He’s been lucky enough to have both played against and coached Brent Harvey, so it’s little wonder Brad Scott holds the new games-record holder in the highest regard.
Scott has been Harvey’s coach for the best part of seven seasons, but first witnessed his talents way back in 1997.
Then a Hawk, Scott, in his sixth AFL game, played against Harvey, in his third. The pair lined up on opposing teams on 11 occasions.
“In terms of the player, he’s not too different (now compared to then),” Scott said.
“He’s still that type you think you could get a hold of … when you see him and you look at the physical stature of him, you think ‘yeah I’ve got this bloke covered’, then after about a quarter of footy you think ‘yeah I’ll get him eventually’, and you never do get him.
“I think people have thought for 426 games that he’s a player just due to his physical stature that he’s not going to last, or he’s not going to have the impact that he has, but he’s been an incredible footballer.”
Scott said Harvey’s longevity was quite remarkable, but given his dedication, the games' record was never beyond him.
“He’s just the most driven footballer I’ve ever seen in my time in footy. That’s saying a lot because I’ve seen a lot of driven competitors.
“He’s like no other in the game.
“Clearly he’s blessed with some terrific genetics, but that really undersells the work that he puts in.”
While Harvey has played with an amazing 166 teammates along the way, Scott said he’s had an impact on every one.
“I’ve said repeatedly that he’s an incredible role model for all of our current day players, but the legacy he’s going to leave our club for generations going into the future is just going to be incredible," he added.
“Our players absolutely idolise Boomer in a lot of ways. They’ve got a great record in his milestone games and there’s been quite a few over the journey.
“This week’s all about the team trying to gets its 12th win, and it’s about celebrating an incredible milestone, not just for Boomer and North Melbourne, but for the AFL as a whole.”
