Horsham's very own Seb Ross will pull on the famed St Kilda jersey for the 150th time this Saturday, when the Saints take on North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
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Ross, originally taken by the Saints with pick 25 in the 2011 AFL Draft, has come along way since his days running around City Oval.
In the years since, the 28-year-old has built quite the resume, with a list of accolades that includes winning the Trevor Barker Award for St Kilda's best and fairest twice (2017 and 2019), being selected in the All-Australian Squad in 2017 and holding the position of Saints' vice captain from 2017 to 2020.
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While 150 games in the AFL is an incredible achievement worthy of the spotlight, the year 2021 has been a busy one for Ross, who can be forgiven for not wanting to make it all about him.
"It's sort of snuck up on me (game 150), particularly this year with my wife being pregnant with twins and now the boys are here," Ross said.
"There's been a lot happening off field so it's come round quick but yeah it's gonna be pretty cool to run out."
Ross's wife Marnie gave birth to their twin boys on May 7, which funnily enough is the exact same day their footballing father was born on 28 years ago.
"I turned 28 on that day and I think I'll probably forever be a 28 year old cause I can't see myself, or see anyone celebrating my birthday from here on out," Ross joked.
"That was nearly three weeks ago now, so that three weeks has absolutely flown. We've certainly got a full household here now with three kids and both nannas here quite regularly giving us a chop out."
The couple have another child in two-and-a-half-year-old Charlotte, who Ross hopes will be able to share in his milestone match pending COVID-19 restrictions.
On the footy field the Saints, sitting in 14th with four wins and six losses, have had far from an ideal start, but the Saints' midfielder, like any seasoned professional, is looking forward and fully focused on their next game.
"We've had a bit of a tough run obviously lately, we're not going nearly as well as what anyone would have expected us to," Ross said.
"This weekend sort of marks the halfway mark of the season so there's still a lot of footy to be played and to be four and six, we've got a tough road ahead of us that's for sure, to squeeze into the eight at the end of the year.
"But, I'm maintaining my focus on trying to turn this thing around quick smart, cause there's a lot of footy to be played.
"All we can do is focus on our performance week in week out and that's North Melbourne this weekend and hopefully we can come out and get the job done there."
While some players are lucky and get drafted straight into finals winning teams, Ross hasn't been as fortunate and didn't get to play his first final until last year, when the Saints beat the Bulldogs in an elimination final.
"I've sort of been starved of being able to play at the right time of the year throughout my career," Ross said.
"So last year was certainly the biggest highlight of my career being able to play in that first final at the Gabba against the Bulldogs and then win a final as well.
"That was just an awesome experience and something I would have loved to have gotten a taste of earlier in my career, but that's not always the way and last year, that'd be the highlight of my career."
As for his two Trevor Barker Awards, the 28-year-old will have to wait a little longer before he has a chance to sit back and admire his work.
"Those awards are something that, whilst I'm proud of, but probably when I finish my career will look back on with more pride, because my focus is elsewhere at the moment."
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