Review The outlook. There were clear skies early in Essendon’s Round 1 clash against Hawthorn, but it didn’t take long for clouds to descend as the game wore on, and they only grew darker and heavier in Roun...

Essendon Rd3 review 🆙 on #thebombersblog

More clouds this wk & the usual causes making them grey unfortunately, individuals mostly

But I also saw some flickers of sunlight coming thru, not enough for the😎but some vitamin D is better than none #godons

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Review Oh no. After the reality check and disappointment of Round 1, Essendon headed to Adelaide needing a quick regroup on their first road trip of the year, looking to restore some pride early in the seaso...

Essendon Rd2 review 🆙 on #TheBombersBlog

Covered a few things here (had to pick and choose from about 500), which looks at zoning issues (not council-related) starting behind the 🎱 again and why, and then the method to get out of quicksand #godons

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Review Flick the switch. After another August finish to Essendon’s season, and a long and arduous summer build not just for the players but also the fans, 2026 begins with no bigger anticipation for an openi...

Rd1 review 🆙 on #thebombersblog

As usual, the numbers back up the 👀 in another tough watch for Essendon fans

Included is my POV on what they mean for the future, what I would’ve liked in team selection, and why, as well as my thoughts on the game style

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St Kilda vs Essendon That’s it. After blowing the cobwebs off last Friday against Richmond in a match simulation that gave both players and fans their first external reference point of the preseason, this week presented a...

My perspective & words on Essendon’s practice match 🆙 on #thebombersblog #GoDons

Wrote about the bookends standing up & what that looked like (unfortunately not helped by the mids)

What & who looks promising, as well as the improvements needed

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Essendon vs Richmond Almost ready, set, go. The off-season and pre-season have felt far too long for Essendon fans, and you can only imagine what it’s been like for the players. After another spring and summer build-up th...

My review of Essendon’s practice match 🆙 on #thebombersblog

Here I look at the 👎🏻 that was most of Q1 & what changed from Q2 👍🏻 onwards

Also, what, and importantly who, looks promising, as well as where some improvements are needed
#godons

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Friday February 13th One more week to go. Essendon’s fitness foundation was largely established over seven weeks pre-Christmas, built through intensive and repetitive running to develop conditioning. Since returning in th...

My review of Essendon’s match sim today now 🆙 on #thebombersblog

Includes:
Another standout performance that is surely creating headaches (good ones) while another positional move showed its best potential👀

Also a Sharp glimpse of the future #godons

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Here’s my thoughts & details on who stood out & importantly why in Essendon’s match sim

A few new names bobbed up last wk & I’m glad to say backed it up this wk, one in particular 👀
#thebombersblog #godons

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A look forward A Preview of the Preview. If you’ve read my reviews of Essendon’s 2025 season, you’ll already have a clear sense of what I felt worked on field and why, and what didn’t, especially in the period where...

My extended Essendon 2026 preview is 🆙 on #thebombersblog

It’s a long one as I cover
-every player on the list
-fixture
-game style changes
-positional changes
-improvements needed
-coaching
-what it all looks like
-KPI’s I’ll be tracking
#godons

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January 30th Ramping up now. Exactly six weeks out from Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, today’s two-hour training and match simulation offered another clear snapshot of the ideas and method being embedded ...

My review of Essendon’s Friday match sim is 🆙 on #thebombersblog

In here is:
- Who played where (one big surprise)
- Who went head to head (inc a much better matchup)
& of course
-Who shone brightest & how
#GoDons

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Friday 23rd of January Sunglasses and sunscreen on.A magnificent summer’s day to be standing on the outer wing at the NEC Hangar, watching a late-January match simulation as Essendon’s preseason continues to build.In contra...

My review of Essendon’s match sim from today is up on #thebombersblog

Here I cover starting positions, matchups, who shone brightest, and of course, why

*Shout out to @charliedons.bsky.social
for his photos from today, brilliant as always! 🙏
#GoDons

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January 14, 16 & 20th Welcome back. The second week of Essendon’s 2026 preseason marked my first chance to get down to training, following a much-needed Christmas and New Year break — much like the players themselves.Unlik...

I had a chance to get to the last 3 Essendon training sessions, 1 of which was a match sim

Here are my thoughts on it as well as what’s been trained

Includes a 👀 at who’s on 🔥 as well as some game style changes
#thebombersblog #godons

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I’ll delve deeper into my training report out Monday, but here’s a quick rundown from Essendon’s match sim today

Kako🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
McGrath ✅✅✅
El Achkar ✅✅✅
Wright ✅✅✅
McKay ✅✅✅
Duursma ✅✅
Langford ✅✅
Farrow ✅✅
Reid ✅
#godons #thebombersblog

Wednesday 3rd December & Friday 5th December Suns out, guns out. There aren’t many training sessions left before the Christmas break, so with another opportunity available, I once again head down to the Hangar to gather some information on what ...

Another chance to get to Essendon preseason training today & Wed

Plenty caught my 👁️ inc some drills focused on teaching, both for experience & a rule change

Also, more of a sign on what their method may be ball in hand 👇🏻
#thebombersblog #godons

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The Draft The journey begins now. Essendon walked away from the 2025 AFL Draft with a haul they’ll be expecting to shape the next era.With three first-round selections on night one and a fourth and fifth added ...

Here’s my review of Essendon’s draft haul

With nearly 7k words looking at each player’s strengths, areas for improvement, & how they’ll eventually fit into the lineup

Most importantly, I cover what it means for ‘26 & beyond
#thebombersblog #GoDons

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Friday 21st Nov & Monday 24th Nov It starts here.Finally had my first opportunity to get down to pre-season training on Friday, and backed it up again today to get another early look at what 2026 may hold for Essendon fans.In this rev...

Had a chance to get to Essendon preseason training Fri & today, & while it’s early to tell what’s ahead for ‘26, thought I’d share what caught my 👁️, who stood out & what I’m looking for

Thanks to Rick Edwards for footage & links
#thebombersblog #GoDons

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Part Five Intro. Following on from parts one https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/2025-vs-2024-vs-2023two https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/part-twothree https://thebomber...

My Essendon 2025 review continues on #thebombersblog as I look at Marks, comparing 🔴⚫️ method change with ball in hand even more from ‘23 & 24’ to Rd11 ‘25

This covers in50, intercept marks as well as contested & uncontested marks
#GoDons

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Essendon’s day breaks inbetween games to Rd14 vs their opponents
#thebombersblog #GoDons

In order
9 v 7 Port
6 v 6 Nth
8 v 16 WB
6 v 6 Melb
7 v 7 GC
7 v 9 Coll
7 v 6 Bris
7 v 6 GWS
8 v 9 Frem
5 v 5 Rich
9 v 6 WCE
7 v 5 Carl
6 v 5 Melb

Essendon 2026 Fixture Notes
🤔

Rounds 6, 7, 8, 9, 10😬
GC away
Coll home
Bris home
GWS away
Freo home

Rounds 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 🫠
Bris away
GWS home
Haw home
Ade home
Gee home

Home= Victoria
Away= Interstate
#thebombersblog #GoDons

Part Four Intro. This review follows on from Parts One https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/2025-vs-2024-vs-2023Two https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/part-twoand Three htt...

My review of Essendon 2025 continues on #thebombersblog

This time ball movement

What the method was with it & what improvements are needed, inc issues without it

Covers poss chains, speed, territory + more, vs the oppo & Rd1-11 vs 12-24 #GoDons

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Part Three Intro. This review follows on from Parts One https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/2025-vs-2024-vs-2023 and Two https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/part-two, and co...

Essendon 2025 review Part 3 🆙on #thebombersblog

TBH this one’s long, so much content on Possessions I had to get off my chest inc
Groundball
Uncontested poss
Post clr contests
Team selection & more

HUGE barometers here, some promising, some not #GoDons

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Part Two Intro. This review follows on from Part One https://thebombersblog.wixsite.com/thebombersblog/post/2025-vs-2024-vs-2023 in comparing Essendon’s 2025 season against the previous two. To give a clearer ...

My review of Essendon 2025 continues with Part 2, Stoppages

Here I look at the ✅ that showed promise up until Rd11, as well as the ❌, which need a fix for ‘26

Also inc comparisons to ‘23 & ‘24, as well as the rest of the comp #thebombersblog #godons

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Part One Attacking this year. Reviewing Essendon’s 2025 season as a single body of work feels almost impossible, as from roughly the halfway point continuity in the weekly lineup was tested by injury, with the...

Essendon 2025 review Part 1 🆙 on #thebombersblog

Hard yr to sum up so i split it into Rd1-11 & 12-24 as I believe injuries then took over

Compares ‘23 & ‘24

Part 1 Qtrs & Disposals
Coming up
Stoppage
Contests
Ball Movement
F50, D50 & more
#GoDons

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Turnover to Score

-Gee #1 in converting but #8 in defending

-Ade #6 in converting, #2 in defending

-Haw #12 in converting, the lowest ranked finalist

-Carl #7 in defending

-Essendon gave up the most shots at goal from turnovers, 1 more than WCE
#thebombersblog #godons

Clearance to Score

-WB #1 converting but mid table in defending

-Ade #7 in converting, #1 at defending

-GWS #3 For, but #13 Against

-Bris lowest ranked finalist

-Carl #5 in defending

-Essendon #7 in defending, higher than 3 finalists
#thebombersblog #GoDons

Suns vs Bombers Preview It’s finally ending. This season really began in November last year, and after a start that offered hope and promise, it now comes to a close in August, far too early for everyone involved, including ...

Last Essendon preview of 2025 🆙 on #thebombersblog

80min of footy left for this group, so I say all out attack, not just because of it being the final game, but if there’s a flaw in GC currently, it’s when the game is in motion more than stopped #GoDons

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Bombers vs Blues Review Not my sport. I’m not a basketball fan, to tell you the truth. That’s not to denigrate the sport, because I can absolutely appreciate the skill level required, the athleticism of the players and the t...

Essendon Rd24.1 review 🆙 on #thebombersblog

TBH, I’m not a fan of 🏀 & this was effectively that; here I explain why, but at the same time look at a BIG ✅ in one aspect of it, unfortunately balanced out with a ❌

Also inc 🔴⚫️CBA numbers 👀
#GoDons

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Quarters For & Against
*to Rd23

1st Qtr
GC 🔥
Bris 🔥
WB 🔥
Ade 🔥
Essendon 😴💤

2nd Qtr
Ade 🚀 🚀
WB 🔥🔥
Gee 🔥
Bris 🤔
Freo 🤔

3rd Qtr
Coll 🚀
Freo 🔥
Haw 🔥
Carl 😳

4th Qtr
Gee 🚀 🚀
WB 🔥🔥
Ade🔥
WCE 😳
#thebombersblog #godons

Quarters Won
*to Rd23

1st Qtr
Ade 🔥
Bris 🔥
Essendon 😴💤

2nd Qtr
Ade🔥🔥🔥
WB 🔥

3rd Qtr
Coll 🔥🔥
Carl 😳
WCE 😳

4th Qtr
Ade 🔥🔥
WB 🔥🔥
WCE 😳
#thebombersblog #godons

Bombers vs Blues Preview In front of the home crowd for the last time. Back to the MCG for the last home game of 2025, and if there’s one team the Essendon army of supporters would love to beat at the home of football, it’s t...

Essendon Rd24.1 preview🆙 on #thebombersblog

Took a deep dive into what the biggest factors were in the last matchup, & those are very likely to be the 🔑 this wk, with 1 player in particular needing a clamp

Main message here is to run, run, run #GoDons

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Bombers vs Saints Review Missed by that much. For far longer than at any other point in the second half of the season, victory was within reach. A win here would have been a timely boost for a side that continues to grind thr...

Essendon Rd23 Review 🆙 on #thebombersblog

Used this wks preview, which featured both teams’ season avg in KPIs I’m tracking as a comparison to what unfolded, & as you’ll see, there are some promising areas if 🔴⚫️ can sustain it for longer #GoDons

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