Don The Stat

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 25 Days to Round 1

We are officially 25 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 25 — a number defined by goals, Premierships, and one of the most durable scoring forwards the club has ever seen.
 
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Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - Ft. Robert Shaw - 26 Days to Round 1

Thanks to Robert Shaw for being a part of this episode.We are officially 26 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 26 — a number defined by elite goalkicking, leadership, Premiership success, and one very important link to Don The Stat itself.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 26 and Guernsey Number 26.
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Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 27 Days to Round 1

We are officially 27 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 27 — a jumper defined by ruck royalty, Premiership success, and one of the most enduring individual legacies in Essendon history.
 
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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 Countdown to 2026 - 28 Days to Round 1

We are officially 28 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 28 — a number shaped by durability, Premiership success, and one of the great long-term custodians in club history.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 27 and Guernsey Number 27.
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian 

Round 1 Match Committee: Featuring Robert Shaw. How would we line up against the Hawks?

We’re 29 days out from Round 1… and that means one thing for Essendon fans:
Selection season has officially begun.
On this special episode of Don The Stat, Jono and Ian are joined by former Essendon premiership architect and two-time senior AFL coach Robert Shaw, who steps into the role of Chairman of Selectors.
The task? Pick the Essendon side best placed to take on Hawthorn in Round 1.
This isn’t a “Best 23” debate.
It’s about matchups. Structure. Game style. And how the Bombers should approach a Hawks side missing key midfield pieces.
We cover:
🔴 How match committee operated in the past (and a classic Andrew Welsh story)
🔴 Whether Hawthorn’s Opening Round game is an advantage or disadvantage
🔴 Defensive matchups for Chol, Lewis, Gunston, Watson & Ginnivan
🔴 The midfield battle without, Day or Worpel
🔴 Do you tag Newcombe?
🔴 How Lachlan Blakiston shapes up against Meek and possibly Reeves
🔴 A pace-heavy forward line vs structural discipline
🔴 Patron-voted Round 1 side vs our own selections
🔴 The unlucky names who just miss out
Plus, Rob gives his expectations for Essendon in 2026.
Selection debates don’t get much better than this.
Stay Safe & Go Dons.
 
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 29 Days to Round 1

We are officially 29 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.
 
Jumper Number 29 — a jumper with Premiership history, and a Reynolds family thread across generations.
_______________________
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 Countdown to 2026 - 30 Days to Round 1

We are officially 30 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.
 
Jumper Number 30 — a number that has quietly carried Premiership players, long-serving contributors, and now the next generation.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 29 and Guernsey Number 29.
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Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian 

Xavier Duursma joins Don The Stat: Role Clarity, Leadership, and Taking the Next Step at Essendon

In this episode of Don The Stat, we sit down with Xavier Duursma as he reflects on his third pre-season at Essendon Football Club and why this one feels like a turning point.After playing the most games of his career in 2025, Xavier speaks openly about how his body is tracking, the confidence that comes from continuity, and how that’s allowed him to fully invest in his game.We dive into:
his role heading into 2026 and what it demands
the differences between playing wing and half-forward
what he brings to Essendon’s forward line
the impact of new Assistant Coach Dean Solomon
his leadership aspirations and what growth off the field looks like for him
how his brother is settling in at West Coast Eagles
and what excites him most about Essendon in 2026, including big praise for Jordan Ridley and the club’s new draftees.
It’s a conversation about role clarity, trust in your body, learning from strong coaches, and stepping into greater responsibility all pointing toward why Xavier believes 2026 could be an exciting year.🎧 A must-listen for Bombers fans tracking how this list and its leaders are evolving.
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Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian 

Don the Stat Countdown to 2026 - 31 Days to Round 1

We are officially 31 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.
 
Jumper Number 31 — a number that grew into greatness, and ultimately became inseparable from one of the greatest careers the game has seen.
_______________________
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 - 32 Days to Round 1

We are officially 32 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.
 
Jumper Number 32 — a number defined by longevity, leadership, and Premiership success across generations.
We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 31 and Guernsey Number 31.
_______________________
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