Don The Stat

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 51 Days to Round 1

We are officially 51 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 51 — another number defined by short-term ownership rather than long-term possession.
 
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 52 Days to Round 1

We are officially 52 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 52 — a number that briefly introduced a champion, and reappeared in one of the most unusual seasons the club has faced.
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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 And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 53 Days to Round 1

We are officially 53 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 53 — a number that’s popped up across generations, often briefly, but always as part of Essendon’s official playing history.
 
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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 And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 54 Days to Round 1

We are officially 54 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 54 — a number that links two very different eras of the club, separated by more than 40 years.
 
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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 And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 55 Days to Round 1

We are officially 55 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 55 — a number defined by short stints, transitions, and its place within the broader guernsey journey of several Bombers.
 
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 56 Days to Round 1

We are officially 56 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 56 — not defined by longevity, but by a series of short appearances that stretch across multiple eras of the club.
 
_______________________
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 And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 57 Days to Round 1

We are officially 57 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 57 — not defined by longevity, but by a series of short appearances that stretch across multiple eras of the club.
 
_______________________
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 And Bluesky:
Jono / Ian 

Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 58 Days to Round 1

We are officially 58 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 58 only appeared once at Essendon, it still represents an official moment in the club’s history — the ceiling of the guernsey list, and the starting point of this countdown.
 
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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 And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat Countdown to 2026 - 59 Days to Round 1

We are officially 59 days out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, under lights at the MCG on Friday night — 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.From tomorrow, 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.Day 58 starts tomorrow. And we look forward to sharing it with you.
 
_______________________
Links:
Don The Stat Website | The Official Home of Don The Stat Don The Stat Patreon
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Jono / Ian And Bluesky:
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Don The Stat & Essendon 2025 Wrapped: Vozzo Exit, Draft Class Deep Dive, 2026 Breakouts & the Stats That Matter

It’s our end-of-year wrap for 2025 — and we’re packing a lot in.
Jono and Humey cover Craig Vozzo’s departure and why his three-year tenure matters, then dive deep on Essendon’s 2025 draft haul (including the move that landed pick 9) and what it means for list balance heading into 2026.
From Sullivan Robey’s high-upside profile and Jacob Farrow’s left-foot class, to Dyson Sharp looking ready-made for AFL midfield minutes, we break down roles, risks, and the gaps still left to fill. We also touch on the Nic Martin setback, the Will Setterfield replacement decision, Angus Clarke’s extension, and what the new leadership group says about where the club is headed.
To finish, we run through our 2026 predictions and the stats we’ll be watching most — scores from turnover, intercepts, inside 50s and efficiency, contested work, and whether the Bombers can finally lift the percentage back over 100.
Plus: a big thank you to our Patreon community, our guests across the year, and everyone who’s helped make Don The Stat what it is.
We’ll be back in late January with pre-season check-ins, best 23s, practice match breakdowns, and the Patreon Q&A (and yes… maybe another countdown).
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