AFL Player #22: Sam Durham

[eth-dog]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2029
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 15, Zach Package

 

[MiguelM]

I wonder if he has had a touch of the virus? has looked flat at times the last couple of weeks.

 

[ghostdog]

I wonder if he has had a touch of the virus? has looked flat at times the last couple of weeks.

Head knock against the Saints didn't slow him down.
I wondered if the ankle thing might still be a bother.
He's playing so well though, it's easy to forget he's only 22 and 12 games in in an inside mid role at the highest level. He was probably going to get fatigued at some point. And since we're not allowed near the peptides cupboard any more

He's 22. At 25 / 26 he's going to be a beast.

 

[hurlygurdy]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mark-robinson-sam-durhams-emergence-as-brad-scotts-goto-man-key-in-blues-clash/news-story/fc82d53ecb996061c61405d9d47db801

Mark Robinson: Sam Durham’s emergence as Brad Scott’s go-to man key in Blues clash​

Sam Durham has injected substance into the Dons’ midfield since his arrival. It’s why in what will be a tactical war Sunday night, the former mid-season draft pick may be the key, writes Mark Robinson.

The task and the occasion seems to get more significant by the week for Essendon’s Sam Durham.
Where his magnet lands for Sunday night’s MCG showdown with Carlton – with an expected crowd of 90,000 – is just one of several principal plays for Bombers coach Brad Scott.

Will it be Durham to Patrick Cripps or Sam Walsh?

Will Jye Caldwell get a run-with gig? Or could it be Archie Perkins again?

Carlton coach Michael Voss will also be tactically active. Last weekend against Port Adelaide, he had a throat-hold on halfback creators Dan Houston and Kane Farrell, and also sent Alex Cincotta to Zak Butters in the middle; and he won that contest.

Cincotta has played the past five games and Voss and co will be deciding whether he goes to Bombers’ skipper Zach Merrett to quell him or Essendon’s ball-hog halfback Nic Martin.

Defender-turned-forward Zac Williams did a reasonable job curtailing Houston, so maybe he gets the job of trying to limit Martin.

Or could Voss use the honest George Hewett to bang heads with Merrett and save hard-nosed Cincotta for Martin or even Jake Stringer?

Durham has played a key role in the Bombers’ 2024 surge. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The emergence of 22-year-old Durham – from wingman to inside midfielder – has changed Essendon. The data people call it a contested-ball profile. Simple footy folk say he’s a tough bastard who has injected substance in the middle.

He’s tough all right, which is what Bombers recruiting boss Adrian Dodoro first noted when he watched Durham play VFL for Richmond ahead of the 2021 mid-season draft.

The other feature was Durham’s running ability. Now 60 games into his career, he is Essendon’s best runner. It’s a terrific combo – toughness and endurance.

It’s why Durham is a consideration for either the bigger-bodied and brilliant Cripps at stoppage or for the more nimble Walsh at stoppage and then around the ground.

We suspect it will be the latter because of Walsh’s capacity to play elite footy and also break down opponents while he’s doing it.

Durham is the go-to man for Scott. In round 5, Durham was assigned to Marcus Bontempelli for a period. In round 6, it was Jordan Dawson; in round 7, it was Jordan de Goey; in round 9, it was Tom Green; and last week, Durham rubbed shoulders with Matt Rowell.

The only game he missed this year was against Port Adelaide – and Essendon’s midfield surrendered after halftime that night. Coincidence?

SAM DURHAM VS THE MIDFIELD STARS​

Match	Opponent	Matchup Mins	Oppo Disposals	Oppo Clearances
R5 v Bulldogs	M. Bontempelli	48	11	2
R6 v Adelaide Crows	J. Dawson	36	14	1
R7 v Collingwood	J. De Goey	36	7	1
R9 v GWS Giants	T. Green	36	17	6
R12 v Gold Coast Suns	M. Rowell	29	5	1

Clearly, his performance on the Bulldogs’ skipper was his trophy get, but as Essendon continues to emerge as a premiership threat, so too grows the responsibility on Durham.

A grounded, well-liked and humble character, he might get beaten in Sunday’s heavyweight contest, but he will die trying to avoid it.

It’s that attitude that prompted the Bombers to hand him a four-year deal at the start of the season. And they believe he’s still two years away from his best footy.

Perkins is the smokey on Sunday night. A mid-forward, Scott deployed the 22-year-old to Cripps in round 13 last year. Cripps had four kicks, 15 handballs and four clearances opposed to Perkins’ 18 disposals and five tackles.

Does Essendon have a plan for the Carlton skipper? (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

In the only match-up between these two teams in 2023, it was the kind of individual performance a coach puts in his back pocket and brings out on a winter’s day. Sunday is expected to be eight degrees and raining.

There are many more aspects other than one-on-one match-ups that will decide the result, yet the magnets on Cripps and Walsh appear crucial.

​

The Swans beat Carlton in round 11 because James Jordon and James Rowbottom curtailed Walsh and Cripps. And Carlton beat Port last week because Walsh and Cripps couldn’t be contained.

That Essendon appears to be a more formidable opponent when they tag in the middle as opposed to when they don’t – or can’t – makes it a lay down misere that Scott will deploy Durham and either Perkins or Caldwell to the Blues’ prime movers.

Elsewhere, the match-ups will be a treat to watch. Who gets Charlie Curnow? Is it Jayden Laverde so Jordan Ridley can be the interceptor? Is it McKay v McKay? Or Ben to Curnow and Laverde to Harry? It’s a chess game that hasn’t yet started.

So what substance did he inject?

 

[I Remember Bluey]

So what substance did he inject?

Who Sam or Robbo

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Who Sam or Robbo

Robbo:

 

[biglaycock]

Absolute gun

 

[bommer16]

Unsure why he’s not getting rewarded for his fierceness. Robbed tonight. Don’t change Sam.

 

[Ambrosia]

Don’t know how he wasn’t credited with a single contested mark for the game

 

[astrowizzle]

He's a bloody ripper. Was from the moment he walked in the club. Only other players who have no fear are Caldwell and caddy. We need some more mongrel

 

[ghostdog]

He's a bloody ripper. Was from the moment he walked in the club. Only other players who have no fear are Caldwell and caddy. We need some more mongrel

Merrett, Heppell and Laverde go alright.

 

[astrowizzle]

Merrett, Heppell and Laverde go alright.

I don't think of Merrett as mongrels. Merrett just a superb footballer. If he had more Mongrel he'd use it to shake the tag.
Lav definately

 

[ghostdog]

I don't think of Merrett as mongrels. Merrett just a superb footballer. If he had more Mongrel he'd use it to shake the tag.
Lav definately

I was thinking of players who have no fear.

 

[Vander18]

I was thinking of players who have no fear.

Yeah Lav is pretty crazy.

Jones is very honest with his attack on the footy in the air - wouldn’t call him crazy brave though.

Reckon Duzz, Caldwell and Lav is basically the list of regular senior players. Would love a couple more lunatics prepared to go anywhere to get the pill.

 

[ghostdog]

Yeah Lav is pretty crazy.

Jones is very honest with his attack on the footy in the air - wouldn’t call him crazy brave though.

Reckon Duzz, Caldwell and Lav is basically the list of regular senior players. Would love a couple more lunatics prepared to go anywhere to get the pill.

I've seen Perryman's toughness mentioned, and comparisons with Duz. If true, sounds promising.

 

[eorl]

Yeah Lav is pretty crazy.

Jones is very honest with his attack on the footy in the air - wouldn’t call him crazy brave though.

Reckon Duzz, Caldwell and Lav is basically the list of regular senior players. Would love a couple more lunatics prepared to go anywhere to get the pill.

would add Guelfi to that list

 

[Blind Turn]

would add Guelfi to that list

Redman wouldn’t be out of place there either.

 

[Yoda_]

Id always been niche with my favourite player.


No shadow of a doubt it's this bloke. He is abilustely who I want to be in the centre square in the first week of finals

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

The way he breaks away from centre stoppages is a bit Judd like at times.

 

[blitzer]

By the time Parish comes back he might be our 3rd best midfielder. Durham is just such a complete player and his power and speed to break away from stoppages is a major point of difference for us. He's the type of player that we've been talking about for years but haven't had.

The way he created a few goals simply by bulldozing the ball forward, competing multiple times and then once he fought for the front position found a nice simple kick or handball to a teammate in position to go for goal. It changed the game for us.

 

[carnthedons]

Multiple POD player. Explosive, defends well, great overhead for his size. Love him.

 

[Beerfish]

This guy is my kind of guy.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Petracca v2.

 

[faible]

Petracca v2.

But with spleen

 

[Hird05]

Gun

 

[Beerfish]

"Everyone gets a lick of the ice cream one week"