Kokatha-Warai man and Hawthorn footballer Shaun "Silk" Burgoyne will be making history today when he becomes the first First Nations player to reach his 400th game.
He is only one of five AFL and VFL players ever to achieve the milestone.
Former Adelaide Crows player Graham Johncock grew up with Burgoyne, playing junior footy with him for Mallee Park in Port Lincoln on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.
"It's been great playing against him, and then sitting back and watching him go on to achieve what he's been able to achieve," Johncock said.
Johncock spoke to Burgoyne in the lead up to his 400th match and said he was in good spirits.
Although Burgoyne has played for Hawthorne since 2010, Johncock said he and Burgoyne's families were very close growing up.
"There's a lot of vivid memories of spending time together as kids," Johncock said.
Once he and Burgoyne were stranded in a canoe on a lake.
"Our fathers weren't very happy with us. We copped a bit of a belting afterwards. Those were the fun times we had," he said.
He and Burgoyne used to get picked up after school and dropped off at Mallee Park oval to have a kick with kids from other neighbourhoods.
Both boys were destined for great things and were drafted into the AFL in 2000.
"Shaun had been picked up early in that draft for Port Power and all the media were there taking photos of Shaun [in his] Power guernsey.
"And here I am still sitting inside waiting for my name to get called out, and lo and behold my name did, so we both got drafted on the same day. Him to Port and me to the Crows."
Johncock, who retired in 2013, did not expect Burgoyne to play for as long as he has.
"He's done a terrific job with his body to make sure he's gotten there," Johncock said.
"I struggle just out here running out here on the B-grade and I'm sore for three or four days."
Back at Mallee Park footy club, Johncock will be marking Burgoyne's history-making match.
