DARCY Daniher played one of the better games of his fledgling AFL career on Sunday as part of a young defensive unit that was pivotal to the Bombers' 38-point win over Fremantle.

A return of 22 possessions and 11 marks was impressive for the 19-year-old, who was playing just his fourth game since joining the club under the father-son rule prior to the 2008 season.

"I played a few games last year, but they did come a bit early and I don't think I was quite ready," Daniher said after his first game of the 2009 campaign.

"Over the pre-season I worked really hard on my fitness, so when I'm out there now I feel like I can really do my best."

Daniher, along with fellow baby Bombers Tayte Pears, David Myers, Michael Quinn and Courtenay Demspey, were able to limit Fremantle’s scoring despite repeated forward forays.

"With them getting it in 50 times it is a credit to our young defence to keep Fremantle to 10 goals," coach Matthew Knights said.

"It's something as a club we haven't done often in the last 12 months.

"I thought our defenders defended really well. We've still got to work on when we get the ball back and some of our counter-attack movement, but what they did do was they defended marvelously.

"A few of them showed really good signs today."

While Essendon fans might be delighted with their back line of the future, Daniher underscored the influence of an old stager in the performance.

"There are about four or five of us young guys down there, but we get that much help from Dustin Fletcher with the way he talks and the way he communicates how we should go about it," he said.

"We couldn't have done it without him."