2000: Starts with Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup.
2001: Taken with pick 40 (father/son, third round) in the NAB AFL Draft, plays for the Falcons again, representing Victoria in the under-18 championships.
2002: Plays first 10 games for the Cats before being nursed through the back-end of the season. Has eight disposals and four marks in first game (round one versus Essendon). Was good in his first season, but far from the star we know today. Played in the VFL premiership.
2003: Plays all 22 games, fourth in best-and-fairest, leads team for tackles.
2004: Is noted in the AFL Media Guide as "has star quality". Plays his 50th match. His 21 games for the season include all three finals.
2005: Plays all 24 matches, third in B&F.
2006: NAB Cup premiership player, Geelong's leading goalkicker with 35, third in club B&F, plays 100th match.
2007: An outstanding year which see him enter the Brownlow Medal presentation as favourite. He finishes equal sixth but becomes a Geelong premiership player - something his famous father never achieved - win the club's best-and-fairest, gains All-Australian selection and wins the AFLPA MVP and AFL Coaches' Association player of the year awards.
2008: Another All-Australian selection, another AFLPA MVP, another AFLCA player of the year award, and finishes second in the Norm Smith Medal in a losing grand final side.
2009: An even greater year in terms of rewards and awards. Geelong premiership player again, finally wins a Brownlow Medal, NAB Cup premiership player, another best-and-fairest (equal with Corey Enright), a third All-Australian selection, a third AFLPA MVP and a third AFLCA player of the year award. Plays 150th game, sets AFL handball record with 445. All this after elevation to the Geelong leadership group.
2010: A tumultuous year that sees speculation run through the entire season that he will move to Gold Coast for a huge payday. Not the favourite for the Brownlow for a change and finishes second, is named All-Australian vice-captain and announces move to the Suns on September 29.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
