It has been more than eight seasons coming but Greater Western Sydney co-captain Phil Davis is proud of the resilience he has shown as he prepares to play his 100th AFL game.
Davis' career hasn't followed a traditional path. From waiting years for his debut to signing a $3 million deal after just 18 games, he has always done things differently.
Perhaps then it is fitting that his 100th game will come at a non-traditional venue - Hobart's Blundstone Arena, against North Melbourne.
"Everyone's got their own journey and mine's got a fair few setbacks along the way which has been frustrating but it's nice to get to this milestone," Davis said.
"To play 100 games of footy is something I'm pretty proud of and hopefully I've got a few more left in me.
"It's been an interesting journey, I would have liked to get there a fair bit faster.
"Probably when I got drafted I didn't think it would take me nine years to get here."
The injuries came early for the tall defender, who went to Adelaide with the 10th pick in the 2008 draft.
He had to wait until 2010 for his AFL debut after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in his first year and showed his class in the 15 games he played for the Crows, but also became the first player to earn a Rising Star nomination and then be dropped in the same week.
Davis played just three more games for Adelaide in 2011 before becoming the first player to join GWS from another club.
His health problems continued in Sydney when he suffered a debilitating kidney injury early in a derby clash with the Swans in 2014, showing his toughness by playing the remainder of the game with the potentially career-ending injury.
"I think when they (the doctors) were considering whether to take the kidney out or not it was definitely in my mind whether or not my career would go on," Davis said.
"Fortunately I've had some great surgeons and a bit of luck and I'm still playing today.
"One thing I pride myself on is my resilience and my ability to keep on going.
"I've had setback after setback and I've been able to keep my head up and push on through."
