Dustin Fletcher will become the fifth player in the history of the Essendon - and the 58th player in the history of the game - to play 300-games this weekend.
 
He follows club great Simon Madden (378 games), Dick Reynolds (320 games), Tim Watson (307 games) and Garry Foulds (300 games). Fletcher's milestone heads Essendon's involvement in this week's AFL news.
 
PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)

Round Six

Friday May 1

North Melbourne v Collingwood at Docklands, 7.40pm

Saturday May 2

Hawthorn v Carlton at the MCG, 2.10pm

West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco, 2.10pm; Curtain Raiser – WAAFL, 11.30am

Brisbane Lions v Essendon at the Gabba, 7.10pm

Port Adelaide v Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, 7.10pm; Curtain Raiser – Power Miner’s Cup, 4.20pm

Sunday May 3

Sydney Swans v Richmond at the SCG, 1.10pm; Curtain Raiser – Sydney Reserves v Queanbeyan, 9.50am

Melbourne v Geelong Cats at the MCG, 2.10pm

Western Bulldogs v St Kilda at Docklands, 4.40pm

IMPENDING MILESTONES

400 games Father / Son pair – Gary Ablett junior, Gary Ablett senior. Gary Ablett junior is due to play his 152nd game this week, meaning that he and father Gary senior will become the twelfth father / single son pair in the history of the game to reach this mark, after Gary senior played 248 games for Hawthorn and Geelong. The leading combinations in the history of the game are the Fletchers (563 games comprising 264 for Ken and 299 for Dustin), Silvagnis (551 games comprising 239 for Sergio and 312 for Stephen), Tucks (522 games comprising 426 for Michael and 96 for Shane), Whittens (465 games comprising 321 for Ted senior and 144 for Ted junior), Tucks again (438 games comprising 426 for Michael and 12 for Travis), Scarletts (423 games comprising 212 for John and 211 for Matthew), Richardsons (418 games comprising 277 for Wayne and 141 for Mark), Clokes (416 games comprising 333 for David and 83 for Travis), Clokes again (409 games comprising 333 for David and 76 for Jason), Thomases (406 games comprising 197 for Bill and 209 for Len) and Kennedys (405 games comprising 164 for John senior and 241 for John junior).

300 games - Dustin Fletcher, Essendon. Dustin is due to become the fifth player in the history of the club, behind Simon Madden (378 games), Dick Reynolds (320 games), Tim Watson (307 games) and Garry Foulds (300 games), and the 58th player in the history of the game to reach 300 games. A full list of 300-game players can be found on page 558 of AFL 2009.

Guernsey Record Games – Simon Goodwin, Adelaide. Simon is due to play his 244th game wearing guernsey number 36, breaking the AFL record held by Carlton’s Mark Maclure.

200 games – Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle. Matthew is due to become the third player in the history of the club to reach 200 games, joining Shane Parker (238 games) and Shaun McManus (228 games).

150 games – Nick Dal Santo, St Kilda

150 games – Darren Jolly, Sydney Swans

100 games – Rick Ladson, Hawthorn

100 games – Matt Maguire, St Kilda

100 games – Rhyce Shaw, Sydney Swans

50 Career Games – Clint Bartram (Melbourne)

50 Career Games – Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide)

50 Career Games – Matt Priddis (West Coast)

50 Career Games – Cheynee Stiller (Brisbane)

900 goals - Matthew Lloyd, Essendon. Matthew needs one goal to become the eighth player in the history of the game to reach 900 goals, joining Tony Lockett (1360 goals for St Kilda and Sydney Swans), Gordon Coventry (1299 goals for Collingwood), Jason Dunstall (1254 goals for Hawthorn), Doug Wade (1057 goals for Geelong Cats and North Melbourne), Gary Ablett senior (1030 goals for Hawthorn and Geelong Cats), Jack Titus (970 goals for Richmond) and Leigh Matthews (915 goals for Hawthorn).

AFL LONG-TERM INJURY LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following changes have been made to club lists, under the provision of the AFL injury list rules.

Brisbane Lions – Placed Kieran King on the long-term injury list and upgraded Pearce Hanley as his replacement.

St Kilda – Upgraded Luke Miles from the rookie list as the replacement for Sean Dempster, who had already been placed on the long-term injury list.

West Coast - Upgraded Adam Cockie from the rookie list as the replacement for Luke Shuey, who had already been placed on the long-term injury list.

2009 NAB AFL DRAFT KEY DATES

The AFL wishes to advise the key dates for the 2009 NAB AFL Draft / Trading period are as follows (all times are EST):

Tue Sept 29 - Commencement of 2009 Draft Camp, AIS Canberra.

Fri Oct 2 - Conclusion of 2009 Draft Camp.

Fri Oct 2, 2pm - Father / son nominations lodged with AFL.

Mon Oct 5, 10am - Father / son bidding meeting (Docklands).

Mon Oct 5 - Commencement of 2009 AFL Exchange Period.

Fri Oct 9, 2pm - Conclusion of 2009 AFL Exchange Period.

Fri Oct 30, 2pm – List Lodgement One. Rookie promotion to Primary List, Retained Second Year Rookies, Retained Third Year International Rookies, Retained Third Year Non-Registered Rookies.

Tue Nov 10, 2pm – Out of Contract Listed AFL Primary List Players Draft Nomination Deadline.

Fri Nov 13, 2pm – List Lodgement Two.

Wed Nov 18, 2pm – Delisted Primary List Player Draft Nomination Deadline.

Sat Nov 28, 10am - 2009 NAB AFL Draft selection meeting (Docklands).

Tue Dec 1, 2pm – Out of Contract AFL Primary List Player Draft Nomination Deadline, NSW Scholarship-Listed Players and International Scholarship-Listed Players Inclusion on Rookie List Deadline.

Wed Dec 2, 2pm – List Lodgement Three and TPP Estimates.

Tue Dec 8, 2pm – Delisted Primary List Player Draft Nomination Deadline.

Tue Dec 15, 10am – NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft (Microsoft Live meeting).

Tue Dec 15, 10.15am – Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans Rookie List Nominations, Third Year Rookie List Nominations.

Tue Dec 15, 10.20am – NAB AFL Rookie Draft (Microsoft Live meeting).

2009 NAB AFL Under 18s Championships

Detailed below are the proposed dates for the 2009 NAB AFL Under Championships. Under the format that will apply this year, to allow for a greater exposure of elite young players, all teams will play five matches. Teams in Division One will play all three other Division One sides and two sides from Division Two. Teams in Division Two will play all three other Division Two sides and two sides from Division One.

Round One

May 23

Qld v NSW/ACT in Qld

Tas v NT in Qld

May 30

WA v SA at Subiaco

May 31

Vic Country v Vic Metro at the MCG

Round Two

June 5

NT v WA in Darwin

June 6

NSW/ACT v Vic Metro in Sydney

Qld v SA in Sydney

June 7

Tas v Vic Country at Aurora Stadium

Round Three

June 13

WA v Vic Metro at Subiaco

June 14

SA v Vic Country at AAMI Stadium

June 20

NSW/ACT v NT at ANZ Stadium

June 21

Tas v Qld at Bellerive Oval

Round Four

June 27

Vic Metro v Qld at Casey Fields

Vic Country v NT at Casey Fields

NSW/ACT v SA at Casey Fields

Tas v WA at Casey Fields

Round Five

July 1

Tas v NSW/ACT at Telstra Dome

Qld v NT at Telstra Dome

Vic Country v WA at Telstra Dome

Vic Metro v SA at Telstra Dome

2009 NAB AFL Under 16s Championships / Key Dates

The 2009 NAB AFL Under 16s Championships will be played at Blacktown in Western Sydney from July 4 to July 11. Please find attached the fixture for Division One and Division Two as follows: 

Division One

Saturday July 4

Match 1 - Vic Country v Vic Metro

Match 2 - SA v WA

Tuesday July 7

Vic Metro v SA

WA v Vic Country

Friday July 10

Vic Metro v WA

SA v Vic Country

Division Two

Sunday July 5

Tas v NT

Qld v NSW/ACT

Wednesday July 8

NT v Qld

NSW/ACT v Tas

Saturday July 11

Qld v Tas

NT v NSW/ACT