Who'll Play 300 Games?

[bergholt]

In order to play 300 games you've basically got to play 20 games every year for 15 years. If you start at 18 and don't miss too many chunks, you'll play 300 in the year you turn 33.

It's pretty hard to do these days, but I reckon Nick Dal Santo's got a show at it.

Dal's shown himself to be seriously durable, playing even with minor injuries over the years. He'll play his 150 in two weeks and he's just turned 25. He played a lot of games in 2002, the year he'd turned 18, and apart from a patchy 2003 (I don't remember if he was injured or just out of form) has played every game since - except the one he got dropped for last year.

2002: 18 games
2003: 8 games
2004: 25 games
2005: 24 games
2006: 23 games
2007: 22 games
2008: 24 games
2009: 4* games

So if all goes perfectly, he'll play 200 at the start of 2011, 250 in the middle of 2013, and 300 towards the end of 2015, at about age 31.5. I reckon he could probably play till 33 or 34, so he's got at least a few years up his sleeve.

The only other player on our list with half a chance is Brendon Goddard.

2003: 18 games
2004: 24 games
2005: 19 games
2006: 22 games
2007: 7 games
2008: 23 games
2009: 4* games

The kid hasn't yet played a full season, but only missed one or two in each of 04, 06, 08. He came back well from his ACL in 2007 which suggests that he might be pretty good at injury rehab, which would seem to be important as you're going to get injured when you play a lot of seasons.

BJ's almost 24 and has played 117. Everything according to plan, he'll play 150 halfway through 2010, 200 towards the end of 2012, 250 at the start of 2015, and 300 in 2017, around the time he turns 32. It's a possibility, especially because BJ is so versatile. I could see him playing predominantly out of the goal square in his last few years - assuming that permanent forwards exist in eight years.

Whaddya reckon?

[savatage]

Pretty sure 2003 is when he (Dal Santo) had that major quad injury. Kept him out for a long time.

[Thinline]

Goddard and Dal for sure and Milne is my roughie.

300's gonna become less and less likely isn't it. The game's just too damn tough on a bloke's legs.

[bergholt]

Goddard and Dal for sure and Milne is my roughie.

It's true that he doesn't miss many with injury, but still:

2001: 17 games, 27.20
2002: 21 games, 50.11
2003: 14 games, 26.19
2004: 21 games, 46.22
2005: 24 games, 61.20
2006: 22 games, 29.29
2007: 22 games, 32.22
2008: 24 games, 60.32
2009: 4* games, 9.4

He's now played 169 games - but is 29. He'd play 200 middle of 2010, 250 end of 2012, 300 start of 2015. At that point, he'd be 35. If he keeps kicking goals, I suppose there's no reason he should be displaced, but that sounds like an awfully long time. His position's cutthroat - it only takes one lapse in form in your 30s and you're out.

[meher baba]

I agree with Dal and BJ. I very much doubt Milne: he'd need to be still playing past 35, which I can't really see.

I suppose Steven King is a faint chance: he'd need to go for 3 more seasons after this one, making him close to 35. Other ruckmen have gone on this long.

What about Riewoldt? He could conceivably make it by 33 or so? He's not far short of Banger in terms of his dedication to fitness.

[bergholt]

What about Riewoldt? He could conceivably make it by 33 or so? He's not far short of Banger in terms of his dedication to fitness.

2001: 6 games, 2.2
2002: 22 games, 21.18
2003: 22 games, 30.17
2004: 25 games, 67.32
2005: 16 games, 33.36
2006: 23 games, 60.35
2007: 20 games, 42.25
2008: 24 games, 65.39
2009: 4* games, 8.6

Yeah, I suppose he's a chance. As we've seen at the start of this season, he's willing to play when not quite a hundred percent, and is still useful, so that might help him get through games he by rights shoulda missed.

He's played 162 and is 26 and a half. 200 comes towards the end of 2010, 250 at the start of 2013, 300 in the middle of 2015. At that point he's 32.5.

I suppose I'm just worried that in his position, and with his commitment, he'll get injuries relatively frequently, and therefore might play more like 15 or 18 a season on average as he gets older.

They'll all need a good slice of luck to get all the way to 300, I reckon.

[Thinline]

I agree with Dal and BJ. I very much doubt Milne: he'd need to be still playing past 35, which I can't really see.

I suppose Steven King is a faint chance: he'd need to go for 3 more seasons after this one, making him close to 35. Other ruckmen have gone on this long.

What about Riewoldt? He could conceivably make it by 33 or so? He's not far short of Banger in terms of his dedication to fitness.

I just can't see us without the rat... He's furniture...

[st.byron]

Maybe Lenny.
At the end of this year, barring injury, he'll be up around 215 and he turns 30 in Jan next year. He could miss a total of a whole year if he plays until he's 35 and still make 300.