Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff’s entire AFL career has been building towards this moment.
But now it’s here, he’s trying not to think of it.
Port’s qualifying final against Geelong on Thursday night will be Rockliff’s 205th AFL game – and his first final.
“I haven’t thought about it too much,” Rockliff told reporters on Monday.
“Every time I do, I get a few butterflies in the stomach so I have tried to put it aside.”
Only seven players in VFL/AFL history have played more games before featuring in a final.
The list is headed by Melbourne great Robbie Flower who played 269 games before his first final.
Rockliff started his AFL career with Brisbane in 2009 – the Lions made the playoffs without the onballer in their team.
Brisbane then missed the finals for the next nine seasons, including a stretch when Rockliff was captain, before he moved to Port Adelaide for the 2018 campaign.
“We were 11 (wins) and four losses) that year,” Rockliff said.
“We were humming, thinking how far can we go. And then it gets taken away from you.”
The Power crashed and missed the 2018 finals and failed to quality again last season.
“The last two years we have provided ourselves with opportunities to play finals footy but haven’t been able to go on with the job,” Rockliff said.
“You aspire to play finals footy, that is why everyone plays … that’s where reputations are made so there was probably an element of ‘is it ever going to happen?'”
This year, Port held top spot on the ladder for the duration of the home-and-away season.
“It’s important that you realise you have got to grab an opportunity when this comes,” Rockliff said.
“Two-hundred odd games without a finals appearance … it felt like my career has always built to this moment and I can’t wait.”
Rockliff was dropped for five games mid-season but has recaptured his peak form entering the finals, amassing 30, 31 and 30 disposals in his past three matches.
“The last couple of years I limped to the line, I have had shoulder issues that have been well documented and I felt like haven’t been at my best throughout the seasons,” he said.
“This year, I had a little spell on the sidelines through that middle part, but I feel like I have built a pretty consistent season.
“The last three or four weeks I feel like I am building nicely to hopefully a really strong finals campaign.”
MOST VFL/AFL GAMES BEFORE PLAYING A FINAL
* 269: Robbie Flower (Melbourne, played 1973-87)
* 242: John Murphy (Fitzroy, South Melbourne, North Melbourne, 1967-80)
* 237: Stan Alves (Melbourne, North Melbourne, 1965-79)
* 232: Greg Wells (Melbourne, Carlton, 1969-82)
* 232: Chris Newman (Richmond, 2002-15)
* 220: Rod Carter (Fitzroy, Sydney, 1974-90)
* 217: Bob Skilton (South Melbourne, 1956-71)
* 205: Tom Rockliff (Brisbane, Port Adelaide, 2009-20)
* 203: Stuart Magee (South Melbourne, Footscray, 1962-75)
* 194: Brett Deledio (Richmond, GWS, 2005-19)