Essendon captain Jobe Watson will play his 100th game for the Bombers in this Saturday night's big grudge match against Hawthorn at the MCG. 
 
His milestone heads the club's involvement in the AFL weekly news.
 
 
PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)

Round Six

Friday April 30
Western Bulldogs v St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, 7.40pm
 
Saturday May 1
North Melbourne v Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm
Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, 2.40pm
Essendon v Hawthorn at the MCG, 7.10pm
Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions at the SCG, 7.10pm
 
Sunday May 2
Geelong Cats v Richmond at Skilled Stadium, 1.10pm; Curtain Raiser – VFL, Geelong v Bendigo Bombers, 9.40am
Carlton v Collingwood at the MCG, 2.10pm
West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco, 2.40pm

IMPENDING MILESTONES

Most combined games player / coach – Michael Malthouse. Michael is due to participate in his 793rd official game as a player and coach this week, comprising 53 games as a player with St Kilda, 121 games as a player with Richmond, 135 games as a coach with Footscray, 243 games as a coach with West Coast and 240 games as a coach with Collingwood. This will take him level with Leigh Matthews in third position on the all-time list. The leading five in the history of the game are Kevin Sheedy (886 official games comprising 251 games as a player with Richmond and 635 games as a coach with Essendon), Jock McHale (878 games comprising 261 games as a player and player coach with Collingwood and a further 617 games with Collingwood as a coach only), Leigh Matthews, (793 games comprising 332 games as a player with Hawthorn, 224 games as a coach with Collingwood and 237 games as a coach with the Brisbane Lions), Michael Malthouse and David Parkin (729 games comprising 211 games as a player with Hawthorn, 94 games as a coach with Hawthorn, 355 games as a coach with Carlton and 69 games as a coach with Fitzroy).

600 career goals – Brendan Fevola. Brendan has kicked 592 career goals for Carlton and the Brisbane Lions, since his debut in 1999. He needs eight more goals to become the 27th player in the history of the game to reach 600 goals.

200 games – Travis Johnstone, Brisbane Lions
200 games – Craig Bolton, Sydney Swans
150 games – Martin Mattner, Sydney Swans
100 games - Jobe Watson, Essendon
100 games – Steven Salopek, Port Adelaide
100 games – Nathan Van Berlo, Adelaide
100 games – Steven Dodd, Fremantle
50 games – Scott Harding, Port Adelaide
50 games – Matt Campbell, North Melbourne
50 games coached – Dean Bailey
 
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TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

The match review panel has already assessed the first seven matches played in the round. There were no players reported from yesterday’s match between Carlton and the Geelong Cats, played at the MCG.

LONG-TERM INJURY LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following recent changes have been made to club lists, under the provision of the long-term injury-list rules:

Adelaide – Upgraded Ricky Henderson from the rookie list as the replacement for Brad Moran, who was already on the long-term injury list.

Carlton – Upgraded Simon White from the rookie list as the replacement for Brad Fisher, who was already on the long-term injury list.

Geelong Cats – Placed Steven Motlop on the long-term injury list, with no replacement named at this stage.

West Coast – Placed Daniel Kerr on the long-term injury list, and upgraded Lewis Stevenson from the rookie list as his replacement.

AFL ATTENDANCE NOTES

The attendance for the Round Five match between Carlton and the Geelong Cats of 71,399 was the all-time home and away record between the two clubs, eclipsing the previous mark of 67,931 established in round eight, 1996.

The total round five attendance figure of 330,837 was the best for a round five in the history of the game, eclipsing the previous mark of 317,844 established in 2005.

After round five, AFL attendances have reached 1,574,231, placing them 5.74 per cent of last year’s tally of 1,488,832 at the same point.
 

FIELD OF WOMEN MATCH, ROUND SEVEN, MAY 7

The AFL wishes to remind all media that registrations are now open for the Round 7 Field of Women match between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, to be played at the MCG on Friday May 7. All members of the public can register at http://www.fieldofwomenlive.org.au/. Media wishing to be accredited for the pre-game event on-ground should contact Amanda Brookhouse on 03 9643 1718.

2010 NAB AFL DRAFT DATE

THE 2010 NAB AFL Draft will be held at the Gold Coast convention centre as an evening function on Thursday November 18. The other key dates for the exchange period / draft period will be confirmed in the coming weeks.