Brent Harvey displays on dropping AFL/VFL video games report to Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury

It has been 3,584 days — or 512 weeks — since a 38-year-old Brent Harvey turned the VFL/AFL video games report holder, overtaking Hawthorn Legend Michael Tuck.

And for 10 years it has been a title he is held with pleasure.

“When they introduce me, it’s ‘Brent Harvey, former North Melbourne player [and] AFL/VFL games record holder’. 

“It’s good to have, I will not lie,” Harvey admits.

But right now, on the similar age Harvey was in 2016, Scott Pendlebury turns into the only occupant of the report.

When reflecting on the six men who are members of the 400-game club, Harvey — affectionately known as ‘Boomer’ — notes one thing in common.

All however Shaun Burgoyne are one-club gamers.

‘Boomer’ says being a one-club participant is one thing he holds with nice pleasure, however is aware of the AFL’s panorama is shifting.

“[In the] NRL, you know the way they announce mid-season, ‘I’m leaving’ — we’ll get to that stage sooner or later,” he says.

“We kind of already know the free brokers that do not signal, [then later] put their hand up they usually’re out the door.

With the introduction of the AFL free company interval, one-club gamers are uncommon throughout veterans.

Of those that play over 200 video games, solely 52 per cent stay on the membership they began with.

Choosing retirement over a brand new membership

Harvey’s need to remain at his beloved Kangaroos finally led to what he believes was a stunning and untimely finish to his 432-game profession in 2016.

North Melbourne completed that 12 months in 8^th place, after being demolished in an elimination remaining by 62 factors by the hands of the Crows.

As a consequence, and to the shock of many on the time, the membership sacked a quartet of veterans together with the hard-running midfielder Harvey, in addition to Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo.

Averaging 21.5 disposals and a objective from 23 video games performed that 12 months, Harvey’s axing was certainly a shock.

Even on the age of 38 he nonetheless possessed an electrical operating capability and an uncanny means to kick targets.

There have been golf equipment on the time who introduced a possibility to play on.

“They were both Melbourne clubs; one was more toward the bottom of the ladder and maybe wanted some leadership, and another team was probably there about to win.”

His greatest buddy Petrie joined West Coast, however for Harvey it was the one-club participant tag that finally received out.

“I talked to my manager about it after he rang and told me who they were,” Harvey says.

“I put my head on the pillow that night and I think I made the call at about 6:30 in the morning when I rang and said, ‘not for me’.

“We kind of weighed up each choices, it simply did not sit. 

“I think being a one-club player, I can still walk into North Melbourne now with my head held high and say this is my club.”

‘You’ve acquired to be pushed, egocentric’

While his report of 432 video games has taken 10 years to interrupt, a milestone Harvey admits he did not assume anybody would have the option obtain, there may be one participant he believes may do it once more.

And it might deliver the report proper again to Arden Street.

“The only one that springs to mind now … Harry Sheezel is not going to play reserves football. He’s really durable,” he says.

“If Harry can go around not clocking anyone and be a good boy, play a lot of finals football, he might be the one that gets there.”

The 21-year-old has missed only one recreation since getting drafted at decide three in 2022.

But so far as September goes, the Kangaroos haven’t performed a remaining since that vast loss in 2016.

It takes a particular sort of particular person to final the space and sustain with the ever-moving recreation that has turn into AFL Football, nevertheless it does not imply it is inconceivable.

According to Harvey, there are a number of non-negotiables that labored for him, they usually’re traits that Scott Pendlebury has demonstrated throughout his glittering 21-year profession.

“That’s the selfish part of it. You’ve got to be driven, and you’ve got to be selfish when you do that because it’s about you,” Harvey says.

“There are sacrifices, however you then get up the following day and play AFL soccer.

And family is all-important.

 “You cannot do it with out them and that is one thing I do know Scott will discuss.”