Jonathan Walsh

Darcy Parish sat down with us to discuss fatherhood, his body, the Baltimore trip, his role in 2026 and why Dons fans should be excited. 🎙️ Out now wherever you get your podcasts. #DonTheStat | #GoDons podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/don…

@KrisMiitel So much for it being a weak draft.

This 2025 draft crop looks awesome early on! The whole top ten or so just great to see!!!

@ayalmanor @AFLNow We all want the same thing. I guess we all just have different views on how to get there, and I get that. But I'm with you, the list had more holes in it than I understood, and the more we have exposed them, the more we find.

@JonathanJWalsh @AFLNow We would be in no man’s land with this players still. Had to move them on and have to still move a few more on. It’s nowhere near a finished product. People only see it on the surface, rather than delving in further.

I fear if we don’t improve, players like Caddy will leave. We are the worst team in the competition for defence! We allow easy transition and easy goals. If that is not a coaching and system problem…

@Kyptastic1 @bconnor67_brian It's our 100th Match Preview this week and you fumbling Taylor Duryea is still my favourite moment.

@bconnor67_brian @JonathanJWalsh Ian Hume Strengths: Saying Indeed Weaknesses: Saying Taylor Duryea

EXCLUSIVE! I’ve been sent the whiteboard of an unnamed media organisation where they are dissecting the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors.

@Bluey1834 I want to see a competitive and consistent effort every week. I just don’t think this team is up for it. I had hoped for more from our more experienced players this season but they’ve been exposed.

@JonathanJWalsh Fair point so when we play the other 3 bottom teams in that 3 week stretch coming up you would won’t to see a very competitive and consistent effort against teams who we are on par with if not I think Brad we be in a bit of trouble

Relatively meaningless stats. Essendon is the only team not to have played a Bottom 4 team in 2026. One of only 4 teams to have only played 2 bottom 8 teams. We’ve played 5 of the current Top 8. Equal most with the Bulldogs (Dogs also 1-4 with a worse %).

@jpmoyle Learn from the best.

@JonathanJWalsh Absolutely !! Cant do them any harm either the more top teams they play against the more they develop

@ShereeJohns Fingers crossed for you Sheree. I love your passion and loyalty. Hopefully it’s rewarded.

@ShereeJohns Yeah. We do. Hopefully we can keep the list healthy and get some momentum.

@jpmoyle Certainly been a baptism of fire for Robey, Sharp, Farrow and co.

@JonathanJWalsh some context!! love it !

@tl73_ I think our season is already defined. Giants at home are a tough prospect. Beat Hawthorn there, lost a game to StK they probably should have won. Then we have the second placed Freo. Some games you’d hope we’d go better in after that though.

@JonathanJWalsh The next 6 weeks define our season.

@taylaessendon They’re never with us for long enough. So sorry Tayla. RIP Bella.

hardest thing i’ve ever had to do was choose to let you go yesterday, love you forever my little baby girl bella ❤️❤️

@SilverTopHurls @The_Red_Sash Fans are hurting. It’s understandable. But people in a position of influence have an opportunity to either unite or divide. Choosing to divide is a disappointing way to go about it. It just adds more pain to people already hurting.

@The_Red_Sash Are you a fully functioning adult? I hate to be argumentative if you aren’t, so just checking in advance

Stand by.

@AFLNow I’ll say it again. There’s a difference between understanding some and defending it.

Lovely reading today - Essendon sits bottom two in points against (17th), points against from turnover (17th), chain-to-score against (18th) and defensive-50-to-inside-50 against (18th). Defend this? (Pardon the pun).

@JChall22 @DCampagna13 @AFLNow They concede 101 points a game. One of only 5 team conceding 100+ Played Carlton, Essendon, Richmond. Conceded 100 points against St Kilda who have scored more against West Coast and Carlton. They’re scoring a lot, but they’re not defending well.

@DCampagna13 @JonathanJWalsh @AFLNow Go past? They finished higher than us last year too… Have one of the best players in the modern era, and have far more age and experience on their list. They’ve been good in patches but also poor too at times, like you know, that time we beat them?..

@DCampagna13 @AFLNow Melbourne finished above us last year. Lost 6 games by under 10 points. 3rd most experience list in the comp. 13 premiership players on the list. The best ruck in the comp. Still conceding the 5th most points in the AFL. They aren’t the same. What exactly is your point here?

@JonathanJWalsh @AFLNow You’ve watched Melbourne go past us this season but you want to highlight West coast and Richmond to make your point? What has been the difference in Melbourne over taking us or does that not suit your narrative?

@SilverTopHurls @AFLNow @WatsonsTroops1 Yep. Those two, along with Geelong, Hawthorn for different reasons are going to be the most difficult match ups for us at the moment. NM are a couple of years ahead in getting experience into kids but we should have beaten them. Melbourne we did beat.

@JonathanJWalsh @AFLNow @WatsonsTroops1 For different reasons than Jay Fuckwit Clark, I am looking forward to seeing what our system looks like across the 4 weeks against Rich, WCE, Carlton, Melb That will be far better indication than the last two weeks against the perfectly drilled Pies and Lions

@SilverTopHurls @AFLNow @WatsonsTroops1 FWIW. I thought at the source we were okay against Brisbane, given what we were up against. But once they got it on the outside, man-on-man made it harder to close space and they’re the masters at using the stand rule to manipulate field position.

@SilverTopHurls @AFLNow @WatsonsTroops1 Yes. I think after two promising weeks we over-cooked it against Collingwood and the group wasn’t ready for it (too many kids, and senior players who aren’t up for it). And then we over-corrected v Brisbane. Went largely man-on-man.

@EmlynBreese And the bottom six?

record vs top 6 teams (yes I know this is dumb as hell at round 8 shut up)