Will Ashcroft will complete statistically the best first 50 games by a Queenslander in AFL history on Saturday – and arguably the best first 50 Brisbane games by a non-import.

Coming off a best afield showing against the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba last Friday night, the silky-skilled midfielder will post his half-century in QClash #29 against the Gold Coast Suns at Carrara on Saturday afternoon.

With 1181 career possessions in 49 games, Ashcroft already has bettered the record for most possessions by a 50-game Queenslander, which is held by ex-Fitzroy and Brisbane player Scott McIvor at 977 and has stood since 1987.

McIvor heads the 50-game record from ex-Collingwood and Brisbane player Dayne Beams (976), ex-Brisbane players Cheynee Stiller (951) and Michael Voss (910), and Collingwood’s Josh Thomas (903).

Ashcroft’s 49-game possession count is 71 possessions behind the Brisbane 50-game record for non-imports of 1252 held by ex-captain Tom Rockliff, but he has already covered the only other Brisbane players to top 1000 possessions - David Bain (1126) and Alex Witherden (1055).

But, given he’s won a Norm Smith Medal in a premiership side – and had a knee reconstruction – it’s impossible not to put the current Lions #8 at the top of the overall list.

Top 10 key statistics at 50 games for Brisbane players who made their AFL debut with the club are:

50-GAME POSSESSIONS

1252 – Tom Rockliff
1126 – David Bain
1055 – Alex Witherden
 998 – Danny Noonan
 980 – Simon Black
 971 – Pearce Hanley
 951 – Cheynee Stiller
 951 – Jack Redden
 938 – Marcus Ashcroft
 932 – Martin Leslie

Will Ashcroft has 1181 at 49 games.

50-GAME GOALS

102 – Daniel Bradshaw
 77 – Justin Leppitsch
 77 – Eric Hipwood
 74 – Luke Power
 72 – Dan McStay
 67 – Craig McRae
 64 – Marcus Ashcroft
 64 – Josh Green
 57 – Jason Akermanis
 57 – Todd Banfield

Will Ashcroft has 21 goals in 49 games

50-GAME WIN %

78.0 – Robert Copeland
77.1 – Jaspa Fletcher
76.0 – Des Headland
76.0 – Jonathan Brown
73.5 – Jamie Charman
72.0 – Noah Answerth
69.4 – Ash McGrath
69.4 – Darcy Wilmot
68.0 – Dan McStay
68.0 – Tim Notting
68.0 – Keidean Coleman
68.0 – Brandon Starcevich

Will Ashcroft is at 77.1% through 49 games.

50-GAME BROWNLOW VOTES

30 – David Bain
20 – Matthew Clarke
16 – Des Headland
13 – Simon Black
13 – Tom Rockliff
11 – Daniel Bradshaw
11 – Dayne Zorko
10 – Michael Voss
 9 – Nigel Lappin
 9 – Troy Clarke

Will Ashcroft has 10 votes from 31 games to the end of 2024.

Ashcroft, Jaspa Fletcher, Robert Copeland, Jonathan Brown, Ash McGrath and Jamie Charman are the only Brisbane non-imports to win a premiership inside 50 games.

And Ashcroft is one of two Brisbane non-imports to win a Marcus Ashcroft Medal as best afield in a Q-Clash inside 50 games. And the quickest.

He won the medal named in honour of his father, triple premiership player with Brisbane and later inaugural football manager at the Gold Coast, in his 39^th game in Round 8 this year. Rockliff won the medal in his 44^th.

QClash #28 was the first time Will and Levi Ashcroft played together in the Queensland derby, with Brisbane winning by 17 points despite conceding the only three goals of the last quarter.

The Lions will take a 21-7 head-to-head record in the QClash into Saturday’s early start game, having won the last three meetings between the clubs and 12 of the last 13.

Dayne Zorko, who heads the Q-Clash games list, will play his 26^th game against the Suns this week, Ryan Lester his 21^st and Harris Andrews his 18^th to move to outright 5^th on the QClash games list, which also includes Gold Coast’s David Swallow (23), retired Lion Daniel Rich (19), and Gold Coast’s Touk Miller (17), Jarrod Harbrow (17).

Hugh McCluggage, Eric Hipwood and Darcy Gardiner will play their 16^th, going one ahead of the injured Noah Answerth, Dan McStay and Sam Day and the Gold Coast’s Sean Lemmens, and subject to final selection, Sam Marshall will play his first QClash in his third game.