No better role model for all

All of the members are universally admired. They were likeable characters, durable, dependable and team-oriented.

Sure, KB brags about the one handball he dished off during his career, but I was at the MCG in 1980 when the sight of his comb-over flapping in the breeze as he streaked towards goal was enough to dull the hopes of even the most devout Magpie supporter.

As a Hawthorn supporter, Tucky was the epitome of the family club, hard and tough but never flashy. Sure, the pointy elbows on his spindly frame would sometimes cause trouble, but he was a ball player and a good one.

Harvey and Fletcher were just brilliant, and both probably left the game with a little bit of football still in them.

Players that are around for 19 or 20 seasons are more than just footballers.

Their experience, wisdom, and ability to teach and mentor become highly valued by their clubs. There is little they haven't experienced, so they become a valuable resource for younger players.

Some may believe that Shaun Burgoyne is being nursed to 400 games, but he has earned it.Shaun will play game 400 against Port Adelaide, the club where he started, and fans from both sides will celebrate the man everyone knows as "Silk".

All will have memories of moments when he turned a game, either winning it or saving it, and sometimes both.

The Hawthorn and Port fans who have watched him closer than all others will also understand how much he sacrifices for others on the field and what a great role model he is off it.

Being the first indigenous player to reach 400 games is significant, but Shaun Burgoyne inspires any young footballer, male or female.

If you could wish a career for yourself, regardless of premierships and individual honours, you would want to walk away with the respect of the footy community.

Shaun Burgoyne has that in spades.