As Dunkley prepares to play his 100^th Lions game against the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon (4.15pm) a stocktake of his statistics since he joined the club in 2023 shows he’s been one of the great recruits. And a tackling machine.

In 99 Lions games the 29-year-old co-captain has topped the tackle count 62 times. Plus, he’s ranked second 14 times and third 11 times. Jarrod Berry, with seven games as the #1 tackler, is next best from Hugh McCluggage’s six games.

Dunkley has hit double-figures in tackles 15 times – and had nine tackles 12 times and eight tackles 14 times. McCluggage is the only other player with a double-figure tackle game in the same period – he’s had two.

Dunkley has averaged 6.97 tackles per game in Brisbane colors, and had 12.6% of the club’s entire tackle count in his time at the club.  McCluggage’s 3.85 tackles per game is next best.

And despite having only joined the club in 2023 Dunkley is already 10^th on the all-time tackle list that represents 40 years and 920 games of Bears/Lions football.

With 690 behind he is only Dayne Zorko (1538), Simon Black (1283), Luke Power (940), Tom Rockliff (902), Jack Redden (806), Hugh McCluggage (799), Daniel Rich (786), Jed Adcock (749) and Jarrod Berry (692).

It all adds up to a five-star return on a trade which was only completed in the last half hour of the trade period in 2022.

After much haggling, and an early Dogs demand for two first-round picks for their 2022 club champion and 2016 premiership player, they accepted pick #21 in the 2022 National Draft, and future Lions picks in the first, second and fourth rounds for Dunkley and two third-round picks.

It was a welcome relief for Dunkley, who two years earlier had sought a trade to Essendon only to left stranded when the clubs were unable to come to terms. And a life-changing moment.

Since his move to Brisbane the Lions have enjoyed a 70-2-29 record at a 70.7% strike-rate, including 11 finals, the grand finals and two premierships, while the Dogs have gone 52-39 at 57.1% and lost their only final.

And since the bullocking midfielder tried to get to Essendon the Bombers have had a 48-1-85 record at 36.1% and lost their only final.

Dunkley, who has finished 4^th-3^rd-1^st in the Merrett/Murray Medal in 2023-24-25, is another triumph on the Lions’ five-star recruiting campaign of the Chris Fagan era.

Since 2018, after Fagan had had 12 months to settle, there have been 30 players in the AFL who have played 100-plus games after moving clubs. Dunkley will the 31^st.

Of them, Brisbane have had five – Charlie Cameron (202), Lachie Neale (180), Lincoln McCarthy (130), Callum AhChee (124) and now Dunkley.

It will be a double-milestone for Dunkley on Saturday as he also becomes the 60^th player in AFL history to play 100 games at two clubs, hitting this mark 23 hours before Carlton’s ex-Sydney midfielder George Hewett does likewise on Sunday.

Other Brisbane players in this elite group are Roger Merrett, Alastair Lynch, Matthew Clarke, Michael Rischitelli and Jack Redden.

Lynch also qualifies as a Fitzroy member of the “100 x 2 Club” with Bernie Quinlan, Tim Pekin, John Blakey, Tim Pekin and Stephen Paxman.

A win on Saturday In Q-Clash #32 would give Dunkley a 70-2-28 Brisbane record at 100 games – better than all but six of the other 68 Brisbane 100-games.

Ahead of him would be Jonathan Brown (74-26), AhChee (74-1-25), Mal Michael (73-1-26), Martin Pike (72-1-27) and Tim Notting (71-1-28).

Just behind this group are current teammates Noah Answerth (70-1-29) and Darcy Wilmot (69-2-29) and ex-teammate Jarryd Lyons (69-31).

Dunkley will play his ninth Q-Clash, having enjoyed a 6-2 record in the game between the two AFL clubs, which delivered a 31-point Brisbane win when last they met in Round 13 at Carrara.

It will be ‘tackle-off’ between Dunkley and Gold Coast Brownlow Medallist Matt Rowell, who is coming off the first game in recorded AFL history of 15 tackles and 15 clearances. He had 16 tackles and 17 clearances plus 40 possessions as the Suns beat GWS to end a nine-week losing streak.

Rowell is the only player in the competition who has made more tackles in the last four years than Dunkley. It’s Rowell 701, Dunkley 690 and Geelong’s Tom Atkins 676.

With Lions veteran Dayne Zorko having got through his comeback game against Hawthorn last week without mishap he will play his 28^th Q-Clash to go four clear of ex-Suns captain David Swallow at the top of the list. Ryan Lester, third on the list, will play his 23^rd Q-Clash.