A group of rebel Victorian Liberal MPs is continuing to move against leader John Pesutto, with plans in motion to oust the alternative premier by the end of the year.

Mr Pesutto, who has spent the last three weeks in court defending defamation claims levelled against him by exiled Liberal MP Moira Deeming, has denied any knowledge of plans to overthrow him and has repeatedly stated he will contest the 2026 election.

On Monday, Mr Pesutto said he was unaware of any plans against him.

"If someone wants to do that, there are rights under the party's constitution to do it, but nobody's told me they're doing that," he said.

Mr Pesutto said he believed he had the support of the party room.

"I'm confident that the team wants to continue the work we've been doing. I take nothing for granted," he said.

"I'm always answerable to my colleagues, and I only have this responsibility because my parliamentary colleagues conferred that on me when I stood for leader and I'm always humbled by that."

But the ABC has spoken to MPs who have confirmed a plan to challenge Mr Pesutto's leadership before the end of the year, citing the defamation trial as the reason for the disquiet within the party room.

"Internal Liberal matters should stay in house and not be played out in a courtroom … this has been a terrible period for the party and he has no one but himself to blame."

Mr Pesutto's rivals need 16 votes from MPs to move a motion to suspend standing orders and spill the leadership.

An MP told the ABC they would consider challenging next week when parliament resumed.

"I think we have the numbers now, but if it doesn't get up, we're not too concerned," they said.

Liberal Party no stranger to spills

If the leadership spill is successfully passed, it is seen as unlikely Mr Pesutto will stand, given the motion is effectively a vote of no confidence.

Former tennis star and Nepean MP Sam Groth and opposition police spokesperson Brad Battin have been touted as potential leadership candidates.

Mr Battin is currently overseas.

He and Mr Groth have been contacted for comment.

Allies of Mr Pesutto point to polls which they say suggest the Coalition is gaining an edge over Labor.

"He's been a successful leader, you only have to look at the polling," an MP told the ABC.

One MP speculated that long-time opponents of Mr Pesutto were concerned that a victory in the defamation trial could embolden his leadership and ruin any chance they had of ousting him.

Two other Liberal MPs have told the ABC the leadership challenge was just speculation and they had not been formally approached.

A challenge to Mr Pesutto's leadership would be the fourth Victorian Liberal Party spill in three-and-a-half years.

In March 2021, Brad Battin unsuccessfully attempted to topple then incumbent Michael O'Brien.

Matthew Guy then led a successful coup against Mr O'Brien later that year.

That move proved disastrous for the Liberals though, with Mr Guy leading the party to a landslide defeat at the next election, in which Labor increased its majority.

Mr Pesutto claimed the leadership after the heavy loss, squeaking past Mr Battin by one vote.

Handling of Deeming saga criticised

The Moira Deeming saga came just three months into Mr Pesutto's tenure.

The rookie upper house MP appeared at a "Let Women Speak" rally on the steps of Victoria's parliament that was headlined by prominent anti-trans-rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen.

The event was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis, some of whom performed the now-illegal Nazi salute.

Mr Pesutto quickly moved to suspend Ms Deeming from the party following the controversial event — a move which alienated several conservative MPs who believe he handled the issue poorly.

Closing arguments in the Deeming-Pesutto defamation trial are expected later this month, with a decision likely to land months after that.