Despite the challenges of a taxing 2026 campaign, Essendon's willingness to expose its developing talent to senior footy provided plenty of exciting glimpses and momentum to take into next year under a new Senior Coach in Mark McVeigh.
As this season wraps, we take a look back at some of our best performances and stats from 2026, thanks to Airwallex.
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Dominant Durham
He's begun to take shape over the last few seasons now, but 2026 was another reminder of what Sam Durham's potential ceiling looks like.
Building his tank with longer midfield stints, Durham cracked the 30-disposal mark for the first time in a career-best outing against the Blues - 10 of his touches were contested, he sent the Dons inside 50 seven times and broke free up forward to take a strong contested mark and convert truly in the second term.
While he's had arguably more consistent seasons, the absolute best of the 25-year-old this year was his best to date.
With the exception of Durham's concussion in Dreamtime, from rounds eight through to 19 he averaged nearly 25 disposals per game and didn't once stoop below 20 - against the Roos he also snagged a couple of goals, including one brilliant effort out of congestion.
Reflecting his unselfishness and the impact of his grunt work ahead of the ball, Durham's now also tallied 36 goal assists over the last three seasons.
First-year stars shiningÂ
Sullivan Robey, Jacob Farrow and Dyson Sharp will forever be linked by their draft night and it's worthy of highlighting the form of the three Rising Star nominees as a trio.
Amongst all teenagers at the conclusion of this season, Sharp (17.7) and Farrow (17.6) ranked third and fourth in the league for average disposals per game, with Robey (16.1) not far behind.
At 8.65, Robey was only behind Sam Swadling among teenagers for average AFL player rating per game this year.
Sharp and Robey were also only trailing Willem Duursma for average pressure acts per game by teens, with Huss El Achkar's forward half tenacity also reflected by an impressive 16.3 pressure acts per game.
The midfield pair ranked top two among first-years in contested possessions and clearances per game, showing just how impressively they've found their feet in the clinches at the highest level.
Essendon want the ball in Farrow's hands when rebounding and that showed in his average of six marks per game - most at the Club total and best in the comp among teenagers.
Wright's return to form continues
Peter Wright was back in Crichton form at different stages of 2026.
Despite having his year split in two by a knee injury, on either side of the break he was crucial in multiple different roles - whether it was steaming out of the square or charging into ruck contests.
Wright's outing against Brisbane in round eight was as comprehensive a stuffing of a stat sheet as you'll see for a ruck. 26 touches, 27 hitouts (both career-highs) and a couple of goals against the reigning premiers serving as one of his side's best individual performances of the year.
He backed it up with another terrific effort on the road the following week, booting three goals and registering another 21 hitouts in a hard-fought loss to GWS.
With Adelaide's forwards firing at one end, Wright battled well to hold his own at the other, slotting a season-best of six majors at Marvel against the Crows in round 21.
Roberts' blistering run
Finishing 2025 with a flurry, Roberts took it to a new level in the first half of his third AFL season.
The half back ranked first at the Club for disposals, rebounds and effective kicks in an elite statistical season as a primary user dashing out of defensive 50.
Roberts racked up a team-high 42 disposals on Anzac Day but even that wasn't his most staggering 42-touch effort of the year - that came just two weeks before when he ripped up the Dees in Gather Round.
In their first win of the season, Roberts was instrumental with nine rebound 50s and an absolute roost from outside the arc which got the Dons on a roll.
He'll again be right amongst it come Crichton Medal night.
