ESSENDON coach Kevin Sheedy today called on Bomber supporters to fill Colonial Stadium for what could be a history-making night for the club. The match gives the club the chance to not only break a 71-year-old record but also secure the 2000 minor premiership.

Sheedy said his team was well aware of the importance of Saturday night’s match against Hawthorn. “We want as much support as possible to help us achieve two pretty significant goals,” Sheedy said.

If Essendon can defeat Hawthorn it will have strung together 19 consecutive wins to start the season – the best start to a season in the history of the game. Essendon holds the present record with Collingwood – the Magpies winning 18 on end in the 1929 season.

“This football club and its supporters know just how much this game means and it has taken us 18 matches to get into this position. It is a chance to re-write the record books so plenty is riding on the result,” Sheedy said.

Sheedy said the game was also a chance for Matthew Lloyd to continue his push to kick 100 goals. Lloyd has kicked 82 goals to this stage of the season.

“No-one in the history of this football club has played 100 games and also kicked 100 goals in a season – Matthew obviously has a great chance to achieve that feat,” Sheedy said. John Coleman (1949, 50, 52) played 98 games for the Bombers and Geoff Blethyn (1972) played 84 games.

Sheedy said this weekend’s game was also a great chance for Essendon supporters to pay tribute to champion big man Paul Salmon. Players from both sides will form a guard of honor prior to the match and Paul Salmon’s contribution will be acknowledged on the Essendon banner.

As of mid-afternoon there were still 6000 seats available for this Saturday night’s match.