A large number of Brisbane Lions players will get to play under lights at the MCG for the first time this Saturday night, when the team faces Collingwood.

Remarkably, the Lions haven’t played a night match at the ‘home of football’ in almost three years.

In fact, when the Lions last played under lights at the ‘G’, Dayne Zorko was still running around with Broadbeach in the local competition.

From the Lions’ senior side that took to the field against Adelaide last Sunday, a total of 15 players have never experienced such an event.

They include Zorko, Josh Green, Ryan Harwood, James Aish, Jack Crisp, Rohan Bewick, Nick Robertson, Marco Paparone, Daniel McStay, Darcy Gardiner, Lewy Taylor, Sam Mayes, Michael Close, Jono Freeman, and Justin Clarke.

Another unbelievable statistic is that throughout his four-year and 51-game AFL career, Josh Green has never faced the Magpies.

Over the same period, Green – who is the Lions’ leading goal-kicker for 2014 – has faced North Melbourne six times!   

The occasion won’t be lost on the Club this week, with Assistant Coach Simon Black – a man who knows the MCG all too well – hopeful that the Lions players can soak up the atmosphere.

“The Pies at the MCG…it doesn’t get much bigger,” Black told Lions TV as part of the Vero Coaches’ Wrap.

“It will be a wonderful experience for our guys on Saturday night, there will be a healthy crowd there no doubt.

“We’d had a reasonable month before the Adelaide game, so hopefully the guys can put their best foot forward and have a good one.”

The match will also double as the Club’s official ‘Victorian Members Thank You’ Round, with a selection of activities planned both pre-game and post.

“The support we get from the Melbourne and old Fitzroy supporters is fantastic and we absolutely love it,” Black said.

“We encourage you all to get along and cheer on the boys.”