Richmond games record holder Kevin Bartlett says he can see North Melbourne's Brent Harvey reaching almost 450 games in coming seasons. Bartlett, who played 403 games for the Tigers and who will have a statue unveiled in his honour at the MCG ahead of next season, says that he fully expects Harvey to play on in 2017.
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"I'm expecting the same as everyone else that Boomer will go past Michael this year," Bartlett said at the MCG on Wednesday.
"Hopefully he will continue on next year which will give him, who knows, 450 games or something like that."
Harvey has played nine games this year to take his tally to 418, only eight behind games record holder Hawthorn's Michael Tuck.
Bartlett says his longevity in the game may have been unique in the 1980s, but the nature of competitive sport means records will always be broken.
"I said when I played my 400th game some people said 'well no one will ever play 400 games again' and I said ' well, they will'. Because when you set standards and marks and it's always the next generation that comes along," Bartlett said.
"No record stands the test of time as long as it's competed against at a regular basis. Michael Tuck then came along and played more games than myself, and Boomer Harvey is very close to coming along and joining Michael and Dustin Fletcher also reaching 400 games last year as well.
"But someone will come along again in years to come whether it be 30 or 40 or 50 years' time – records are made to be broken – so Boomer has had a magnificent career. And it's great to see him playing so well late in his career because I've always maintained that you should be able to play well I think even as you get older. And particularly with the modern game I think the clubs look after the players magnificently."
