"We're still pretty fresh" - Essendon Bombers star Sam Durham confirms he's dating fashion model Paris Bishop

Essendon Bombers star Sam Durham is officially off the market after revealing his new relationship with Australian model Parish Bishop to the Herald Sun.

“We’re still pretty fresh but have been seeing each other for a while,” Durham said.

Bishop appeared beside Durham on Monday night when they attended the premiere of Zendaya’s new movie, ‘Challengers.'

Parish Bishop is signed to popular modeling agency Chadwick Models. Her social media accounts are filled with pictures of her lifestyle and paid promo posts for top fashion and jewelry brands. Additionally, with over 171,000 followers on Instagram, she's now part of the AFL's newest power couple. However, the couple has yet to post any public photos together.

Sam Durham’s hard road to success

Sam Durham’s performance this season earned him much attention and acclaim. However, the Seymour native didn’t always have things easy. He revealed on the AFL website how his background is a great source of strength for his career, saying:

“Growing up in a country town, country boys are a bit tougher than city boys.”

The Essendon midfielder struggled for two years, during which he was overlooked for the national draft before finally getting picked up by the Essendon Bombers in 2021. He subsequently debuted in Round 18 of the 2021 season against the North Melbourne Kangaroos. Since then, his skill and experience have been steadily growing and now his career looks more promising than ever.

“I’ve had some tough mentors in my life and you don’t really shy away from it,” he said. "It’s always been the way that if you go in hard you’ll be right.”

He recently signed a five-year contract with the club, stamping his presence with the team until 2028.