Luckless Suns star to notch milestone

MATT Rosa has been broken but never battle-weary in his 13-year AFL career.

The Suns leader says there has been more frustrating times than good ones as he prepares to play his 200th AFL game in today’s QClash against Brisbane at the Gabba, but they have only made reaching the milestone even sweeter.

Jarrod Harbrow will also play his 200th AFL game.

“The injuries are probably the big one,” Rosa said.

“I’ve been quite unlucky at times with injuries but I think playing in a milestone like this you get to reflect a bit on the journey and it probably makes it all the more sweeter having so many setbacks.”

Rosa’s career has taken him across the other side of Australia and back, and brought him agonisingly close to a premiership medal.

The Victorian product was drafted to West Coast and at 18 years old played three games in his first season in 2005 as he moulded his game alongside the likes of Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Dean Cox.

A year later Rosa played 15 games, including the finals, before being named as an emergency for the 2006 grand final that the Eagles won.

“Missing out on playing on grand final day, as much as it was a fantastic experience, it did burn a bit and that’s been a major driver to make sure if I ever get in another position like that I’d give myself every opportunity to be up and going,” Rosa said.

The 30-year-old still has the desire to play for years to come but knows he can’t plan for the long term if his body is unwilling to go with him. He is contracted until the end of 2018.

“I can’t look too far ahead, especially with my injury history,” Rosa said.

“Hopefully I can hold the body together and as long as the club still wants me around I’ll be happy to keep going.”