2012 AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON: ROUND 6
Brisbane Lions (2-3, 12th) v Essendon (4-1, 5th)
Saturday 5 May 2012
Etihad Stadium @ 1:40pm (local time)

NEAFL STATE LEAGUE SEASON: ROUND 7
Brisbane Lions Reserves (4-1, 3rd) vs Aspley (2-3, 8th)
Saturday 5 May 2012
Yeronga FC @ 1.30pm (local time)

INJURY LIST
Matthew Leuenberger (Achilles) - 8-10 weeks
Brent Staker (knee) - season

LIONS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
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POTENTIAL MILESTONES
Cheynee Stiller - 100 games (currently on 99)

VICTORIAN AFTERMATCH FUNCTION
Lions fans are encouraged to stay back after this Saturday’s match against Essendon to hear from some of the players and coaches at the Club’s official aftermatch function held in the Victory Room inside Etihad Stadium (Level 1, Aisle 14-16).

Lions fans receive free entry into this event which is scheduled to start shortly after the final siren.

CLICK HERE for more Victorian match-day information

LIONS v ESSENDON HEAD TO HEAD
The Lions have won 11 and drawn one of their 22 matches against Essendon for a winning percentage of 50%.

Biggest win: 66 points @ Etihad Stadium in Round 12 2004
Biggest loss: 64 points @ The Gabba in Round 8 2007
Most goals (for): Jonathan Brown (8) @ Etihad Stadium in Round 6 of 2005
Most goals (against): Scott Lucas (7) @ Etihad Stadium in Round 17 2006

RECENT HISTORY
2008: Round 16 - 18.10 (118) to 24.11 (155) @ Etihad Stadium (N) - Lost by 37
2009: Round 6 - 17.9 (111) to 9.14 (68) @ The Gabba (N) - Won by 43
2009: Round 19 - 12.15 (87) to 13.9 (87) @ The MCG (N) - Draw
2010: Round 21 - 14.11 (95) to 10.8 (68) @ Etihad Stadium - Won by 27
2011: Round 8 - 9.12 (66) to 15.12 (102) @ The Gabba - Lost by 36

LAST TIME THEY MET
A winless Lions side were determined to notch up their first win of the season against visitors Essendon when they hosted them in Round 8 at the Gabba.

The Lions started well, with Ash McGrath kicking the first two goals of the match and Essendon failing to capitalise on their inside 50 entries, which were double the Lions’ each quarter.

The Lions led by one point at the main break, before two-goal hauls to both Jobe Watson and David Zaharakis turned the tables and set up a match-winning lead in the third term.

Essendon never looked back, kicking nine goals to the Lions’ three in the second half and ending the day as 36-point victors.

Midfielders Tom Rockliff (30 possessions) and Daniel Rich (23 disposals, nine clearances) and defender Daniel Merrett (19 spoils) were outstanding for the Lions, while David Zaharakis was best for Essendon with 20 disposals and four goals in the second half alone.

Brownlow Medal Votes: 3 - D. Zaharakis (Ess), 2 - H. Hocking (Ess), 1 - D. Myers (Ess)

FAST FOOTY FACTS

2012 Lions Statistical Leaders (AFL Top Ten)
One Percenters: 1st Matt Maguire (49)
Dream Team points =8th Tom Rockliff (561)

Despite a 38-point loss to Geelong in Round 5 in torrential conditions, the Lions led the Cats in many key statistical categories, including contested ball (186-161), inside 50s (54-46), clearances (45-44), tackles (111-94), and scoring shots (21-19), and had the ball in their forward half for 53% of play.

Senior Coaches Michael Voss (Lions) and James Hird (Essendon) were the joint winners of the 1996 Brownlow Medal, and went head-to-head in the 2001 AFL Grand Final as Captains of the teams that they now coach.

Assistant Coaches Gary O’Donnell and Mark Harvey both have a long history with the Essendon Football Club. O’Donnell played 243 games in the red and black from 1987-1998, and was an Assistant Coach from 2005-2010, while Harvey played 206 games and spent eight seasons as an Assistant Coach from 1998-2005.