Season 2001 is shaping as a big one for personal milestones at Essendon Football Club.

If Essendon players have an injury free 2001, nine of them will record game milestones this season.

It shapes as a very significant season in the career of John Barnes - he needs just 14 more games to have played 50 for Essendon and if he plays 20 he will reach to 200 AFL games milestone.

Other players poised to achieve milestones this season are Justin Blumfield (94 games), Paul Barnard (92 AFL games and 81 Essendon games), Jason Johnson (40 games), Mark Johnson (39 games), Scott Lucas (92 games),Stephen Alessio (136 games), Blake Caracella (81 games) and Damien Hardwick (132 games).