After spending five weeks on the sidelines due to a quad injury, Xavier Duursma returned with vigor on Sunday, amassing 20 disposals, nine marks, and scoring a goal, contributing to the Dons’ 30-point victory over the Eagles.
Fueled by a 40,000-strong crowd at Marvel Stadium, the Bombers’ decisive final-term surge cemented the win, a momentum shift that Duursma attributed to the passionate fans.
“Thank you again to the Bomber faithful, 40,000 on a Sunday at 1 pm is an amazing effort,” Duursma said. “It’s very nice just to be out here playing and get through the game, to be able to win it and win well is even more exciting.”
Duursma electrified the crowd in the third quarter, breaking away from a pack to score a goal with his signature ‘bow and arrow’ celebration. His performance lifted the team during a period dominated by West Coast, highlighting the Bombers’ resilience under pressure.
“We’re building something really exciting, being able to pull away at the end,” Duursma said. “To handle West Coast and shift from pressured to unpressured play through simple handballs and finding the open ones made a big difference. We adjusted well and navigated their defense.”
Reflecting on his goal, Duursma added, “It’s always nice to pull out the bow and arrow. I liked it off the boot this time, it felt pretty sweet so I got it out pretty quick.”
Essendon’s wing depth has evolved throughout the season. With Nic Martin now primarily at half-back, it has opened more opportunities for Duursma and occasionally Dyson Heppell. Recently, the Bombers have opted for taller players in the wing position, with Nik Cox and Harry Jones starting on the wings during Sunday’s center bounces, providing greater flexibility.
“All those boys did a great job, they stood up,” Duursma said. “‘Coxy’ and ‘Jonesy’ are massive, so they have a fair bit of exploit there. They play on predominantly smaller wingers, which is good, as they’re able to take multiple marks around the ground.”
Looking ahead, Duursma and the Bombers face a challenging schedule, starting with a top-eight clash against Geelong on Saturday night for the Country Game. Buoyed by the recent win, Duursma is optimistic about maintaining the team’s momentum.
“Being able to stick with it and keep grinding out a win is massive for us,” Duursma said. “We’ll take this momentum and keep building it. We’ve got a big game against Geelong next week, so we’ll recover and get ready.”
