Saturday night’s history-making contest between Carlton and the Gold Coast will also be remembered as the night Matthew Watson first embarked on his senior League career, following confirmation the Pascoe Vale teenager has been named in the Blues’ starting 18.

To view the full team line-up click here.

Watson, who becomes the 1132nd senior player to pull on the famed Carlton guernsey since the formation of the Victorian Football League in 1897, has been named in a back pocket for the Suns match. He replaces Kane Lucas, who himself goes down in the record books as the club’s first substitute player, for what was the AFL’s season opener with Richmond at the MCG.

Watson, the nephew of former Essendon premiership ruckman Steve Alessio, was secured with Carlton’s first round selection (18 overall) in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft - having earned Under 18 All-Australian selection in the same year.