Hawthorn star Shaun Burgoyne will equal the VFL/AFL Indigenous games record when he takes to the field for the 372nd time against Brisbane this weekend.

The 36-year-old will draw even with the record tally currently held by Adam Goodes who finished on the same number of games after 17 seasons for the Sydney Swans.

For Burgoyne, the amazing feat comes after 18 seasons, the first eight of which were with Port Adelaide.

Both growing up predominantly in South Australia, the pair were highly-touted juniors.

Read: Young trio sign on

Burgoyne's potential saw him taken with Pick 12 in the 2000 national draft and headed to Port Adelaide to join his brother Peter Burgoyne, and follow in the footsteps of his father, Peter Burgoyne Snr.

Goodes was taken with the 43rd selection of the 1997 draft, but had a similar initiation to life as an AFL footballer with neither of the duo making a senior appearance in their first season.

But, by the end of their second seasons, both Burgoyne and Goodes had announced themselves, playing 17 and 19 games respectively.

Fast forward through their careers and Burgoyne and Goodes stand as two of the most decorated players the game has ever seen.

In his sixth season, at the age of just 23, Goodes joined Nathan Buckley and Mark Ricciuto as winners of the 2003 Brownlow Medal.

Three years later, he took home his second Charlie to become the 12th multiple Brownlow Medal winner.

By this stage, he was a premiership player, with another flag coming in 2012.

One of the few players to be awarded dual Brownlow Medals, and helping his Swans to two premierships, Goodes would also finish his career with three club best and fairests and four All Australian honours.

Burgoyne is one of the rare players to have won four premierships, and is known for his ability to rise to the big moments.

Only Hawthorn's Michael Tuck has played in more finals games than Burgoyne, with Tuck's 39 appearances slightly edging out Burgoyne's 35.

This week we recognise the incredible service Shaun Burgoyne has given to our game, as a beloved character of the sport and an inspiring leader within the Indigenous community.