HE IS Melbourne's best "game runner", its pressure king and one of the resident pranksters.
The player in question is Alex Neal-Bullen, the South Australian whose career trajectory changed dramatically with Simon Goodwin's ascension to senior coach last year.
In that time, the 22-year-old has averaged 18.1 disposals, 4.5 tackles, three inside 50s and a goal in 41 of a possible 44 matches playing as the modern 'high half-forward'.
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"Goody's had the biggest impact on me. I felt a part of the team from the time he came across as senior coach," Neal-Bullen told AFL.com.au.
"It's not that I didn't feel a part of it beforehand, but he gave me this new level of confidence to play as a forward, and I was more than happy to do that for him."
Neal-Bullen is almost always the top Demon when it comes to the Telstra Tracker's total distance covered – peaking at a lung-busting 17.2km in round four – and one of the AFL's premier pressure players.
Only seven rivals with at least three games this year average more than his 56.4 pressure points, and Bomber Devon Smith is the sole forward above him.
The same work ethic that enables him to hound opponents came in handy when Melbourne needed him most in the last minute of its crucial victory over Adelaide in round 19.
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The Crows were within seven points and there was a stoppage on their half-forward line, with Neal-Bullen hovering nearby, but Clayton Oliver tumbled a long kick towards the Demons' end.
Jesse Hogan subsequently won an important one-on-one contest and handballed to Christian Petracca, who, with two defenders hot on his heels, turned to his right and noticed an unmarked Neal-Bullen streaming past.
The man known as 'Nibbler' had run almost the length of the ground – and no Crow could go with him – to be an option, and Petracca gleefully dished the ball off to set up the sealing goal.
"I've always had (that running ability), but I probably didn't make the most of it early on," Neal-Bullen said.
"I had a focus this pre-season to get as fit as I could, so I could run out games, particularly late in quarters, which I reckon has helped me go to another level.
"It's probably also balancing it with speed. I wasn't blessed with speed, so I've had to work on that as well a hell of a lot."
The mini-sacrifices in becoming Melbourne's running man include giving up hot chocolates for babyccinos and not snacking on "high-sugar" meals.
Neal-Bullen is now someone Geelong's brains trust will have to devote time to this week ahead of the clubs' third and most important clash this year.
The Cats broke Demon hearts twice with nail-biting victories where final-minute shots at goal decided the result, but Friday night's elimination final offers a chance for redemption.
"We're ready – that's all I'll say – and we're excited to see what can happen," Neal-Bullen said.
"This is what matters and this is why you play footy; to play in big games and play finals and try and be the last team standing.
"They're in our way of doing that, so we'll try getting them out of the way to do what we want to do in September."
