The Bombers will be without suspended duo Mark McVeigh (one week) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (two weeks) for Friday night's clash with Geelong but David Hille is set to play his 150th game.
 
This information heads up Essendon's involvement in the AFL's weekly news.
 
 
PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local) 

 

Round One

 
Thursday March 25

Richmond v Carlton at the MCG, 7.10pm

 

Friday March 26

Geelong Cats v Essendon at the MCG, 7.40pm

 

Saturday March 27

Melbourne v Hawthorn at the MCG, 2.10pm

Sydney Swans v St Kilda at ANZ Stadium, 7.10pm

Brisbane Lions v West Coast at the Gabba, 7.10pm

 

Sunday March 28

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium, 12.40pm; Curtain Raiser – Schools Twilight Cup Final, 11.05am

Western Bulldogs v Collingwood at Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm

Fremantle v Adelaide Crows at Subiaco, 5.10pm

 

IMPENDING MILESTONES

 

350 games – Brad Johnson, Western Bulldogs. Brad is due to become the first player in his club’s history and the 11th in the history of the game to reach 350 games, joining Michael Tuck (Hawthorn, 426 games), Kevin Bartlett (Richmond, 403 games), Robert Harvey (St Kilda, 383 games), Simon Madden (Essendon, 378 games), Craig Bradley (Carlton, 375 games), Bernie Quinlan (Footscray and Fitzroy, 366 games), John Blakey (Fitzroy and North Melbourne (359 games), Bruce Doull (Carlton, 356 games), Paul Roos (Fitzroy and Sydney Swans, 356 games) and Doug Hawkins (Footscray and Fitzroy (350 games).

200 games – Joel Corey, Geelong Cats

150 consecutive games – Kane Cornes, Port Adelaide. Kane is due to play his 150th consecutive game in Round One, having begun his sequence in Round 17, 2003. The only other player in the competition with a current active streak of 150 games or more is Brett Kirk (176 games since Round 15, 2002).

 
150 games – Bret Thornton, Carlton

150 games – David Hille, Essendon

150 games – Domenic Cassisi, Port Adelaide

100 games – Andrew Carazzo, Carlton

100 games – Matt Maguire, Brisbane Lions

100 games – Nathan Lovett-Murray, Essendon

100 club games – Scott Stevens, Adelaide

100 club games – Jason Gram, St Kilda

50 games – Travis Boak, Port Adelaide

50 games – Thomas Murphy, Hawthorn

 
 

TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

 

There were no matches played at the weekend.

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:

 
Melbourne – Placed Max Gawn on the long-term injury list, with no replacement named at this stage.

Melbourne – Placed Luke Tapscott on the long-term injury list, with no replacement named at this stage.

Port Adelaide – Placed John Butcher on the long-term injury list, with no replacement named at this stage.

 

SUSPENDED PLAYERS

 

The AFL wishes to advise the following players all have suspensions carried over from the 2009 premiership season that still must be served:

3 matches – Chris Judd, Carlton

2 matches – Nathan Lovett-Murray, Essendon; Drew Petrie, North Melbourne

1 match – Chance Bateman, Hawthorn; Troy Chaplin, Port Adelaide; Lance Franklin, Hawthorn; Mark McVeigh, Essendon

 

FIRST FOOTY

 

In an initiative to begin for the 2010 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, a club legend will accompany the umpires before each match this weekend in Round One, carrying the First Footy of the 2010 season.

 
The chosen club legend will walk onto the arena 13 minutes before each match with the match ball and then be introduced to the crowd.