HOW fitting that Kade Simpson’s 300th senior appearance for Carlton should fall against Port Adelaide, the club from which the Blues’ games record holder Craig Bradley was originally recruited.

'Braddles' came to Carlton in 1986 on the back of 98 games in five seasons with Port. The next 18 seasons would see him grandly represent this club in 375 games through to 2002, the year before Simpson’s senior debut.

Though Bradley’s games record at Carlton appears safe for now, he inherits in ‘Simmo’ a new member of the coveted 300 club – a club whose members are John Nicholls, Bruce Doull and Stephen Silvagni.

That is Carlton royalty and Simpson is truly humbled with the prospect of being part of it.

“It’s embarrassing really to be named alongside these sorts of guys . . . not only legends of Carlton but legends of the AFL,” Simpson said.

“But I’m sure once I’m retired that this is something I’ll look back on and hold pretty dear to my heart.”

To bring some perspective to the durability of a player pound for pound League football’s toughest, it’s worth noting that it’s five years since Simpson’s 180th senior game took him past Fred Gilby as Carlton’s games record holder in the No.6, Gilby having last played in 1937.



Kade Simpson became the games record holder for the No.6 in 2013. (Photo: AFL Media)

Simpson, who wore the No.8 for most of his junior career at Emerald and later Eastern Ranges because it was also the number of choice of his older brother, said there was no rhyme or reason behind him being handed the No.6 in dark navy.

“When I turned up there were a couple of numbers free – 3, 6 and 14 I think – but I never got to choose 6, I just got given it,” he said.

“I’ve been happy with the No.6 but I was daunted when I got it. I was in between ‘Ratts’ (Brett Ratten) and Andy McKay and they were two guys who pretty much did everything right. They were ultimate professionals, so I was pretty lucky to sit in between them and get a first-hand view of the way they went about it.”



The much-admired Kade Simpson will play his 300th AFL game on Sunday. (Photo: AFL Media)

The No.6 is as famous as any at Carlton. The fearsome Bob Chitty and the admirable West Australian Ern Henfry both carried the No.6 on their backs as the respective captains of Carlton’s 1945 and ’47 premiership teams, while Garry Crane, Carlton’s Team of the Century wingman, also sported the No.6 in the winning grand-final outfits of 1968, ’70 and ’72.

The number has also been worn by Mario Bortolotto in Carlton’s back-to-back grand-final victories of 1981 and ’82, and by the Western Australians Jon Dorotich and Matt Clape – the Blues’ premiership players of 1987 and ’95 respectively.

And Simmo has worn 6 as a badge of honour.

This week, with his much-anticipated 300th game of senior League football looming, Kade Simpson participated in a podcast for Carlton’s Our History series.

In a wide-ranging interview, he reflects on his formative years from under-10s at Emerald in the Yarra Valley through to season 2018 as a Carlton senior player and everything else in between . . . so far.

“I see myself as incredibly lucky to have played for as long as I have, but once you retire you’re retired forever (and) I’m not about to give up just yet,” Simpson said.

“I’ll keep churning away.”



Kade Simpson says he's still got more to give under coach Brendon Bolton. (Photo: AFL Media)

Through the course of the interview, Simpson discussed many and varied issues, including:

draft day 2002;

an unlikely early mentor;

the incident involving the then Collingwood on-baller Sharrod Wellingham and its aftermath;

the influences of his senior coaches Pagan, Ratten, Malthouse and Bolton;

the influence of Chris Judd;

the club’s future and his own, and:

how he would like to be remembered at Carlton

Stay tuned to carltonfc.com.au on Wednesday for the release of the podcast.

CARLTON FC MOST SENIOR GAMES:

Player Games First game Age Final game Age Craig Bradley 375 Round 1, 1986 22 years, 159 days Round 19, 2002 38 years, 291 days Bruce Doull 356 Round 5, 1969 18 years, 234 days Grand Final, 1986 36 years, 16 days John Nicholls 328 Round 1, 1957 17 years, 250 days Round 17, 1974 34 years, 348 days Stephen Silvagni 312 Round 7, 1985 17 years, 346 days Semi Final, 2001 34 years, 107 days Kade Simpson* 299 Round 11, 2003 19 years, 33 days Justin Madden 287 Round 7, 1983 21 years, 341 days Semi Final, 1996 35 years, 106 days Anthony Koutoufides 278 Round 13, 1992 19 years, 147 days Round 17, 2007 34 years, 191 days Geoff Southby 268 Round 1, 1971 20 years, 158 days Round 20, 1984 33 years, 296 day David McKay 263 Round 3, 1969 19 years, 165 days Grand Final, 1981 31 years, 325 days Alex Jesaulenko 256 Round 1, 1967 21 years, 255 days Grand Final, 1979 34 years, 57 days Brett Ratten 254 Round 22, 1990 19 years, 52 days Round 10, 2003 31 years, 324 days Stephen Kernahan 251 Round 1, 1986 22 years, 211 days Round 22, 1997 33 years, 364 days Peter Jones 249 Round 16, 1966 32 years, 344 days Grand Final, 1979 32 years, 344 days Peter Dean 248 Round 11, 1984 19 years, 94 days Round 22, 1998 33 years, 174 days Andrew McKay 244 Round 1, 1993 22 years, 256 days Round 22, 2003 33 years, 48 days Mark Maclure 243 Round 13, 1974 18 years, 350 days Grand Final, 1986 31 years, 75 days Marc Murphy* 240 Round 1, 2006 18 years, 257 days Rod Ashman 236 Round 5, 1973 18 years, 153 days Round 15, 1986 31 years, 214 days Scott Camporeale 233 Round 1, 1995 19 years, 234 days Round 22, 2005 32 years, 15 days Tom Alvin 218 Round 1, 1984 21 years, 344 days Q’fying Final, 2004 32 years, 143 days Robert Walls 218 Round 2, 1967 16 years, 275 days Round 5, 1978 27 years, 282 days

* still playing