Don The Stat
Don the Stat is a weekly podcast covering the Essendon Football Club. Former Essendon Football Club analyst Jonathan Walsh is joined by fellow Essendon fan Ian Hume to break down the previous weeks game and preview the tactics of the next match. We focus on a more analytical approach that considers the statistics and match day tactics that will impact each game.
Visit donthestat.com for the official home of Don The Stat.
Listen on:
Episodes
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
The wait is over. Round 1 of the 2026 AFL season has arrived.
In this episode of Don The Stat, Jono and Humey preview Essendon’s season opener against Hawthorn.
After months of pre-season training, match simulations and practice games, we finally get our first real look at the Bombers when the points count.
The guys break down everything you need to know ahead of Friday night.
In this episode we cover:
Angus Clarke’s injury and what it means for Essendon’s early season plans
Lachlan Blakiston’s contract extension and his role as the Bombers’ Round 1 ruck
What we learned from Opening Round across the AFL and the impact of the new rules
A statistical deep dive into Hawthorn’s game style and where Essendon can attack them
Lessons from last year’s Round 1 meeting between the two sides
Key tactical battles including clearances, turnovers and Hawthorn’s intercept defence
How Essendon can limit Hawthorn’s dangerous small forwards
Our final thoughts and expectations for the Bombers in Round 1
It’s the first real test of the season, with three debutants, new roles across the ground and plenty of intrigue around how Essendon will look in 2026.
Can the Bombers take advantage of Hawthorn’s midfield vulnerabilities and start the season with a statement win?
Breaking down the Zach Merrett ‘Deal’ - https://www.donthestat.com/post/the-zach-merrett-trade-that-never-was
____
Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat
Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/
Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky:
Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social
Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social
Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat
Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
17 hours ago
17 hours ago
We are officially 1 day out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG tomorrow night.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we counted down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
Guernsey Number 1. Over the decades, the jumper passed through many hands, sometimes briefly, sometimes for long stretches but always onto players the club trusted.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
2 days ago
2 days ago
We are officially 2 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
Guernsey Number 2 - worn in Essendon’s first Premiership, carried through multiple flag eras, and still evolving as the club moves forward.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 1 and Guernsey Number 1.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
3 days ago
3 days ago
We are officially 3 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
Guernsey Number 3 - worn in Essendon’s first Premiership, carried through multiple flag eras, and still evolving as the club moves forward.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 2 and Guernsey Number 2.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
4 days ago
4 days ago
We are officially 4 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
Guernsey Number 4 - a number that quietly carries Brownlow medals, Premierships, leadership and legacy.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 3 and Guernsey Number 3.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
5 days ago
5 days ago
We are officially 5 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
Guernsey Number 5 - worn in Essendon’s first Premiership, carried through multiple flag eras, and still evolving as the club moves forward.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 4 and Guernsey Number 4.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
6 days ago
6 days ago
We are officially 6 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
Guernsey Number 6 - a jumper steeped in leadership, resilience, and Premiership success.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 6 and Guernsey Number 6.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
7 days ago
7 days ago
Essendon’s 2026 season is almost here.
With Round 1 against Hawthorn just 8 days away, Jono and Humey return for the annual Don The Stat Season Preview. Breaking down everything Bombers fans need to know heading into the new AFL season.
After a brutal 2025 that saw 15 debutants and a 13-game losing streak, the big question is whether the young Bombers can take a step forward in 2026.
In this episode we analyse:
What the practice matches revealed
The key statistical trends that shaped Essendon’s 2025 season
Which metrics will matter most in 2026
List changes and emerging young talent
The biggest strengths and weaknesses of the squad
A full SWOT analysis of the Bombers
Our three bold predictions for the season ahead
Plus:
Another Damian Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award nomination
Discussion around Essendon’s midfield, intercept game and turnover defence
Which players have surged into Round 1 contention
If Essendon is going to improve in 2026, the answers will likely come from territory, turnovers and transition football.
We break down exactly what to watch for.
_____
Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat
Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/
Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky:
Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social
Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social
Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat
Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
7 days ago
7 days ago
We are officially 7 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on March 13 and between now and then, we’re doing something a little bit different.Leading into the 2025 Season, we counted down our Top 100 Essendon players since 1980.In 2026, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1, 2026 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers.
Who wore it first.Who wore it most.Which Premiership players pulled it on.Brownlow winners, club legends, cult heroes, and sometimes the obscure one-gamer that still forms part of the story.
By the time we get to Number 1, we’ll be on the eve of Round 1 — and we’ll have walked through more than a century of Essendon history, one jumper at a time.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 6 and Guernsey Number 6.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook
Don The Stat on Instagram
Follow Us on X / Twitter
Jono / Ian
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
Essendon’s 2026 season is almost here.
With Round 1 against Hawthorn just 8 days away, Jono and Humey return for the annual Don The Stat Season Preview. Breaking down everything Bombers fans need to know heading into the new AFL season.
After a brutal 2025 that saw 15 debutants and a 13-game losing streak, the big question is whether the young Bombers can take a step forward in 2026.
In this episode we analyse:
What the practice matches revealed
The key statistical trends that shaped Essendon’s 2025 season
Which metrics will matter most in 2026
List changes and emerging young talent
The biggest strengths and weaknesses of the squad
A full SWOT analysis of the Bombers
Our three bold predictions for the season ahead
Plus:
Another Damian Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award nomination
Discussion around Essendon’s midfield, intercept game and turnover defence
Which players have surged into Round 1 contention
If Essendon is going to improve in 2026, the answers will likely come from territory, turnovers and transition football.
We break down exactly what to watch for.
_____
Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat
Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/
Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky:
Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social
Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social
Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat
Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
