Don The Stat Countdown to Season 2026

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.

From tomorrow, we’re kicking off a daily countdown to Round 1 but instead of just ticking off days on a calendar, we’re counting them down through Essendon’s guernsey numbers

Each day, we’ll take one number — starting with the highest ever worn by a Bomber, number 58, — and dive into the history of that jumper at the Essendon Football Club.

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.

Some numbers are loaded with history.

Some are short and sharp.

But every number has earned its place.

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.

So whether you’re into the stats, the stories, or just love a bit of Bomber nostalgia, jump on board and follow the countdown with us.

Day 58 starts tomorrow.