Essendon fullback Dustin Fletcher says it's an honour for he and his father to chalk up the most AFL matches by a father-son combination.

Sunday's game against Carlton will be Fletcher's 288th, which will give him and his dad Ken - who played 264 games for the Bombers - a combined 552.

That will put them ahead of Sergio and Stephen Silvagni, who played a combined 551 for the Blues.

Dustin Fletcher said it was great his family could be recognised and would stand above some famous footballing families such as the Silvagnis, Tucks and Whittens.

Fletcher, 33, said he was still enjoying the game and hoped to play on in 2009, but that would almost certainly be his last AFL season.

He said he wanted to keep playing at the club to help teach his younger teammates.

Fletcher said he had enjoyed playing on some of the game's great forwards since his debut in 1993, and rated Geelong's Gary Ablett senior as his most memorable opponent.

He also rated Hawthorn's Lance Franklin as the potential equal to Ablett given his ability and athleticism.

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