Those wishing for a secret formula to veteran Brisbane AFL midfielder Simon Black’s success would have walked away disappointed on Monday.
Not that Black could ever be accused of failing to deliver during a stunning career that will reach game No.300 on Saturday night.
Black – who turned 33 this month – is showing no sign of slowing down as he remains in sight of the Lions’ recordholder for games played, Marcus Ashcroft (318).
Fittingly, Black will mark the milestone in front of a Gabba home crowd against defending champions Geelong.
And the same game plan that helped him earn his first AFL nod way back in 1998 will be used in game No.300.
“For me, it’s always trying to get to the contest,” Black said on Monday.
“An old coach of mine said the more times you go to the well, the more chance you’ve got of getting a drink.
“It’s pretty basic, it’s pretty simple and it’s like that with football as well.
“As a midfielder, you’ve just got to keep turning up and try and get to the contest and you’ll get your hands on it eventually.
“I think you have an expectation on yourself as a player and that’s what you try to reach every week and probably, more often than not, you don’t reach that.
“That’s what drives me and has done throughout my career and probably always will.”
Black has to meet certain performance benchmarks to enact a contract extension next year.
That won’t be a problem considering the way he has hit the ground running in 2012 after recording the highest average possession count per game of his career last year.
He was second in the best on ground vote count after the Lions’ 65-point thumping of the Gold Coast last weekend behind Tom Rockliff (36 touches) – a player 11 years his junior.
But Black took time to reflect on his past – not weight up his future – on Monday.
And no wonder – there have been some lean years for the Lions but Black still remembers fondly a career that has included the 2002 Brownlow and 2003 Norm Smith Medals, three All Australian selections and, of course, three straight flags.
“It’s flown by really – it’s been an amazing journey,” Black said.
“I’m fortunate to have had a lot of highlights throughout my 15 years at the club and have loved every part of the journey – it’s been incredible.”