Game No.350 is in Dustin Fletcher’s sights – but a more impressive feat may be on the cards for the Essendon veteran after Dean Solomon tipped his ex-teammate to play on in 2013.
The oldest current player in the AFL will enter an elite club when he runs out at Metricon Stadium against Gold Coast Suns on Saturday night.
Fletcher, 36, will sit alongside Doug Hawkins on equal 11th position on the VFL-AFL all-time games played list.
Solomon could not see Fletcher slowing down any time soon and predicted the veteran to play on in 2013 – putting him in sight of Simon Madden’s 378-game Essendon club record next year.
Asked if he was surprised Fletcher had reached the 350-game milestone, Solomon said on Wednesday: “Not really and I reckon he will go again too (next year).
“The way he prepares week in, week out gives him every chance (of extending his career).
“Fletcher is an outstanding player and has been for a long while.
“He’s the ultimate professional. He lives football.
“Barring injury – and I would hate to curse him – but I reckon he will go again.”
Solomon played nine seasons at the Bombers – including the 2000 premiership – before ending his 209-game career at Fremantle in 2010.
Now a Suns assistant coach, Solomon is in the unenviable position of plotting his ex-teammate’s downfall.
Easier said than done based on Fletcher’s barnstorming 2012 season start that has helped Essendon grab a 2-0 record.
“I have the utmost respect for him but once we cross that line we will be looking to knock him off and Essendon,” Solomon said.
“I am not sure they (Essendon) are going as well as they would like to be going.
“They are priding themselves on contested footy and that is getting the results at the moment.
“After what we have dished up the last couple of weeks that is a big challenge in that area.”
Suns veteran Nathan Bock believed players reaching the 350-game mark would become a rarity in the modern game.
“We have Gaz (Gary Ablett) who has already reached 200 games and he is only 27 or something,” he said.
“There are still going to be guys playing 300 games in the next few years or so.
“But the amount of guys who reach that milestone will probably drop away.”
