IT'S BECOME one of the iconic moments of football.
A young Nick Riewoldt sprinting 20m through the middle of the SCG in 2004, before launching himself into a pack of players running in the opposite direction.
The blond flash leaps, taking a mark with the flight of the ball. Three players hit the turf while Riewoldt catapults onto his back, metres behind them. Still clasping the ball to his chest.
The inspirational former St Kilda captain needs just nine marks this week against Fremantle on the wide expanses of Domain Stadium to break the all-time record of 2906 held by Gary Dempsey.
The No.1 pick in the 2000 NAB AFL Draft, Riewoldt has taken 2898 marks in his decorated 329-game career.
Why the milestone matters
Riewoldt's endurance and willingness to make long leads up and down the ground are renowned.
He already has the League record for both contested marks and marks inside 50.
Last year was Riewoldt's best, at the age of 33. He averaged 10.6 marks per match, and managed an astonishing career high of 21 against the Brisbane Lions in round 23 (where he also kicked nine goals).
Nick Riewoldt will be hoping the Saints have plenty more to celebrate in 2017. Picture: AFL Photos
Dempsey and Riewoldt: a mirror image
Twitter user @sirswampthing noted four remarkable parallels between Riewoldt and durable Bulldogs/Kangaroos ruckman Dempsey, whose marks record Saint Nick is set to pass.
| Nick Riewoldt | Gary Dempsey | |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 329 | 329 |
| Wins | 164 | 164 |
| Disposals | 5513 | 5560 |
| Kicks | 3989 | 3997 |
Gary Dempsey towers over his North Melbourne teammates. Picture: AFL Photos
Fast fact: Riewoldt holds the record for the most times with 10 or more marks in a game (142 times) ahead of Dempsey with 136
Who's next best?
Another high-flying St Kilda forward in Stewart Loewe sits third on the all-time marks list with 2503.
No modern-day player is within 1000 marks of Dempsey or Riewoldt.
| Player | Club(s) | Career marks |
|---|---|---|
| Brendon Goddard | Essendon/St Kilda | 1876 |
| Drew Petrie | West Coast/North Melbourne | 1753 |
| Travis Cloke | Western Bulldogs/Collingwood | 1703 |
| Robert Murphy | Western Bulldogs | 1650 |
The Chaser: The Bruise Brothers
The Selwood name has become synonymous with tough footy, and the four boys have no doubt given their parents a few scary moments over the years with their fearless attack on the football.
Troy (Brisbane Lions, retired), Adam (West Coast, retired), Joel (Geelong) and Scott (West Coast, now Geelong) have combined to play 648 games across their highly respected careers.
If Joel and Scott both play against Greater Western Sydney, the four Selwood brothers can become the third family of brothers in VFL/AFL history to reach 650 combined games.
The legendary Daniher family lead the way with 752 games between Terry, Neale, Tony and Chris, while the Maddens (Simon and Justin) are in second place with 710.
Other current-day brothers to feature include the Burgoynes (Peter and Shaun) in sixth position with 572 games and the McVeighs (Mark and Jarrad) in ninth position with 521.
Text: Sarah Black | Designs: Kahla Emonson | Stats: Cameron Sinclair
