In a hospital bed and facing another extended stint on the sidelines after breaking his leg for the second time in less than two years, Lade avoided what could have been a moment of weakness.
Now the Power vice-captain looks back on it as a defining point in his decorated career.
When he lines up against the West Coast Eagles on Sunday, Lade will become just the third Port Adelaide player - behind Warren Tredrea and Peter Burgoyne - to play 200 games for the club.
"I doubted I would ever get to 100 games let alone 200," Lade said with a laugh. "I was stuck on 67 there for a long time.
"After the second broken leg I was in hospital in Melbourne and I thought that was it. I thought I’d pack up the bags and head back to Kangaroo Island, but I got a lot of love from my teammates and I realised that I wanted to be a part of this football club.
"I got a text message from every player on our list and a few even came in and saw me. People from other clubs came in to see me as well.
"Just the amount of support I got from everyone made me think ‘I love all these blokes, especially this football club’, and I thought I’d give it one more crack to see what happens.
"Here I am now playing 200 games. I’m very proud to do it, but I wouldn’t have got here without a lot of support."
Lade, one of four remaining players from the Power's inaugural squad, grew up on Kangaroo Island and played football for Western Districts. He moved to South Adelaide as a teenager to play for the Panthers and was acquired by Port Adelaide as a zone selection in 1996.
"It’s a great honour to play 200 games for a club as great as Port Adelaide,” Lade said.
"It’s great to be the first person from Kangaroo Island to play AFL and, obviously, the first to reach 200. It’s a huge honour and something I’ll look back on when I finish my career more so than I will now.
"Every player has their ups and downs and I’ve had my fair share, but it’s great to reach 200. We’re after a win this weekend and if we can win another milestone game that will be great for the club too."
Lade took seven years to reach 100 games, but his second hundred has come in just four years. The 31-year-old, like a fine Barossa red, has aged well.
Last season Lade played all 25 games and was acknowledged in the top two ruckmen in the league, earning All-Australian honours for the second consecutive year.
In 2006 he also won the club's best and fairest award, adding to an impressive collection of awards that included the Power's maiden premiership win of 2004.
Instrumental in the ruck, his trademark taps to teammate Shaun Burgoyne have populated many highlight reels, however, he is also among the leading goalkickers in the club's history.
Lade, ever the team man, is hoping his milestone game will trigger the Power’s first win of the 2008 season and says it’s no coincidence the club snapped a similar streak in Tredrea’s 200th game last season.
"We won six out of our first seven and then lost four in a row last year, so we’ve been in these waters before," he said.
"Milestone games are pretty highly regarded at this club. There is a lot of emphasis on achieving such a great milestone and all the guys really go out of their way to perform, so hopefully we can win this week and really build our season from there."
