These are the words of a humble Andrew McLeod who, even after 299 games, maintains he is “nothing special”.
On Sunday, McLeod will become just the third Crow, the 56th VFL/AFL player and the second indigenous player to reach the 300-game milestone.
One week later, he will surpass former Brownlow medallist and Essendon and Port Adelaide star, Gavin Wanganeen, as the indigenous games record holder.
There will be no shortage of superlatives used to describe McLeod over the coming days: a dual premiership player; dual Norm Smith medallist; five-time All-Australian (once as captain); and triple club best and fairest winner.
He has wowed fans with his skill, brilliance, durability and flair for 14 years and has risen to the occasion, twice, on the game’s biggest stage.
McLeod, who grew up idolising Aboriginal stars like Michael McLean, Michael Long and Wanganeen, couldn’t be more proud of his standing alongside Wanganeen as the greatest-ever indigenous player.
But he conveys a sense of modesty, bordering on embarrassment at the thought of going past his former hero and, 11 days before he even takes Wanganeen’s mantle, he’s talking about the next indigenous star that will, one day, take it from him.
“I’m pretty pumped about being able to reach the milestone alongside Gav because he was, obviously, someone I looked up to and someone I marvelled at over his career,” McLeod said.
“To be the first two indigenous people to do it is pretty special and, hopefully, that will just go on and inspire other players to be able to do it.
“It might inspire some young, Aboriginal boy in the sticks to play AFL footy and be like Gavin Wanganeen and Andrew McLeod and play 300 games.
“You’d like to think you’ve paved the way or opened the doors for it to happen again and for someone to go on and beat it. The record is there and I’m pretty proud that my name is going to be next to Gavin’s.
“It’s a huge thing that I’m going to overtake him, but to be able to play 300 games alongside him is something that is pretty significant and something I’m very proud of.”
McLeod, who says he’ll always call the Territory home, left Darwin in 1994 when his father, Jock, headed to Adelaide with his son in tow and then returned to the Northern Territory, leaving the 18-year-old behind in the “big smoke”.
The now 32-year-old has come to understand and appreciate his father’s tough love and credits he and brother Jonathan as the two biggest influences on his illustrious career.
“To leave home and be thrown in the deep end was tough. I didn’t think, at the time, I was going to make any sort of career out of it, but I wanted to play footy, so it was probably a good thing in the end, what the old man did,” McLeod says with a smile.
“It probably made me grow up a bit quicker than I otherwise would have.
“My old man has always been there to give great advice and he’s helped me through lots of different life experiences.
“My brother is someone I’ve always followed. He was one of the main reasons I’ve played a lot of sport because I used to follow him around, tag on and I wanted to be just like him when I was a kid, like most young boys do with their older brothers.”
McLeod, modest and quietly spoken, enjoys nothing more than putting himself on show on the field, but off it, he’s remarkably shy and, although humbled by the high praise, doesn’t particularly enjoy the limelight that comes with personal achievements such as this.
When asked what Sunday’s milestone will mean to him, he said: "It means I’ve been around for a long time."
“I guess I haven’t really sat down and reflected on it. I haven’t had the opportunity. Maybe, it’s something I’ll do after the weekend.
“I’m just excited because I’ve got some family and some friends, who are going to come and watch the game. That has probably got in the way of me thinking about what it actually means.
“I might reflect on it on Sunday night with a quiet ale.”
