It’s Friday night-lights in round one for the Bombers, as they kick off their season against North Melbourne under the roof of Etihad Stadium.
Although the match features two up-and-coming teams, it is a clash steeped in history as the Bombers celebrate a record-breaking night.
Club champion Dustin Fletcher will overtake newly elected board member, Simon Madden, as the club’s all-time games record holder when the 38-year-old takes up his position down back for the 379th time.
It will also mean that Fletcher will move to outright fourth in VFL/AFL history for games played, only four games behind third-placed Robert Harvey.
After making his debut in 1993, the lanky defender has become one of the most adored Essendon figures in the club’s history, providing Bomber fans with 21 years of highlights whilst seemingly never missing a beat.
Fletcher isn’t the only player who will be celebrating a milestone however with Patrick Ryder and Jake Carlisle to line up for their 150th and 50th game respectively.
Making his debut in 2006, Ryder has developed into one of the premier ruckmen in the league, utilising his athleticism to provide the midfield with exceptional service, while Carlisle has quickly grown a reputation as a match winner at both ends of the ground.
The main event itself promises to be a fantastic spectacle, with the last round one encounter between the two teams occurring in 2012, where the Bombers triumphed after the siren by two points in an enthralling encounter.
With a rivalry born in 1921 that was reinvigorated the 1990’s, the hostilities look set to be reignited again in round one, as the two clubs prepare to begin another era of coinciding success.
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