Boomer saying he'll be the last to play 400 games

[Tasfut]

In your opinion do you think he will be right about his statement, or can you see another current/future player reaching the milestone?
The only other players with over 300 games right now are Goodes, Pavlich and Enright which imo will all retire this year with only a slim chance for Pav or Enright to go on the following year.

Some other players that I think could possibly have a small chance of making the 400-club if they can stay healthy are Ablett, Mitchell, Bob Murphy, Bartel and Pendles.

What are your thougts on the matter, no chance there will be another or can you see someone like Ablett make it if he can stay healthy?

 

[ManWithNoName]

He'll almost certainly be the last.

Not sure it needed its own thread though.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Just can't see it happening, especially if the sub goes as expected.

Not sure a player could come into the game now and play the required 20yrs to get it.

 

[astrovic]

No, I think he's wrong.

Boomer's comment was based on his comparison of the demands on footballers now compared to when he started. It's so much harder now, ergo it will be so much harder for modern players to play as long as he has.

However, modern players come into this system only knowing this system. It is their benchmark, like the 1996 system was Boomer's. I'm sure the old stagers still playing in 1996 would have said it was much harder then than when they started too. This year's draftees who play 10+ seasons will probably comment at the end of their careers how much easier is was in 2015. And so on.

So there's always going to be a small handful of players who manage to combine avoiding serious injury, not being susceptible to soft tissue injuries, have undiminished passion for the game and are able to play at a consistent level year after year. Playing consistently in a top team that plays lots of finals helps too. And a small handful of that small handful will keep that going until they get somewhere near the mark.

I couldn't say who if any out of the current crop might get there, but I'd be very surprised if it didn't happen again.

 

[the harry]

20 years ago people would have said there would never be another. There will always be a chance.

 

[indy nile]

Maybe not one of those blokes you mentioned, but a player who has played pretty much every game since debut (Cotchin comes to mind) could make it if they're durable

 

[Lefthanded]

Surely Franklin will get to 400? 218 games now, 7 years left on his contract.....

 

[Rack Watts]

I actually think Nick Riewoldt will play 400.
McCartin (once of age and xp) and Bruce as a forward pairing, move Riewoldt to the wing.
None of his elite attributes slow with age, his running capacity will only grow stronger into his mid to late 30's.
Will be on exactly 300 at the end of the season.

 

[calaisking]

I can't see any current players doing it.

Who's the current leading games players other than Boomer and Fletch?

Would it be Pav at 326? No way you'll get 3 more seasons out of Pav

 

[indy nile]

I can't see any current players doing it.

Who's the current leading games players other than Boomer and Fletch?

Would it be Pav at 326? No way you'll get 3 more seasons out of Pav

Goodes is on 360 odd

 

[ManWithNoName]

Goodes is on 360 odd

And he looks absolutely spent. No way he plays one, let alone two, more seasons at 20 games each.

 

[calaisking]

Goodes is on 360 odd

Yeah 364. So he'll need to play all H&A games this year, all finals or atleast two and a full season with finals next year to make it

 

[Power Raid]

Surely Franklin will get to 400? 218 games now, 7 years left on his contract.....

7 by say 20 games per year = 140

300 absolutely but 400 would be a stretch

 

[Engimal]

I'm not sure, but after the current lot that debuted in the early 2000s has gone, I don't think there will be another one.

 

[Kram]

He'll almost certainly be the last.

Not sure it needed its own thread though.

People said the same thing after Tuck and Bartlett.

 

[HBFlanker]

Andrew Gaff would be a chance. Nearly fell off my chair when i saw it was his hundredth last week

 

[ashep]

If Buddy gets us to the gf every year of his contract he'll clock 400

 

[astrovic]

Of the current crop, Deledio looks most likely to me. Has played 225 games and is only 28. Debuted just before his 18th birthday and played seniors from the start, and has been very consistent from the word go.

Another 9 seasons at 20 games a season = 405 games, and he'd still only be 36, same as Bartlett, a year younger than Harvey and Tuck (37) and lots younger than Fletcher (40).

He's had a couple of injury niggles this year (and I think last?) which have cost him 4 games each season, but there's no reason to assume that injuries at 27/28 will mean he'll suffer more injuries later on. He might or he might not.

If he stays pretty much injury free, stays keen and keeps playing anywhere like he is at the moment, I reckon he's a chance.

 

[Underarm]

Most 300 game players have come in the last 50 years. Before then Gordon Coventry, Jack Dyer, Dick Reynolds were the only ones to break that barrier.

Its hard, but not Impossible.

 

[Scott lastname]

If Buddy gets us to the gf every year of his contract he'll clock 400

7*25 + 218 = 393.

Still doesn't make it, unless you make the GF the hard way every one of those years.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

2013 season where he only played 11 games probably cost Goodes a chance to get to 400.

 

[jim boy]

He doesn't have to come from the current crop, after Tuck retired a full season before the next 400 gamer started his career - Dustin Fletcher.

 

[Father Jack]

People said this after Bartlett.

 

[L_W_P]

Yeah Deledio would be my bet.

Nick Riewoldt is already having to have weekly needles for his knee. I cant see him going beyond next year to be honest.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Think Ablett might be a possibility to play 400, the shoulder might have hurt his chances though

But i honestly don't think their will be another, but in 20 years time i could be wrong. We'll just have to wait and see