Don The Stat

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 17 Days to Round 1

We are officially 17 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 16 and Guernsey Number 16.
_______________________
Links:
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Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 18 Days to Round 1

We are officially 18 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 18 stands as one of Essendon’s most decorated jumpers — spanning Premierships from 1911 to the modern era and worn by some of the club’s greatest names.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 17 and Guernsey Number 17.
_______________________
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 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 19 Days to Round 1

We are officially 19 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 18 and Guernsey Number 18.
_______________________
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 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 20 Days to Round 1

We are officially 20 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 20 stands as a symbol of longevity, forward firepower, and Premiership success throughout Essendon’s history.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 19 and Guernsey Number 19.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
Don The Stat on Facebook 
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Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat First Thoughts | Essendon vs Richmond Practice Match | Rust, Roles & Ridley Concern

 
Essendon’s first practice match of 2026 is in the books and so are our First Thoughts.
Normally exclusive to our Patreon subscribers, we’ve made this pre-season edition public so you can hear how we break down games immediately after the siren.
In this episode:
Negatives
Another slow start. Jumped again early
Forward defensive habits still inconsistent
Ball use (improved as the game wore on)
The concern around Jordan Ridley’s calf setback
Positives
Strong corridor defence even when under pressure
Emerging roles: Duursma and Roberts look like real positional shifts
Midfield contest work
Sharp hands and ground ball wins from the next wave
Darcy Parish looking fit and back to his best
 
We take it with a grain of salt, it’s February, after all but there were clear themes worth noting.
No Jack Kirby Medal votes for practice matches, but the structure, habits and system clues are already showing.
If you enjoy this format, our First Thoughts episodes drop after every single game for Patreon members throughout the season.
 
Stay Safe & Go Dons. 🔴⚫
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 
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Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 21 Days to Round 1

We are officially 21 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 20 and Guernsey Number 20.
_______________________
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 
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Jono / Ian 

Pre-Season Training Watch 2026: Roles, Recruits & Round 1 Reality - Featuring Rick Edwards

With Essendon’s first practice match a day away, we bring in the best training watcher in the business, Rick Edwards, to break down everything we’ve learned from the 2026 pre-season.
From role changes and standout performers to new recruits and Round 1 prospects, this is your most comprehensive look yet at how the Bombers are shaping up.
We cover:
How this pre-season compares to 2025
The evolving game plan
Xavier Duursma’s shift to half forward
Archie Roberts’ midfield exposure
Brayden Fiorini’s leadership impact
Updates on Robey, Farrow, Sharp, Kondogiannis & El-Achkar
Concerns, question marks and what still needs work
And yes… the latest nomination for the Damian Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award (#DBLAA)
Balanced. Informed. No fluff.
If you want to know what’s actually happening at The Hangar, this is the episode.
🔗 Rick’s Patreon link - https://www.patreon.com/cw/RickEdwards 🔴⚫ Don The Stat Patreon Q&A next week
 
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 
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Jono / Ian
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 22 Days to Round 1

We are officially 22 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 22 stands as a symbol of scoring impact and Premiership pedigree at the Essendon Football Club
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 21 and Guernsey Number 21.
_______________________
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 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 23 Days to Round 1

We are officially 23 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 22 and Guernsey Number 22.
_______________________
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 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 24 Days to Round 1

We are officially 24 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 24 - a jumper defined by endurance, Premiership success, and some of the longest-serving players the club has ever produced.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 23 and Guernsey Number 23.
_______________________
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