However, this week West Coast ruckman Dean Cox reaches two milestones that require the entire competition’s attention.

Cox will join champion defender Glen Jakovich in holding the games record for the Eagles, with 276 appearances at the elite level when he takes Patersons Stadium against St Kilda on Saturday night.

And when he leaves the field he will have played more AFL games than any other who started their careers on a rookie list – overtaking the former Saint Stephen Milne.

These have to be comforting statistics to all of those players currently on the rookie lists of the 18 AFL clubs, who might not currently be able to see their paths to their respective senior lists.

With Michael Gardiner commanding the number one role at the Eagles in 2001, Cox had to bide his time and take every opportunity as it came.

And so he did.

Now he is into his 14th AFL season. He has six All-Australian selections, a club best and fairest award (plus a runner-up and two third placings) as well as a premiership medal. And he’s only 32 and still one of the best big men in the competition.

Cox’s achievements certainly haven’t gone un-noticed by fellow Eagles big man Callum Sinclair, who started his second season as a rookie, but has since also been elevated to the senior list.

“I looked at Coxy's career. He probably struggled a little bit when he first came to the club, as he told me,” Sinclair said.

“He did have to wait and be patient.

“It's actually a really good story, for someone like him to come off the rookie list and he could arguably be the best ruckman of all time.

“It's a terrific story.”

Currently, Sinclair is playing the role as the apprentice, just as Cox did more than a decade ago.

In the first two games of this season, the pair, along with Nic Naitanui, has formed a formidable ruck force – one that may continue throughout the season.

It’s a luxury for Cox, who Sinclair calls a “freak” for his running ability. Cox pretty much held the ruck position down by himself in 2013, with Naitanui injured, Quentin Lynch leaving for Collingwood and Sinclair and Scott Lycett still very wet behind the ears.

And in averaging 27 hit-outs a game, 15 disposals and kicking 13 goals, he was probably in the mix for a seventh All-Australian selection.

Cox has added the ruck coaching role to his responsibilities this year, so has the task of readying his replacements, not that there has been any declaration of his intentions beyond this year.

“I speak to him and train with him every single day. We go through technique stuff - we go through running patterns and things like that,” Sinclair said.

“So, he's basically in charge of me and my ruck work for the time being.

“So basically, I'm under his tutelage, which is probably the perfect thing for me at the moment.

“He's basically the life and soul of the club; he's the clown and arguably the most professional at the club. His talent speaks for itself.

“He really unites the playing group and everything like that - so it’s an absolute privilege to be having a run around with him at this stage of my footy career. It doesn't look like he's slowing down, so who knows we might get a few more years of him.”

And in an early indication that Sinclair has the maturity to make it in the AFL – he appears to be in no hurry to see his mentor move on.

“Yeah I want to see him run on,” he said.

“I think we're going to have to cart him out of the joint. I don't think he'll be going any time soon. He's playing terrific footy. In round one, he had 20 plus possessions and had shots on goal, so he's not slowing down at all. If he keeps going like that, there's no reason why he can't keep playing.”