Dustin Fletcher Biography

Essendon honours Neale Daniher along with Dustin Fletcher and Gavin Wanganeen as club Legends.

Gavin Wanganeen, Neale Daniher, Dustin Fletcher, and Dr. Bruce Reid have been unanimously nominated to be elevated to Legend status in the Essendon's Hall of Fame in 2021.

Mason Fletcher, son of Dustin Fletcher, quits football to chase an NFL punting career in the US.

Fletcher has signed with Melbourne-based punting program Prokick Australia, headed by former Brisbane and Hawthorn player turned NFL punter Nathan Chapman.

Mason Fletcher, son of Bombers great Dustin Fletcher, is expected to be a father-son pick by Essendon in the 2018 draft and will train with the club for the next fortnight.

"If you were to get him to shave his head, you'd mistake the two," Essendon key defender Michael Hurley said.

"Same size, same shape, same attributes – really great young kid as well – so it's really exciting to have him around for the next couple of weeks and hopefully he can develop a fair bit."

Brendon Goddard confirms he will don the goalkeeper's gloves for the first Test of the 2018 International Rules Series against Ireland.

Goddard will take the goalkeeping reins from Bombers champion Dustin Fletcher, who had the role for more than a decade before hanging up the boots at the end of 2015.

"I've got the gloves in the bag," Goddard said.

"It's something a little bit foreign to me, with Fletch being the number one goalie for a couple of years. I don't quite have the Gadget-like reach that Fletch's had in the past."

Retired Essendon full-back Dustin Fletcher says he feels frustrated by not knowing what he can pursue outside of football as part of his suspension in the Bombers' supplements scandal.

"It's more the unknown; you're just not sure of what exactly you can and can't do with it being written, even though you probably should know," Fletcher said.

"I still feel a little bit embarrassed when I go out … because you know it's been such a massive scandal over a long period of time."

Essendon is uncertain whether retiring great Dustin Fletcher will agree to a send-off for Bombers fans at Sunday's game against Collingwood.

Fletcher, 40, announced his retirement on Friday, ending a career that spanned 23 seasons and 400 games.

The veteran pushed himself in the past few weeks to overcome an abdominal injury that has sidelined him since he reached the games landmark in round nine against Richmond but could not recover sufficiently for a farewell match.

"It's disappointing we couldn't get him up," interim Bombers coach Matthew Egan said.

"It's disappointing he doesn't get to be the sub or something and just finish off for the club, but hopefully he does something Sunday and if not I think we just respect his decision that he needs some time to think about it."

Dustin Fletcher says he hopes to add to his 400 game tally this year but isn't overly optimistic about his chances of doing so.

"Obviously I've had a bit of a sore groin and it's flared up a couple of times, so that's just a bit disappointing," Fletcher said.

"But I'll do my best – there's seven games to go – to try and get back out and have a bit of a run.

"But a 40-year-old with a bit of a sore groin probably doesn't look too flash, so we'll just have to see how we go in the next [seven] weeks."

Dustin Fletcher will play his 400th game this week, becoming just the third man to reach the milestone.

Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck says Dustin Fletcher's upcoming 400-game milestone is a testament to the veteran Bomber's love of Australia's indigenous football code.

"If you didn't really love it you wouldn't do it," Tuck said.

"When you really analyse it, with all the cold nights at training and the hard pre-seasons, Dustin's been going for 23 years, so he's done a very good job to stay focused and keep playing.

"He's had a fair bit of success and won a couple of flags, so that makes it a bit easier to keep going.

"But basically it's just about enjoying the game and enjoying being part of a team.

"The younger blokes at the club help keep you feeling a bit younger than you are too."

Essendon coach coach James Hird has pays tribute to Dustin Fletcher as the evergreen defender approaches his 40th birthday.

"Fletcher is an inspiration to all of us," Hird said.

"He's remarkable really because he's continuing to play AFL football at the age of 40 and there's not many people capable of doing that."

Jobe Watson and Dustin Fletcher could be disadvantaged in any anti-doping penalty because they played in the international rules series against Ireland, the Players' Association has conceded.

"I think you have to go back to when that actually happened, and that was right around the time that provisional suspensions were put in place," AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said.

"Those two particular players had their provisional suspensions start a week later and that will impact until the end of this."

Dustin Fletcher and Jobe Watson have been given the green light to play in Saturday's International Rules test, despite awaiting the ruling of Tuesday's directions hearing.

The AFL has confirmed the pair's availability, with Fletcher and Watson to join their Australian teammates in Sydney for a two-day camp, before taking their place against Ireland in the one-off match at Patersons Stadium on Saturday night.

Jobe Watson and Dustin Fletcher could miss this month's International Rules Test if they receive infraction notices before the clash with Ireland.

The Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel formally put 34 past and present Essendon on its register of findings on Thursday after the bulk of those players decided not to respond to ASADA show-cause notices alleging they used the banned peptide Thymosin beta-4 during the 2012 season.

Dustin Fletcher will play on for a record-breaking 23rd season after signing a new one-year deal.

The 39-year-old agreed to terms with the Bombers on Saturday morning and looks set to become just the third player in history to reach 400 games.

"I did have to sit down and really think about this decision but I know that my body is feeling good and I feel that I still have something to contribute to the team," Fletcher said.

"I'm not particularly motivated by records, but I am motivated by my teammates and this great club."

Dustin Fletcher opts for surgery on his injured finger, effectively ending his season.

The 39-year-old has been struggling with a finger tendon injury, which he sustained at training three weeks ago.

Dustin Fletcher will meet with a surgeon this week to determine the extent of a finger injury that kept him out of the Bombers side against Richmond last week.

"Dustin is a problem because he dislocated his finger and also tore part of a tendon in that finger," Essendon club doctor Bruce Reid said.

"He is still very sore so he will be reviewed by Greg Hoy and there is a bit of a problem because of that finger."

The end of this season is likely to determine whether Dustin Fletcher plays on for a 23rd year of AFL football, according to Essendon coach Mark Thompson.

Thompson expects the 39-year-old to want to play on into 2015, and said Fletcher is keen to show his value in the final chunk of this season.

"I think he's going to try [to play next year]," Thompson said.

"I think he's pretty realistic, if the next seven weeks he doesn't play and he feels like he can't deserve a game and contribute to the success of the team, then he'll make the right decision. And I totally trust Dustin."

Veteran Bomber Dustin Fletcher has set a target of 16-18 games this year.

"I'd like to hope if the body's right, if I'm up and about and the form's all right, I can play between 16-18 games," Fletcher said.

"That's probably just the number I've got in my head. I've learnt you never say you'll play 22 games because it's such a tough year and things can change quickly with a few injuries."

Dustin Fletcher's record-breaking 379th game for Essendon is on hold after a hamstring injury ruled him out of Saturday night's clash with Richmond.

Fletcher has missed the past two weeks with suspension after equalling Simon Madden's club record of 378 club against West Coast in round 20.

38-year old Dustin Fletcher expresses his desire to continue playing next year.

"I would love to be a part of the team next year but we will just have to see how the next few games go," Fletcher said.

Essendon coach James Hird says veteran full back Dustin Fletcher is still undecided on whether to play on in 2014.

"Dustin will keep playing and make his decision as he goes along this year. We're putting him under no pressure to make that decision," Hird said.

"I think it is Dustin's decision and he'll make the right decision for him and the club. I'm not sure what that is and I don't think he knows what that is right at the moment."

Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher could become just the third player to reach 400 AFL-VFL games, according to his father, Ken.

"If he doesn't get injured and he keeps keen I honestly believe he could make 400 and be the third one ever,'' Ken Fletcher said.

"Whether or not he wants to do it, that's up to Dustin. If he's still getting a game and he's worthy of a game, I think he should play until he drops.''

Dustiin Fletcher will play on for a 21st season after the veteran signed a one-year contract extension with Essendon.

"I'm still really enjoying my footy and I think that was the key to playing on next season," Fletcher said.

"To come in and work with 40 blokes who are all mates of mine and all love their footy, you couldn't ask for a better job.

"The old body feels good, I've still got a bit of pace and I'm sure Hirdy will go easy on me at training."

Dustin Fletcher reveals he is a strong chance of continuing his astonishing career in 2013.

"Once you get over 30 you need to sit down at the end of the year and I'll have a good chat with 'Hirdy', but I'm pretty positive," Fletcher said.

"I think I've got another one in me, but time will tell in the next four or five weeks.

"I'm pretty confident mentally and confident physically that I can go again and try to help get Essendon up the ladder and have a chance to have another crack at it."

Dustin Fletcher celebrates his 350th game with a win against Gold Coast, an effort that Essendon coach James Hird has called "freaky".

"He is a freak", Essendon coach James Hird said.

"He reads the play so well and he's got good speed … He's been doing it for 350 games and hopefully he's got another 50 left in him."

Dustin Fletcher is preparing for his life after retirement by taking up a coaching role with the Bombers this season.

'The thing I will concentrate on is playing footy, that's not going to change, and now my down time will go into the coaching side of footy," Fletcher told the Herald Sun.

''Hirdy wants me to be more vocal on the ground and give more direction and he wanted me to help in football direction."

Dustin Fletcher has been ruled out of the upcoming International Rules series after failing to overcome an ankle complaint.

"Dustin is a big loss. He's one we relied on, but his ankle is a bit sore," Australia's coach Rodney Eade said.

Essendon defender Dustin Fletcher credits his enjoyment of the game as the major factor behind his longevity as he enters his 19th AFL season.

"Being in the backline, it's not like being an on-baller, when you're in the fray 90% of the time, and I'm not a centre-half forward, who's in the game a lot more, but mentally I still enjoy it," Fletcher told SEN Radio.

"That's probably the key, and I've kept my pace, that's probably another one. I keep enjoying it so I just keep going."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights says he has tough decisions to make over the future of veterans Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas and Dustin Fletcher.

"I am going to sit down with all of the three veterans at the end of the year. They are all pretty professional mature guys. We will leave it to them," Knights said.

"Those guys will have a big say, and virtually all the say, as to what they want to do. They have earned that right because they are champions of the Essendon footy club."

Young Essendon defender Tayte Pears will get first crack at Blues' full forward Brendan Fevola on Friday night.

Essendon assistant coach Alan Richardson said the Bombers would resist the temptation to start with the more experienced Dustin Fletcher on the dangerous forward.

"Fletcher will certainly get his opportunity to play on Fev. Tayte Pears will be the one early. He will get first crack and he has been in terrific form so he will get first go," Richardson said.

"The way Fletcher plays, it will be more a team defence than perhaps a one-on-one defence. We hope we can get that structure right."

Essendon is set to welcome three key players back for Friday night's match with Melbourne.

Key defender Dustin Fletcher and onballers Andrew Welsh are almost certain to line-up, while speedster Jason Winderlich will be named depending on how he recovers from training today.

Experienced defender Dustin Fletcher is likely to be rushed straight back to senior footy after recovering from a leg injury to help arrest Essendon's slide following two losses in a row for the Bombers.

Dustin Fletcher will only miss 3-4 weeks after scans revealed his foot injury wasn't as severe as first thought.

Essendon is considering sending forward Scott Lucas down back to replace Dustin Fletcher.

Essendon could not give veteran defender Dustin Fletcher a reason to celebrate his 300th match last night after being thumped by the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba by 43 points.

Dustin Fletcher has a break in his left leg and may miss two months of football.

Last of the Baby Bombers, Dustin Fletcher, feels there is enough zip left to carry him through 2010.

"Last year I came into the season a bit sore. This year I probably haven't done as much of the training as the other guys, but I'm feeling pretty good. I daresay next year I'll go again, and anything after that you just wait and see. At this stage the body is feeling good, touch wood, and I think I've kept my speed, which is one of the main assets. I think I've still got a bit of a role to play," Fletcher said.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights has confirmed Dustin Fletcher and Andrew Lovett won't face the Pies in the NAB Cup semi-final this weekend.

Veteran Bombers Scott Lucas and Dustin Fletcher sign one-year deals with Essendon, likely to keep them at the club till the end of their careers.

"This is really good news for us. Between Scott and Dustin, they have over 500 games of AFL experience. Both are best-and-fairest winners, both are premiership players and they are very important to this club.", chief operating officer Travis Auld said.