That description, however, just doesn't quite fit Nick Dal Santo, who is due to play his 200th game this round, against Hawthorn at the MCG.
Take your pick, but the graceful St Kilda midfielder has either glided, moved smoothly or cruised to the double century.
Time and space is everything in football, and players who have that ability to find clear turf and make all slow down around them are like gold. The almost-never-hurried Dal Santo is certainly that, but his signature on-field trait shouldn't be mistaken for a laid-back attitude - he is as mentally driven as any other top-shelf footballer, a fact his teammates readily confirm.
Leigh Montagna, selected by the Saints (No. 37) in the same draft as Dal Santo (No. 13 in 2001), is effusive in his praise for the left-footer with the fancy footwork and elastic hips.
"One of Dal's greatest strengths that not many people would see through his persona is his resilience," Montagna explained. "He has great mental strength and doesn't let things get the better of him.
"When he has had one of his few down periods in his career, you couldn't tell. He is always upbeat and positive. He is a ripping fella to have around the club due to his positive attitude and it's a credit to him to play 200 games with plenty of years still ahead. I love the guy."
From that bumper draft of almost a decade ago, only Chris Judd has played more games (205) than him, and Dal Santo becomes just the 23rd Saint to reach 200.
In addition, at 27 years and 82 days, he is the 20th youngest in League history to reach the mark.
From a forgettable debut - seven disposals and one of his team's six goals in a 122-point loss to Geelong in round four, 2002 - the football public didn't have long to wait to see why the raps were so big on the kid from Bendigo in the No. 26 jumper.
The following week, the injury-ravaged Saints employed a 'super-flood' in what was an infamous draw against the Sydney Swans at Docklands, with Dal Santo among the best with 25 classy disposals and after just falling short of breaking the deadlock with the last kick of the game - a booming torpedo from 65m.
Nine years later and his career average is 22 disposals a game, but as Lenny Hayes says, it's not how many; it’s what you do with them.
"You just want the ball in his hands," the injured champion said matter-of-factly.
"He’s a very skilled player who always looks like he has time, and he's been very durable over his career."
That durability is often overlooked when assessing Dal Santo's career, as is his ability to find another gear when challenged. And you would be hard-pressed to find a dissenter among the St Kilda faithful if it was suggested the popular on-baller was leading the best and fairest. Other guns may be misfiring, but he is holding the fort manfully.
This brings us back to his ability to keep backing up. Since round 15 of 2003, he has missed only three games: his controversial omission with Stephen Milne in the middle of 2008 as coach Ross Lyon introduced three debutants against Fremantle; part of the 'resting' swag of stars for the game against Hawthorn in Launceston in 2009, and sidelined with a back injury for the round 16 clash against Collingwood last year.
Until being dropped in 2008, he had played 114 consecutive games - the second-longest run by a Saint behind premiership centre half-back Ian Synman, who strung together 123 in the 1960s.
With his high level of consistency has come a high level of recognition: dual All-Australian, Brownlow Medal placegetter and four fourth-placed finishes and two fifths in the club’s best and fairest in the past seven seasons.
One of Dal Santo's best mates is fellow country boy Justin Koschitzke, whose families have grown extremely close over the past decade.
Koschitzke has never been one to mince words, and he gets straight to the point when asked to describe Dal Santo: "Just a good, salt-of-the-earth bloke," he offered without hesitation.
"He's not too good for anybody. A 'Mr Nice Guy' who gives everyone the time of day - teammates, supporters, homeless people, and they all love him for it. I’ve never heard him say a bad word about anybody and he's very hard to upset.
"He's a quality person from a quality family."
