Heath Scotland’s capacity to endure is matched only by his passion to play - and what a player he’s been in the 15 seasons and 249 matches for football’s fiercest rivals.

At 32, and 197 games into his Carlton career, the former Collingwood on-baller is as fervent about his footy now as he was the days of kick-to-kick back in Blackwood.

In truth, “Scotto’s” career has come full circle. A kid of 18 when he first took to Victoria Park for the match with Mick Malthouse’s West Coast in ’99, Scotland’s 53^rd and final senior appearance for the black and whites came under Mick’s watch in the 2003 Grand Final.

Now, as he prepares for career game 250 on Sunday, the man in the No.29 guernsey knows M. Malthouse will again be watching on from the box.

As the fifth player to achieve the 250-game milestone in a Carlton guernsey after opening up at another club, Scotland will find himself in truly elite company. Try these on for size – Ron Barassi, Justin Madden, Greg Wells and Greg Williams.

This week, in the lead-up to the milestone match he shares with 150-gamers Marc Murphy and Andrew Walker, Scotland reflected on his career in answering the following ten questions.


Best childhood memory?
It’s been a long time since I was a child . . . I suppose it was playing with my mates, kicking the footy around and just having fun with my brothers and sisters. I was split between Braybrook and Blackwood just past Bacchus Marsh.

Greatest moment in football?
It’s hard to go past the moment you’re drafted. It’s a really special moment, a reward for hard work prior to all the work you do when you get into football to prepare yourself to play. Then there’s playing your first game no doubt.

So what of your first game?
I played at Victoria Park. I can’t really remember who my first opponent was, but I can remember being extremely nervous. I remember running down the race and then all of a sudden being overwhelmed, thinking ‘Wow, this is the one moment I’ve been dreaming of all my life, of running out onto the field’. I also remember getting a free kick when I first got on, which settled the nerves a bit.

Funny little story relating to Victoria Park, in keeping with the Collingwood theme – my car radio was stolen from my car during the game. It was quite comical.

Worst moment in football?
There have been lots of tough moments, no doubt about it. Fortunately for myself I haven’t really had too many injury setbacks, so then you look at the losses and it’s probably the Grand Final losses at Collingwood (2002 & ’03). I was fortunate to play in both of them but we fell short in both of them.

What you like most about the game?
It’s still fun. Then there’s the challenge of competition. You’re competing every week, you’re challenging yourself against other guys and you’re running out with your mates with whom you’ve worked hard in all the training sessions. There’s pressure, there’s intensity, but it’s fun and I still love the game.

Your thoughts on training?
I’ve always enjoyed training. There are some days where you’re really struggling on the track . . . but I’ve always believed the harder you work the luckier you get.

If it wasn’t League football, what would you be doing?
I seriously put all my eggs in one basket when I was growing up. I remember a school teacher saying ‘Make sure you think about a career and concentrate on your studies a bit more’, but for me it was football then getting another job doing something.

I was always motivated and passionate about footy and I was fortunate it fell my way, but I’m not sure what I would have done or what I’ll do now once football’s over. Football is so all-consuming. It consumes your whole life and not just your life, but also the lives of your wife and family, and you really don’t have much time to focus your energies into different areas. Hopefully I’ll stay in the game, but we’ll see what happens.

Fatherhood?
I’m really enjoying and cherishing the time I can spend with my two young boys because soon they’ll be at school and all grown up. Now is a special time and it’s nice to be spending it with them, at least for me.

A line on Murphy and Walker?
I’m thrilled to be able to share a milestone game with two other guys who are great friends. We’ve played together now for eight or nine years. ‘Walks’ has got two boys of a similar age to mine and they hang out together, so it’s great to share these special moments with others you’re close to.

And what advice would you give them in approaching game No.150?
Approach it the same as you did game one, the same as you did game 50 and the same as you’ll do game 250 – give everything when you’re out there and go as hard as you can.