Ash McGrath has not just been a super player over the journey – but he’s also a great character to have had around the Club.

He has this unique sense of humour and personality that makes him a popular figure across the entire group – from the more senior blokes to the younger guys.

Even when things might not be going great, he’ll chime in with a comment that will lighten the mood and pick everyone up.

Anyone who reads his regular web column ‘Ooh Aah’ would know that I cop more than my fair share of ribbing as well.

Although it can be a tad repetitive at times, it’s all in good fun and we’re actually pretty close mates.

Sadly, he’ll be hanging up the boots this Sunday, after 14 seasons with the Lions.

He will leave the game having played 214 matches, kicked 169 goals (although he might still add to that on Sunday against the Dockers) and been part of the Club’s 2003 premiership.

That’s an incredible record for a guy that is still largely underrated by the wider football public.

Not every AFL player lasts long enough to play 200 games – in fact there’s only been 26 players reach the milestone in the Club’s 128-year history.

And of those, surely none would have celebrated their 200th game in the same style that he did.

That match against Geelong at the Gabba last year is one of my greatest football memories, so I can only imagine how it feels for Ash.

With his footy career over, it will be interesting to see what he ends up doing with himself next year and beyond.

He has often joked about getting into politics and joining the Greens, and you know what, as strange as it sounds, he’d probably get my vote.

I’d expect he might also think about heading back home to Western Australia to play local footy with his brothers – which is something he probably hasn’t done since he was a kid.

The McGrath boys all playing together would put on some sort of show over there.

But first things first, let’s hope we can send ‘Boonj’ out in style this Sunday with a win against his former home-town team, Fremantle.

How fitting would it be if he was able to help us pull off another fairy-tale finish?