Essendon midfielder Parish defends contract saga

Essendon midfielder Darcy Parish is not fazed by how his contract negotiations played out, insisting he is excited about finishing his AFL career with the Bombers.

The 26-year-old has signed a new deal for six years, originally thought to be only five, keeping him at the Hangar until the end of 2029.

When Essendon announced Parish’s contract extension in August, the club said the deal was “until at least 2028”.

But it was last month revealed the 2021 All-Australia had re-committed for six years, a fact Parish on Monday confirmed.

Before Parish re-signed there was significant media commentary about how big his contract should be.

“I signed for the footy club and I was very happy to do it,” Parish said.

“Everyone can talk all they want about it; I know where I stand with the footy club.

“I was happy to get it done and be at Essendon for life.

“I always wanted to stay here at Essendon, and I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else.

“I know what we’re striving for and we’ve got the right group to do it so it’s going to be very special when we get there.”

Emerging star Nic Martin also recently penned a new deal, keeping him at Essendon until the end of 2027.

Approaching his third season in the AFL, Martin spent his break working with jiu-jitsu black belt Max Viney, the brother of Melbourne midfielder Jack.

“I identified during the off-season, I wanted to work on my tackling and that sort of grappling stuff,” Martin said.

“So me and Mason (Redman), we reached out to him (Max Viney) and got a few sessions in, which was quite fun and enjoyable.”

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Higher standards and greater stability at Essendon is already being seen by the playing group, with emerging Bombers star Nic Martin excited by the direction the club is taking under senior coach Brad Scott.

The Tullamarine club were deep into the finals race before a late season fade saw them finish in 13th, recording 11 wins in Scott’s first year at the helm.

The Bombers boss made note of the standards surrounding the playing group’s training habits away from the club at the end of 2023 campaign, with an onus put on his players to come back to pre-season in tip-top shape.

More than a dozen players have linked up in Arizona for training, while those based in Melbourne have also combined for their own personal sessions over the pre-season.

A strong contingent of players returned to the Hangar on Monday to commence pre-season training, with Martin noting to media that the changes have been noticeable across his time with the club.

“The standards have definitely lifted from what I’ve seen in the last two years,” Martin said.

“I think that’ll put the group in a really good stead going forward. More groups are starting to train together in the off-season.”

Martin signed a three-year extension with the Bombers during the off-season to now be penned to Essendon until the end of 2027, with the Western Australian among the exciting crop of young Dons players that will look to steer the club in the long term.

The 22-year-old said he had never considered a move away from the Bombers, with Scott playing a significant role in his decision to recommit with a year left to run on his contract.

“It was a nice smooth process for me. It was only Essendon,” Martin said.

“We’ve seen a lot of change in my first two years but I think now we’re getting some stability.

“I love where the group is going, and Brad has been a big part of that. I’m really excited and really fortunate as well.”

Martin’s role for 2024 is yet to be locked in, with the Subiaco product able to play both inside and outside midfield and as a forward target.

With the arrival of new recruit Xavier Duursma and Martin’s versatility, the young Bombers star is yet to learn what position he’ll hold down next season.

“I’m not too sure,” he revealed.

“We’re really excited to get Xavier across and onboard. An obviously fantastic player and wingman as well which is really good and exciting for our group.

“Where my role ends up I’m not too sure, I’m open to the possibilities of where I’ll end up whether it’s forward, midfield or wing.

“I love floating between forward and wing, and the uncertainty it creates with the opposition and the flexibility I have to go between roles.”

Martin has played 44 games since joining Essendon in the 2022 pre-season, booting 36 goals and averaging 21 disposals per game to have an instant impact at the AFL level.