake Caracella and CEO Xavier Campbell have also had their futures with the Dons questioned.
It's understood that Sunday's review took place prior to the club's Round 22 loss to Port Adelaide, with Monday's meeting likely to hold discussions over who could the the reins as president.
The Ageย has suggested that Bombers board member David Barham, one figure who is believed to have called for an external review to be commissioned, could replace Brasher as president.
Essendon will end their 2022 campaign on Saturday night against Richmond at the MCG.
