Countdown to Round 1, 2026. Day 53: Essendon Guernsey Number 53

With 53 days to go until Essendon’s Round 1 clash against Hawthorn, Don The Stat continues its daily countdown through the club’s guernsey history.

Guernsey Number 53 has been worn by five Essendon players at senior level, with appearances spread across nearly five decades.

The first Bomber to wear the number was Wally Buhaj, who played five senior games in 1967, kicking one goal.

He was followed by Doug Tassell, who wore Number 53 for nine senior games in 1969, making him the longest-serving Essendon player in the jumper.

The number then appeared briefly in 1973, worn for one senior game by Graham Middleton, before resurfacing in 1992, when Glenn Manton wore the jumper for two games early in his Essendon career.

The most recent wearer of Guernsey Number 53 is Mark Jamar, who played five senior games in 2016, kicking three goals during a season played under extraordinary circumstances, with Essendon relying on top-up players to field a side.

Across its history, Guernsey Number 53 has been worn for 22 senior games, making it another example of a number defined by short appearances rather than long-term ownership.

Next up: Day 52 and Jumper Number 52.