Player news from R5 of 2026: Essendon vs Melbourne

Archie Roberts (164/144): Starting at half back
Roberts contributed with 42 possessions, 15 grabs and managed 1.0.
Zach Merrett (109/127): Playing inside midfield
Merrett contributed with 31 disposals, 5 grabs, 2 tackles and 1.0 on the scoreboard.
Peter Wright (108/119): First ruck
Wright contributed with 18 disposals, 8 grabs, 4 tackles, 14 taps and managed 1.0.
Jordan Ridley (106/101): In defence on Melksham
Ridley added 26 touches and 11 marks.
Jacob Farrow (102/105): Starting at half back
Farrow contributed with 22 touches, 12 grabs and 0.1 on the scoreboard.
Kyle Langford (101/90): Playing a high half forward role
Langford contributed with 26 disposals, 8 grabs, 2 tackles and kicked 0.1.
Darcy Parish (100/134): Playing inside midfield
Parish added 33 disposals and 5 marks.
Ben McKay (98/86): At FB on van Rooyen
McKay contributed with 23 possessions, 11 grabs and 2 tackles.
Xavier Duursma (95/108): Starting on a wing
Duursma contributed with 21 disposals, 7 marks, 2 tackles and 2.0.
Jaxon Prior (89/80): In defence on Fritsch
Prior contributed with 17 touches, 10 marks and 3 tackles.
Zach Reid (85/61): In defence on Mihocek
Reid added 18 touches and 11 marks.
Elijah Tsatas (85/82): Starting in midfield
Tsatas contributed with 29 disposals, 3 marks and managed 1.0.
Isaac Kako (74/112): Playing a small forward role
Kako contributed with 19 touches, 2 marks, 3 tackles and 2.0.
Sam Durham (68/75): Starting at half forward
Durham contributed with 16 disposals, 6 grabs and managed 1.0.
Nate Caddy (62/59): Starting forward on Turner
Caddy contributed with 12 possessions, 3 marks and 2.3 on the scoreboard.
Archer Day-Wicks (62/59): Playing an outside game
Day-Wicks contributed with 15 possessions, 3 grabs, 3 tackles and managed 1.0.
Thomas Edwards (61/52): First goal… 8 possessions including 7 kicks… also 6 tackles and 3 marks… and kicked 2.1… not helped by 3 FA. Playing as the third tall forward on Howes.

Jade Gresham (58/62): Playing a small forward role
Gresham contributed with 13 possessions, 4 grabs and 1.1 on the scoreboard.
Jye Caldwell (57/60): Rotating in the midfield
Caldwell added 16 disposals and 4 tackles.
Lachie Blakiston (46/49): Splitting time between defence and ruck
Blakiston contributed with 8 touches, 3 grabs, 3 tackles and 8 taps.
Andrew McGrath (44/53): Playing a defensive role in midfield
McGrath added 13 touches and 2 tackles.
Archer May (39/36): Playing forward on McDonald
May contributed with 4 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles and kicked 2.1.
Sullivan Robey (36/26): First game… 9 possessions and 3 marks. Playing in attack and midfield.
Robey also had 2 tackles.
Kysaiah Pickett (124/96): Rotating in midfield and attack
Pickett contributed with 28 touches, 4 grabs, 8 tackles, managed 2.1 and 3 frees against.
Max Gawn (108/130): Lead ruck
Gawn contributed with 22 disposals, 2 tackles, 34 hit outs and managed 1.0.
Jack Steele (102/103): Playing inside midfield
Steele contributed with 28 disposals, 5 grabs, 5 tackles and 0.1 on the scoreboard.
Jake Lever (84/67): Loose in defence
Lever contributed with 18 possessions, 10 marks and 2 tackles.
Tom Sparrow (82/81): Doing jobs in midfield
Sparrow contributed with 18 possessions, 7 tackles and booted 1.0.
Daniel Turner (74/89): In defence on Caddy
Turner contributed with 17 touches, 7 marks and 2 tackles.
Tom McDonald (74/57): In defence on May
McDonald contributed with 15 disposals, 10 marks and 2 tackles.
Harvey Langford (69/64): Starting on a wing
Langford contributed with 18 touches, 3 marks, 3 tackles and 1.0 on the scoreboard.
Koltyn Tholstrup (66/55): Playing small defender
Tholstrup added 22 possessions and 3 marks.
Harry Sharp (61/80): Playing an outside game
Sharp contributed with 14 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles and managed 1.1.
Blake Howes (57/61): Playing tall defender on Edwards
Howes contributed with 14 possessions, 3 grabs and 3 tackles.
Ed Langdon (56/65): Running off a wing
Langdon contributed with 13 touches, 3 marks and 4 tackles.
Xavier Lindsay (54/75): Starting at half back
Lindsay added 16 possessions and 2 tackles.
Bayley Fritsch (51/61): Starting at half forward on Prior
Fritsch contributed with 12 touches, 2 grabs, 2 tackles and booted 1.0.
Kade Chandler (51/64): Playing a high half forward role
Chandler contributed with 14 touches, 3 marks and managed 1.0.
Christian Salem (46/54): Ankle injury late in Q3… 12 possessions including 11 kicks… also 2 tackles. Starting at half back.

Caleb Windsor (45/29): Starting in central midfield
Windsor contributed with 7 disposals, 4 marks and 3 tackles.
Harrison Petty (41/33): Rotating at either end of the ground
Petty contributed with 7 disposals, 5 grabs, 3 hit outs and kicked 0.1.
Latrelle Pickett (35/30): Playing a small forward role
Pickett contributed with 7 possessions, 2 marks and managed 1.0.
Jai Culley (34/32): Playing a forward role
Culley added 10 touches and 2 tackles.
Brody Mihocek (30/34): Playing FF on Reid
Mihocek contributed with 6 touches, 3 marks, 2 taps and 1.0.
Jacob van Rooyen (27/28): Playing a forward/ruck role on McKay
van Rooyen contributed with 8 touches, 2 marks and managed 0.2.
Jake Melksham (13/7): Ankle injury in Q1. Playing an undersized key forward role on Ridley.
Melksham also had 5 possessions.