Black cats and broken mirrors don’t worry Jack Redden but the classy midfielder admits he’s a little suspicious of Brisbane Lions assistant Shane Woewodin with a special AFL milestone looming.
Redden, 23, will become just the eighth player in AFL-VFL history to play 100 straight games from debut when he runs out for Brisbane against Geelong at the Gabba on Sunday.
He is zeroing in on 2000 Brownlow Medallist Woewodin’s mark of 107 straight from debut for Melbourne – sixth on the all-time standings.
And that’s what worries Redden.
“I am not very superstitious. (But) one of our assistant coaches Woey is 107 so he’s probably in (coach Justin Leppitsch) Leppa’s ear to give me the flick this week,” Redden laughed.
Asked if breaking Jared Crouch’s overall record of 194 games for Sydney was realistic, Redden said: “I don’t think I can aim for that sort of thing. I just want to beat Woey and keep fronting up every week.”
At least the omens are good for Redden ahead of his milestone match.
He will celebrate it with good friend Daniel Rich who will also notch game No.100 for Brisbane.
Both were picked up in the 2008 AFL Draft and both made their debut the following year.
Redden has not looked back since his maiden match in round 15, 2009 – also against Geelong.
Redden may not be worried about bad luck ending his remarkable run but Rich has not helped ahead of their milestone match.
“We were joking around before and saying ‘imagine if we both hurt ourselves at the same time and both missed out this week’,” Rich laughed.
“You never know there’s a few training sessions to go. I did break my scapula (shoulder blade) on a Tuesday last year.”
So far the only unlucky Brisbane player has been Tom Rockliff, the young gun who completes the Lions’ “three Rs”.
Lions’ vice-captain Rockliff will miss their big night after accepting a one-match suspension for rough conduct against Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell.