HARRY Perryman is more than comfortable keeping a low profile at Greater Western Sydney among its bevy of big names, but he will take the limelight this week as he runs out in the AFL for the 100th time in Canberra on Sunday against Gold Coast.
And as a local boy from the tiny farming town of Collingullie in country New South Wales, there will be an extra layer of pride attached to the milestone as a graduate through the Giants' ranks.
"I went through the Giants Academy, so I've had a bit of a connection with the club from a young age, so it does feel a little bit extra special to notch up 100 games," Perryman told AFL.com.au.
"I've been here for seven years now and had a fair few ups and downs along the journey, but I've absolutely loved it. And to play 100 games for the Giants, I'm super proud of that."
Those challenges Perryman speaks of came in the early stages of his career.
Since then, he has established himself as a high-quality AFL operator and one of the Giants' most dependable players through the midfield and across half-back.
But after being taken with pick 14 in the 2016 draft, Perryman would muster only 17 games in his first two years, prompting former coach Leon Cameron to lay down the law.
"Early days I definitely wasn't up to the level. My first couple of years I was in and out of the side, I mean we obviously had a good side up here, but it took me a while to find my feet," he said.
"After my second year, Leon Cameron, who I had so much respect for as a coach and as a person, he sat me down and just told me a few home truths. After that I feel like my footy went to another level and I owe a lot to him.
"A lot of it was just around fitness. I definitely wasn't fit enough in the early years. It was a lot about your pre-season and your off-season, which can set your season up. So yeah, he taught me a lot around that."
Perryman heeded the advice and has flourished since.
A year later he would prove immovable from the Giants side and play in the 2019 Grand Final, demonstrating his hard-nosed qualities with eight tackles in both the semi-final and preliminary final of that season.
Despite the odd injury setback, that consistency has been maintained for the 24-year-old, enhancing his status as one of the team's most important players.
The Giants are littered with big names and therefore Perryman's can sometimes fly under the radar when the GWS threats are discussed.
That, however, is a situation the Collingullie kid is more than comfortable with.
"I'm not too fussed, to be honest. As long as we're winning games of footy, I'm not fussed. And yeah, we've certainly got some superstars at the club, so I'm all good, if I fly under the radar a bit.
"It's probably my personality a bit. I like to cruise along."
Perryman's easy-going approach to life and footy also makes him a coach's dream.
He's been thrown around everywhere at GWS, from the wing, on the ball, as a tagger and across the backline and while some players might find that tedious and request a more fixed role in the side, it's one Perryman relishes.
"Yeah, I think that's one of my big strengths, to be honest. I love it," he said.
"I love that I can play all positions and wherever the coach needs me or the team needs me, I feel like I can play a role there and do what the team requires. I feel like that's a big strength of mine and something that I really work on."
Right now, Perryman predominantly floats between half-back and a midfield tagging role.
He's been tasked with trying to keep some of the deadliest players in the game quiet and so his nomination for his toughest opponent may surprise, as brilliant as he is.
"Playing on Libba (Tom Liberatore) is always a tough one. He probably doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He's always a tough opponent, hard at the footy, and you know you're in for a tough day when you're on him. That's probably the main one I think that would stand out," he said.
Right now though, it's the Giants that many in the AFL are keeping an eye on.
They are in the midst of a five-game winning run and with the chance to make it six straight for the first time since Perryman's draft year of 2016 against the Suns on Sunday.
And while it's the quest to make the finals that is firmly on the radar, Perryman feels the experience of that Grand Final defeat in 2019 has them better placed to deal with a strong September run, should it eventuate, over the next few years.
"Definitely. And I think we've got a good balance on our list at the moment as well. We've got some young blokes that have really popped up and surprised a few which has helped us progress to that next level a bit," he said.
"We've got some good depth as well, there's been a lot of boys playing some good footy in the VFL, it's certainly a good position for the club."
Of immediate concern for GWS is snapping a nine-game losing streak at its home away from home in the nation's capital and in the form it is in, that's a non-negotiable for the milestone man.
"Definitely. We've had a bit of an average record down there of late, so hopefully we can turn it on down and get the win for the Canberra locals," Perryman said.
