Jaeger O’Meara will complete two seasons in the AFL without missing a game on Saturday night as the West Coast Eagles visit the new-look Metricon Stadium for the first time to close out 2014.
Having debuted in Round 1 last year, O’Meara has set a SUNS record for most consecutive games for the SUNS and most consecutive games from debut.
And while he’s still got a long way to go to challenge the all-time record for consecutive games from debut of 194, set by 2005 Sydney premiership player Jared Crouch (1998-2006), it’s a wonderful platform for the 20-year-old midfielder.
Only eight players in AFL history have played 100 or more consecutive games from debut – Crouch, Fitzroy’s John Murphy (158), Fremantle’s David Mundy (124), Footscray’s Steve Wallis (113), Brisbane’s Jack Redden (112), Hawthorn’s Allan Woodley (110), Melbourne’s Shane Woewodin (107) and Hawthorn’s Ian Law (100).
Six other SUNS players will complete unblemished 2014 seasons on Sunday – Sam Day, Jarrod Harbrow, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Danny Stanley and David Swallow.
For Harbrow and Stanley it will be their second full season after each played all 22 games in 2011.
Others to have played every game in a season for the SUNS have been Jared Brennan (2011), Harley Bennell (2012), Josh Caddy (2012), Matthew Warnock (2012) and Aaron Hall (2013).
At the other end of the scale, Henry Schade, a 20-year-old defender from North Hobart who was the SUNS’ first pick in the 2011 National Draft at No.24 overall, is in line for an AFL debut after being named Thursday night in the 25-man match squad.
If he survives the final cut Schade will become the 68th SUNS player overall and the 7th debutant of 21014 behind Craig Cameron, Jack Martin, Sean Lemmens, Kade Kolodjashnij, Louis Herbert and Jack Leslie.
It will also end the longest wait in club history for an opportunity at the highest level, with Schade having watched the SUNS play 65 games as a member of the club’s playing list.
West Coast that will be the last of the 17 opposition clubs to play at the Gold Coast against the SUNS.
They’ve played six times at the venue overall for four wins and a draw against the old Brisbane Bears in 1992, when Brisbane teenager Ray Windsor kicked a goal after the siren to lock it up.
West Coast’s last game on the Gold Coast was against North Melbourne in Round 8 2008 when, ironically, current coach Adam Simpson, then North captain, collected three Brownlow Medal votes in his side’s six-point win.
The SUNS have an 0-4 win/loss record against the Eagles, having lost by 18 points (2011), 126 points (2012), 17 points (2013) and three points (2014), but will go into this game with positive memories of their last match against them in Perth.
The SUNS trailed by 35pts late in the third quarter but kicked 6-5 to 1-3 in the fourth quarter and hit the front late in the game before going down by three points, ultimately paying the price for a poor first half. Josh Kennedy kicked seven goals for the Eagles.
Only six SUNS players have played in all four games against West Coast – Gary Ablett, Harley Bennell, Sam Day, Steven May, Trent McKenzie and Danny Stanley. And Ablett, May and McKenzie will miss tomorrow night due to injury.
Dion Prestia holds the SUNS record for most possessions in a game against West Coast – 38 earlier this year. Charlie Dixon, Tom Lynch and Alex Sexton hold share SUNS record for most goals in a game against West at three.
