Round 22, 2026 | Nowhere to Hide: The Young Dons Face Geelong

The kids showed glimpses. Peter Wright kicked six. But a 72-point defeat proved there’s still a mountain of work ahead. 🔴⚫ In this episode, we unpack Essendon’s loss to Adelaide after fielding the youngest team seen in the AFL this season. We look at the exciting ball movement, the brutal drop-off in intensity, Jaxon Artemis’ breakout performance and a dominant afternoon from Peter Wright. 🌟 We also ask some bigger questions about the rebuild: 🏗️ How does this list compare with the one inherited at the end of 2022? 🥇 What should Essendon do if it holds Pick 1? 🧑‍🏫 Where does the senior coaching search currently stand? Then it’s down the highway to face Geelong at its Kardinia Park fortress. What makes the Cats so difficult to stop, where can the young Bombers challenge them, and what will it take to avoid another painful lesson? There’s nowhere to hide but there’s still plenty to learn. 🎙️ ___ Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/ Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky: Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==