The big photo shoot this week ahead of Scott Pendlebury's breaking of the AFL games record on Saturday was an eye-opener on several levels.
As football's six-man "400-games-plus club" -- Pendlebury, Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Shaun Burgoyne, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Fletcher -- assembled for another "team" pic, several observations came to mind.
One was about whether Pendlebury's record will ever be broken, because while it seems players are playing longer, and four of those half-dozen have passed the 400 mark in the last decade or so, they're also reaching the 200-game mark later.
Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage is the youngest of the current 200-game crop and already 27. Even he's going to have to play until close to 40 to catch Pendlebury.
Another admittedly self-indulgent point rammed home, though, was a reminder how old I am. I was a footy fan during the entire careers of five of the six 400-gamers, and saw most of the other (Bartlett). Indeed, not only did I watch all of Dustin Fletcher's career, I saw at least two-thirds of his father Ken Fletcher's career, too.
With that came the realisation just how ancient some of that history must seem to younger people, confirmed when Channel 7's news mistakenly ran a "Kevin Bartlett" caption under the visage of the rather-more-hirsute Tuck, prompting this zinger from KB's son Rhett on X: "Dad's come back from Turkey, I see".
Pendlebury's breaking the games record is a truly big moment in football history, but do we really appreciate just how great he and the others in the 400-plus club have been beyond merely their longevity?
To that end, then, how about an attempt to establish a pecking order in terms of football greatness of this "ageless half-dozen"? It's a tough task indeed. But after much consideration, here's how I'd rank them.
1. Kevin Bartlett (Richmond)
A clear No.1 for me for several reasons, but one in particular. In my view, there has been no greater big occasion player than KB, who won the second Norm Smith Medal ever awarded in 1980, would definitely have won another in 1973 had there been one, and may even have snuck a third (1969). And it wasn't just grand finals. Bartlett played in 27 finals matches throughout his 403-game career. In a staggering 23 of them, he was named among Richmond's best six players. An official Legend of the Game, he won five Richmond best and fairests and even the Tigers' goalkicking four times despite being a ground-level player who spent most of his career on the ball. An absolute superstar in any era.
2. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
Forget recency bias, if anything I have an anti-recency bias. But casting one's eye over the long list of numbers and stories published in the lead-up to this historic occasion merely reaffirms Pendlebury's greatness, albeit one which longevity has helped drive home in line with the midfielder's metronomic consistency and gracefulness of movement, the "time slows down when he has the ball" effect, if you like. That's before you even consider the sheer weight of honours - five best and fairests, six All-Australian gongs, a Norm Smith Medal and four Anzac Day medals. Such absolute high-end performance consistency is perhaps best reflected by these two facts. One, that across 21 seasons and 432 games, Pendlebury's disposal average remains an incredible 25.4. Second, that in 20 completed seasons, he has finished first, second or third in the Copeland Trophy no fewer than 14 times. Indeed, the longer you pore over Pendlebury's career, the better it looks.
3. Michael Tuck (Hawthorn)
It's 35 years now since the wiry-framed Hawk, arguably football's most famous plumber, hung up the boots after leading his team to the 1991 flag, his (equal record) seventh premiership (from a record 11 grand finals) and fourth as captain. Those too young to have seen him will note that Tuck never won a best and fairest. What they may not know is he was runner-up a staggering seven times and third twice. And at a time when the Hawks fielded the strongest, most successful and star-studded sides of their history. Tall, athletic and tough, he took the role of ruck-rover to a new level, but could play anywhere, really, whether as a defensive runner, wingman or even key forward.
4. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
It's become fashionable to downplay Harvey's legacy beyond his longevity. I'm not sure why, the little running machine was not only an absolute champion, but for the bulk of his career a great player in consistently good teams, the Roos finalists in 13 of his 21 seasons. Five best and fairests and four All-Australian gongs say plenty, not to mention a disposal average of more than 21 over that long, plus 518 goals at 1.2 per game. There's also a compelling argument Harvey still had plenty to give when he was wound up by the Roos at the end of 2016, too, having just come fifth in the best and fairest. Indeed, incredibly, Harvey, at 48, is still playing in 2026 with Trentham in the Maryborough Castlemaine District league.
5. Dustin Fletcher (Essendon)
Another former star who features in the criminally underrated stakes, the Bomber key defender famously debuted whilst still a 17-year-old high school student, and retired 22 years later having just turned 40. The Bombers were a declining power later in his career, and Fletcher often used as a specialist interceptor matched against lesser opponents. But that ignores his long tenure before that opposed to some of the greatest key forwards of all time, Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett, Kernahan, Modra, Sumich and co. Incredible closing speed and judgement made his lack of bulk irrelevant. Phenomenally durable and won a best and fairest in statistically the greatest team of all time, Essendon's 2000 premiership line-up.
6. Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide/Hawthorn)
The only member of this half-dozen to play with more than one club. Perhaps that impacts his status a little. Alternatively, given he reached 150 games with the Power and 250 for the Hawks, maybe it enhances his claims as a champion of two clubs. Burgoyne has fewer individual honours than the others here, but may have been No.1 for both composure under pressure and versatility. Whether as an explosive midfielder, clearance winner, rebound defender, creative forward or shutdown man, Burgoyne always performed his roles with a minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency. Seldom has a nickname like "Silk" been more applicable. And he places sixth here only because someone had to.
You can read more of Rohan Connolly's work at FOOTYOLOGY.
