David Swallow currently holds the record for the most VFL/AFL games played without competing in a final with 247 games played to date. However, that record is about to change after Damien Hardwick confirmed on AFL 360 last night that Swallow will be selected to play in the Suns v Dockers elimination final this Saturday night. So the record will now revert to St Kilda's Trevor Barker (230) and several other Suns players like Touk Miller (212) and Jarrod Witts (203) will also be removed from the list over the weekend.
27yo Jy Simpkin (173) will either move to first or second (13 games behind nearly retired 32yo Alex Sexton) on the list and is 57 games shy of the Barker's record. Considering their ages and Sexton only managing 5 games this year (plus the possibility they he may end up playing a final this year or next) as opposed to Simpkin who played 21 games for the 16th placed Roos in 2025, it's fair to assume Simpkin will overtake Sexton soon to lead the list of current players. But will he take Barker's all-time record over the next few years and will he ever play a final? He's currently contracted to North for another four seasons until 2029, at which point he will turn 31 years of age.
In case anyone is wondering, the record for most games played before playing a final is 269 and that's held by Melbourne's Robbie Flower, who played his first final at 32yo in his last season.
27yo Jy Simpkin (173) will either move to first or second (13 games behind nearly retired 32yo Alex Sexton) on the list and is 57 games shy of the Barker's record. Considering their ages and Sexton only managing 5 games this year (plus the possibility they he may end up playing a final this year or next) as opposed to Simpkin who played 21 games for the 16th placed Roos in 2025, it's fair to assume Simpkin will overtake Sexton soon to lead the list of current players. But will he take Barker's all-time record over the next few years and will he ever play a final? He's currently contracted to North for another four seasons until 2029, at which point he will turn 31 years of age.
In case anyone is wondering, the record for most games played before playing a final is 269 and that's held by Melbourne's Robbie Flower, who played his first final at 32yo in his last season.
