Clancee Pearce will play his 100th game against Richmond on Saturday night, but the Freo midfielder said while it was a welcome achievement, his focus remains on securing the win against the Tigers.
“I feel pretty excited (for the game),” Pearce said.
“100 games is a pretty good achievement, and hopefully we’ll get the win, but it’s more team oriented than just myself.”
Pearce’s journey to the century milestone began with being selected at pick 44 in the 2008 rookie draft, and it was his persistence that saw him break into the side.
“I was drafted as a rookie and managed to play a couple games in my first, second and third years and in the fourth I reached the senior list, and we went from there,” he said.
Against Richmond on Saturday, Pearce will join an exclusive club of Freo players to have reached the 100 game milestone after being drafted as a rookie.
He’ll be in good company alongside seven other club stalwarts such as Aaron Sandilands, Antoni Grover, Paul Duffield, Matt de Boer, Roger Hayden and Michael Barlow.
Freo midfield invigorated by new faces
In an impressive stat, Pearce will be the fifth member of Freo’s 2008 draft class to reach the 100 game mark, as he joins Matt de Boer, Stephen Hill, Hayden Ballantyne, and Nick Suban in achieving the milestone, with Zac Clarke and Michael Walters hot on their heels.
Being able to share their football experience from draft day as a collective has been a special experience, according to Pearce.
“It’s been really exciting,” he said
“We all came in together and have played a number of games together.
“I think ‘Sonny’ (Walters) and Clarke are close to 100 as well.
“It’s been great to be able to share the eight years I’ve been here with the guys I arrived with in the draft.”
Fremantle face Richmond on Saturday night at Domain Stadium, and Pearce said if recent history was anything to go off, the game should provide an exciting contest for his big game.
“The last few games with Richmond have been pretty exciting so hopefully it can be another one and we can get a win.”
Pearce will become the 36th Fremantle player to play 100 games.
