SHAUN McKernan has used the end of the season to prove to Essendon he has a future at the club, with the ruckman hitting a form spike in recent weeks.

The 24-year-old, who was delisted at the end of last year by Adelaide before having his career revived as a rookie at the Bombers, is out of contract at the end of this season.

But his past two weeks shouldering the club's ruck duties has shown he can be a valuable member of Essendon's set-up in 2016 and beyond.

He backed up a three-goal effort last week against Gold Coast with 15 disposals and 31 hit-outs against Richmond big man Ivan Maric in Saturday night's loss to the Tigers.  

Having learned alongside Maric as a teammate in his early days as a Crow, McKernan was pleased with his ability to match it with one of the AFL's best. 

"I obviously spent some time in the team early in the year and was disappointed to go out. Due to injuries again I've come back in and wanted to finish the year strongly and cement myself at the club and hopefully I can be here next year as well," McKernan told AFL.com.au.

"After last week I took a fair bit of confidence out of that game and even again tonight competing against Ivan, one of the best ruckmen in the competition.

"Being able to go the distance with him was good. I'm trying to do everything I can to get another opportunity [next year]."

McKernan was elevated off the rookie list earlier in the season and has played eight games for the Bombers this season after 34 for the Crows in six seasons.

He said he has had "brief chats" with the Bombers about their intentions for him next year, but that he was trying to steer clear of thinking too much about his contractual status, believing in the past it had distracted him. 

But he did admit he has regained his self-belief.

"I'm enjoying it and I've got that hunger back again. At the end of last year I was pretty burnt out and wasn't really sure which way my career could've gone," he said.

"There's definitely been some challenging times this year and being on the rookie list, I wasn't really sure how that would go and what would be the outcome from that.

"This time last year I tore my hamstring so my season was over and I knew as soon as that happened my career might've been over as well. This year I've just enjoyed my footy again and it's helped in a big way." 

With Essendon re-signing first-choice ruckman Tom Bellchambers to a new two-year deal this week, McKernan thinks his ideal position would be in a supporting role to Bellchambers across the forward line and as the second ruck. Stand-in Essendon coach Matthew Egan agreed.

"He's probably got to develop his forward game a bit more," stand-in Egan said after the Richmond defeat.

"He's still getting better. It's his sixth or seventh season in the system but for us he's improved dramatically since he's been at our club. That's a good sign in players and (in) our development program."