THE JOURNEY to 100 games may have just a tiny bit longer to go, but Charlie Curnow is sure to reminisce on the pathway that got him here.

The enigmatic Blue is scheduled to bring up his century next week, after a career which saw him burst onto the scene, miss two years with knee injuries and mark a stunning return last year with the Coleman Medal.

Speaking to media today, coinciding with the Charlie's Crew junior clinic, the king of the kids spoke about everything leading up to this point, plus what's to come.

Here's what he had to say.

On his 100-game milestone, scheduled for Round 17:

“I’ll think about it more when it comes around next week. A lot comes to mind with injuries, family, physios, a lot of help and a few different surgeries along the way. I’ll get to that next week.”

On how his body is feeling and ongoing management:

“It’s feeling really good. 

“Each week has its different obstacles and challenges with the knee. Some weeks I’ll do less training than others, depending on the break: I’m learning and adapting each week and each year. I thought I had it nailed last year and then had some things pop up this year: it’s been a journey, but I’m feeling good now.

“It’s quite an interesting injury where I had fractures in my kneecap. It’s working with that . . . I can get swelling some weeks and other weeks not so much. The longer I train and the longer I keep at it, it gets better over time. 

“It feels great and it’s getting back nearly to what it was before my injury.”

On the mood after the Round 14 win:

“Around the club, the same stuff is going on. We’re striving to be a better team each week and we know we haven’t had the start we wanted. We try and keep it the same each week, but the reality is when wins hit the board, that does create a better mood after the game and coming into the review. 

“We try and keep the same processes as we have — it’s a basic answer, you probably hear that a lot! We’ve been keeping a strong, connected group throughout the week, even during the losses.” 

On what was addressed in the most recent game:

“We weren’t finishing our plays that well: I’m not just talking in front of goal, I mean the build-up with the ball. We weren’t connecting and finishing well, and that comes with playing a lot more games together. 

“We’ve trained it throughout the year and in pre-season, but we wanted to nail our contest and pressure: that was the key going into Gold Coast. It’s funny when you focus on something else, that another thing comes from it. 

“We had a contested, pressure mindset. Our ball movement came off that.”

On his current goalkicking form:

“I stick to my plan. I was going through some stats the other day with Tom Lonergan and they’re pretty good for the AFL standard. Over your career, you go through ups and downs. 

“I feel like I can definitely get better in that area, but I’ve got my set shot routine. I’m building on that: I went through percentages on set shots the other day and they’re not too bad.”

On Harry McKay’s honest chats about goalkicking accuracy:

“It’s a whole group: the collective are working together. Guys go through slumps: Big H has won a Coleman Medal, he’s elite in that area. 

“As a forward line, not just Harry, it was all of us in that period when we weren’t finishing our plays and in front of goal. It’s a collective mindset. You don’t like to notice it’s there, but we’re at a big club and we have a lot of fans that care. 

“It’s the part of the game that wins you games. Working together as a group makes that a lot easier: I don’t know how many individual goalkickers there were, but it was a really important game for us.”

On having focus on him as being ‘the man’:

“I’m in a great position to be where I am, coming back from injuries and playing for the Carlton Football Club. I’m so lucky that we’re in a team sport where I get to run out with 22 other players and that’s the best thing about this game. 

“That’s why [kids] are enjoying playing the game, because they get to play with their mates and do it together. You never think one player is going to win you the game. 

“I’m super lucky to have Ash Hansen along with the other guys in the forward line to relieve pressure and always look to them.”

On how he deals with public attention:

“I’ve mentioned my family a fair few times, Mum and Dad back in Bellbrae. I like to go back there, have a fire and spend time with them. My siblings live in Melbourne, plus Ed’s kids - my nieces and nephews - and Charlotte’s kids as well. 

“I’m super lucky to have good people around me, and that’s not even including the people at the Club. It’s all part of it.”

On the team’s recent trip to Ed Curnow’s house:

“It was great. It’s good to do that stuff every now and again, we do it in pre-season. Ed was a great host: we got down there, enjoyed a fire and spent some time together. 

“A few boys camped — he was flat there was no surf around because he wanted to show his skills the next day. It was a great night.”