Swans coach John Longmire has declared Luke Parker’s rapid rise to 100 games as one of the more impressive and touted the reigning Club Champ as a future captain.
Well, sort of.
Parker will tick off 100 games when the Swans take on Geelong at Simons Stadium on Saturday night, going into the Club’s record books as the fifth fastest Swan to reach the milestone.
On Saturday, Parker will have taken four years and 86 days to play 100 games – a shave under Dan Hannebery (four years, 58 days), Jared Crouch (four years, 59 days), Tadgh Kennelly (four years, 70 days) and Jason Saddington (four years, 71 days).
Having coached Hannebery for most of the midfielder’s glowing career, Longmire reserved judgement when comparing the duo’s journey to triple figures and eased when asked to state whether Parker's was the best.
“Dan Hannebery was playing football when still going to going to school in Melbourne,” Longmire recalled.
“He was flying to Sydney for training on the Thursday, playing AFL football and then flying back to Xavier to put his school tie on and complete his exams.”
It’s the impact both Parker and Hannebery has had on the football club, rather than the race to the fastest ton, that Longmire was more impressed with.
At the age of 22, Parker has already won a premiership medallion and Club Champion award before this season earning a coveted place in the leadership group – the youngest Swan to do so.
“It’s not a bad start – he has been super,” Longmire added.
“From the moment he walked into the door he just wanted to play senior football. He was built strongly and built as though he was ready to play senior football and had the attitude to go with it.
“We’re confident both Parks and Hanners will keep driving the group forward.”
Parker will become the 14th member of the current squad to have celebrated 100 games of AFL football.