AFL rivals can’t help but marvel at Brent Harvey, with former teammate Josh Gibson labelling him the league’s Benjamin Button.

Harvey will break the AFL’s games record on Saturday, playing his 427th match when he faces St Kilda in a crunch clash at Etihad Stadium.

Hawthorn defender Gibson, who played 65 of his 206 games at the Kangaroos, is in awe of what he terms a fantastic achievement.

“It’ll be a pretty special moment,” Gibson said.

“He’s so meticulous in the way he goes about it. Very disciplined. You see the way he’s running around now, he’s like a Benjamin Button.

“You wouldn’t know he’s 38.

“It’s a credit to him. It’s a really exciting week for him, his family and the North Melbourne footy club.”

Kangaroos defender Scott Thompson was full of praise for Harvey earlier this week, saying he’s been an ideal mentor for so many players at Arden Street.

“He’s fantastic. He’d had 20 years experience in the game so he gets around to all the young boys and tells them, one on one, basically how to play AFL football,” Thompson said.

“You couldn’t have a better person to teach you than Boomer, he’s just a great bloke.

“It’s just a sensational effort and a great achievement.”