HEATH Grundy's first game in the AFL couldn't have been any different to the majority of the 248 he's played since.
That day the Sydney debutant made his mark kicking goals, but on Friday night in game 250, he'll be doing his best to stop West Coast kicking them.
Grundy is one of the competition's best key defenders these days, but his road to the top started with humble beginnings, which seems fitting for the no-fuss backman.
Like many Swans over the years, the South Australian had to carve out a career from the rookie list after being taken with selection 42 in 2004.
The Swans handed opportunities to six other rookies that year, but from that list of players in Guy Campbell, Luke Vogels, Stefan Garrubba, Earl Shaw, Edward Clarke and Andrew Hayes, only Vogels (17 games) made it to senior level.
Grundy himself looked headed for the scrapheap when he failed to make an impact at the Swans, until he was given a shot in round 16, 2006, when Ben Matthews was a late withdrawal against Richmond at the SCG.
He grabbed his opportunity playing inside 50 alongside the likes of stars Barry Hall and Michael O'Loughlin, and two hours later had booted three goals in the 48-point win.
Later that year Grundy, who the media described as 'lump of a lad from Norwood' that day against the Tigers, would nab himself one Brownlow vote for his efforts.
He told AFL.com.au that being overlooked at draft time and having to navigate his way to senior level was tough, but it's shaped the player he has become.
"There were guys that I played juniors with that had played 40-odd games when I debuted, so I had a slower start than most," he said.
"But I think that helped me develop and mature as a player, and it made me earn my spot.
"Looking back, I think it was a good thing in some ways.
"When I got to the club I had a lot of areas to work on and doubted myself, and even when I got a game I still doubted myself at times.
Despite his impressive first-up performance, Grundy struggled to shake those doubts as he managed just 24 games over the next three seasons under Paul Roos.
But with star key defenders Leo Barry and Craig Bolton coming to the end of their time, Roos saw a chance for Grundy to learn from the pair of veterans and swung him back mid-game in 2009.
Barry retired at the end of that season and Bolton joined him the following year, and Grundy has been the Swans' anchor in defence ever since.
"With Leo and Craig gone it freed up a couple of spots and I was able to slot in down there, and I sort of found my niche and settled in pretty well," he said.
It was a masterstroke from Roos, one of many in his illustrious coaching career, and Grundy has thrived as a backman, so much so that he holds the games record for rookie-listed players at the Swans.
The 32-year-old is currently ranked eighth all-time at the Swans behind club greats Adam Goodes (372 games), Jude Bolton (325), Jarrad McVeigh (312), O'Loughlin (303), Ryan O'Keefe (286), John Rantall (260) and Mark Browning (251).
By the end of this season he should have moved into sixth, with the only players above him all former or current teammates, and that is something he's extremely proud of.
"It's a bit surreal to be honest given some of the players that I've gone past," he said.
"There's been a patch of some pretty handy players that have all come through and been around the club for a number of years and played some pretty good footy together."
*The full version of this story can be found in the AFL Record on sale at the footy this weekend
