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.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – MAY 04: Sam Durham of the Bombers in action during the round eight AFL match between West Coast Eagles and Essendon Bombers at Optus Stadium, on May 04, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

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?

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.