Geelong head back up the highway this week as they look to extend their winning streak, taking on Essendon at the MCG on Saturday. 

The Bombers sit right in the middle of the ladder to this point in 2025, winning six games and losing six in an interesting campaign so far. 

It has been hard to get a gauge on Essendon this year, a team that has been comfortably beaten by the likes of Adelaide, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, but they have pushed Brisbane at home and Carlton right to the final siren in the past two weeks. 

Check out the key features of Essendon's team and their style below, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder 

Essendon: 10th (6-6)

Geelong: 4th (9-4)

Points For 

Essendon: 891

Geelong: 1275

Points Against 

Essendon: 1049

Geelong: 1010

13:01

Time Cat-Sule | Mudbath At The 'G

The Cats and Bombers fought hard in one of the muddiest games on record. The famous "Mudbath At The 'G" saw the up and about Cats take on an experienced Bombers team.

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

Limiting Essendon's Uncontested Game

The main feature of Essendon's game is their ability to break away from stoppages and work into space, accumulating the most uncontested possessions of any team in the competition this year. 

The Bombers rank first in the AFL for total disposals (387.2 per game) and uncontested possessions (246.6 per game), using this strategy to work opposition teams over and generating good, quick looks through the middle of the ground. 

A big part of this is their handball prowess, leading the competition in this statistic (174.3 per game) so far in 2025, while also going at a 73.7% disposal efficiency as a team which is the third best of any team in the league. 

Essendon's 2025 Team Rankings

STATISTIC ESSENDON'S RANK AVERAGE NEXT BEST
DISPOSALS 1st 387.2 Western Bulldogs - 380.9
HANDBALLS 1st 174.3 Western Bulldogs - 168.2
UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS 1st 246.6 Western Bulldogs - 239.3

The key drivers of Essendon's style are Nic Martin and Zach Merrett, who both rank among the AFL's top 10 players for uncontested possessions this year, while Archie Roberts sits 23rd in his role off half back. 

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 30: Patrick Dangerfield of the Cats and Zach Merrett of the Bombers shake hands during the 2023 AFL Round 07 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Geelong Cats at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 30, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos)

Nullifying Nic Martin

He announced himself in 2022 with a five goal haul on debut against Geelong, but since then Nic Martin has blossomed into one of the most creative and efficient ball users in the competition. 

In 2025 Martin is averaging 26 disposals per game at a very impressive 78% disposal efficiency, while also collecting 7.5 marks, four intercept possessions and 6.3 score involvements per outing. 

Also important in the forward half, Martin has kicked 11 goals this year and dished off nine goal assists, an important piece in the Essendon puzzle that the Cats will need to nullify on Saturday. 

Bringing the heat inside 50

Another area that Essendon have excelled in this year is the ability to clear the ball from their defensive end, ranked sixth in the AFL for rebound 50's so far in 2025. 

The Bombers have recorded more rebound 50s than their opponents in eight of 12 games this year, lead by the likes of Andrew McGrath (five per game) and Jaxon Prior (4.4 per game). 

Geelong by comparison have been the best team in the league at locking the ball inside their forward half, ranking first in the AFL for tackles inside 50 (15.8 per game) in 2025.