Essendon has welcomed its 10,000th fan to a Bombers AFLW match at Windy Hill this season, with Jemima Henry reaching the milestone during Sunday’s Round 12 clash against Collingwood.

The milestone came at the Bombers’ final game of the 2026 season, which was also the Club’s annual ‘Thank You’ game, recognising the support of members and fans throughout the year.

To mark the occasion, Jemima received a special prize pack from the Club. She was also part of the pre-game scarf wave and joined the guard of honour, cheering her heroes out onto the ground.

The milestone adds to a growing record at the ground. More than 50,000 fans have attended matches at Windy Hill since the Bombers’ first AFLW game there against St Kilda in 2023.

This season also included a record crowd for the historic AFLW double header at Windy Hill in Round 10, with more than 5,000 fans attending across both matches during Pride Round.

Support has grown beyond the ground too. Windy Hill matches have averaged 54,456 viewers across television and streaming this season, up 9,000 on the 2025 average.

With strong crowds and growing audiences, the 2026 season has shown the continued interest in AFLW and the importance of Windy Hill as home for the Bombers AFLW program.

Essendon captain Bonnie Toogood said she was proud of the commitment shown by the red and black faithful.

“It’s been great to see the support we’ve had at Windy Hill this season, and reaching 10,000 fans through the gates for the 2026 season is a really special milestone for our program,” Toogood said.

“Our members and supporters play a huge role in what we’re building, and we feel their support every time we run out at Windy Hill.

“Our ‘Thank You’ match is a chance to recognise the people who get behind us week in, week out. We’re proud to represent the red and black, and we don’t take the support for granted.”