Player news from R9 of 2026: Western Sydney vs Essendon

Lachie Whitfield (125/132): Starting at half back
Whitfield contributed with 35 possessions, 7 grabs and 2 tackles.
Toby Greene (99/103): First goal… 3.1 from 18 possessions and 4 marks plus 6 tackles. Mostly starting forward on McGrath with some CBAs.

Finn Callaghan (95/104): Running through midfield
Callaghan added 30 touches and 5 tackles.
Jayden Laverde (91/103): Starting in defence on May
Laverde added 19 possessions and 12 marks.
Lachie Ash (89/111): Roaming from half back with some CBAs
Ash added 23 possessions and 9 marks.
Kieren Briggs (84/92): In ruck
Briggs contributed with 13 possessions, 4 tackles and 32 ruck taps.
Connor Idun (83/102): Playing key defender on Caddy
Idun added 24 disposals and 8 marks.
Clayton Oliver (83/82): Playing inside midfield
Oliver contributed with 26 disposals, 7 tackles and 3 free kicks given away.
Brent Daniels (77/78): Playing a high half forward role
Daniels contributed with 17 touches, 2 grabs, 3 tackles and managed 2.0.
Harvey Thomas (73/65): Starting on a wing and has big Cox
Thomas contributed with 23 possessions, 5 grabs and 2 tackles.
Aaron Cadman (72/86): Playing key forward on Blakiston
Cadman contributed with 14 touches, 7 grabs and managed 1.2.
Jake Stringer (70/73): Starting forward on Redman
Stringer contributed with 11 possessions, 6 marks, 2 tackles and booted 3.0.
Jake Riccardi (69/49): Starting forward on Zach Reid with ruck support
Riccardi contributed with 14 possessions, 6 marks, 5 taps and managed 2.1.
Harry Himmelberg (62/56): Starting at half back… switched forward late in Q4 for a big goal
Himmelberg contributed with 16 possessions, 6 marks and booted 1.0.
Toby Bedford (53/55): Playing defensive forward… switched on ball in Q4
Bedford contributed with 14 disposals, 4 tackles and kicked 0.1.
Stephen Coniglio (50/52): Starting on a HFF and joining mids
Coniglio added 13 disposals and 4 tackles.
Jack Buckley (49/76): At FB on Langford
Buckley contributed with 12 touches, 3 grabs and 2 tackles.
Joe Fonti (46/47): Running off half back
Fonti added 12 touches and 5 grabs.
James Leake (41/54): In defence
Leake added 14 possessions and 2 grabs.
Phoenix Gothard (37/48): Rotating as small forward
Gothard contributed with 9 disposals, 2 marks and kicked 2.0.
Max Gruzewski (28/42): In attack on Blakiston
Gruzewski added 4 possessions and managed 2.0.
Oliver Hannaford (18/22): Phantom sub… 5 possessions including 4 handballs. Rotating forward.

Toby McMullin (13/15): Rotating forward
McMullin added 4 disposals and 0.1.
Archie Roberts (157/153): Highly prolific in Q1… 42 possessions including 31 kicks… also 11 marks and 2 tackles. Starting at half back.

Zach Merrett (111/104): On ball
Merrett contributed with 31 disposals, 5 marks and 4 tackles.
Peter Wright (101/112): Playing a forward/ruck role
Wright contributed with 13 touches, 6 grabs, 21 ruck taps and 3.3.
Archie Perkins (94/75): Starting forward
Perkins contributed with 19 disposals, 10 grabs and booted 1.0.
Sam Durham (93/106): Playing central midfield
Durham contributed with 26 touches, 3 marks and 6 tackles.
Darcy Parish (93/91): Playing in central midfield
Parish contributed with 23 possessions, 5 marks, 3 tackles and booted 1.1.
Andrew McGrath (83/69): Playing half back on Greene
McGrath contributed with 20 touches, 6 marks and 3 tackles.
Sullivan Robey (79/66): Playing in attack
Robey contributed with 20 disposals, 4 marks and 5 tackles.
Mason Redman (75/75): In defence on Stringer
Redman contributed with 18 possessions, 5 marks and 1.1 on the scoreboard.
Nate Caddy (71/74): Starting forward on Idun
Caddy contributed with 13 touches, 5 grabs and kicked 2.1.
Kyle Langford (65/63): Starting at FF on Buckley
Langford contributed with 13 touches, 6 grabs, 3 tackles and 0.2.
Jaxon Prior (64/52): Playing a half back role
Prior contributed with 16 disposals, 4 marks and 3 tackles.
Xavier Duursma (60/71): Starting on a HBF
Duursma contributed with 11 touches, 3 marks and booted 2.1.
Nick Bryan (59/60): First ruck
Bryan contributed with 11 disposals, 2 grabs, 2 tackles and 20 hit outs.
Dyson Sharp (56/51): Left shoulder knock in Q3 landing after a spoil attempt and iced up… 17 possessions and 3 marks plus 2 tackles. Playing half forward with CBAs.

Lachie Blakiston (51/64): Starting in defence on Cadman
Blakiston contributed with 15 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles and 3 free kicks given away.
Archer May (50/64): Playing a forward role on Laverde
May contributed with 6 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 3.0 and 4 frees against.
Jayden Nguyen (47/44): Playing a new defensive forward role
Nguyen contributed with 11 disposals, 3 grabs, 2 tackles and booted 0.1.
Zak Johnson (45/57): Rotating at half back
Johnson added 15 touches and 2 marks.
Zach Reid (43/38): In defence on Riccardi
Reid added 9 touches and 5 grabs.
Jacob Farrow (43/47): Rotating at half back
Farrow added 13 touches and 4 grabs.
Archer Day-Wicks (42/38): Rotating forward
Day-Wicks added 9 disposals and 4 tackles.
Nik Cox (36/51): Starting on a wing on Thomas
Cox added 9 touches and 3 marks.