Birthday boy Dayne Zorko will join the AFL’s “0.005% Club” this year, becoming just the 67^th player in history beyond the age of 36.

He will move up from the plus 35 category, which to the end of 2024 totalled 122 players or 0.009% of 13,172 players all-time.

Having celebrated his 36^th birthday on Sunday, Zorko is soon to begin a 14^th AFL season in which he will become Brisbane’s oldest player.

In Round 10, when the Lions host Melbourne at the Gabba, the former skipper will equal second-placed Alastair Lynch at 36 years 98 days.

And in Round 19, in the still-to-be-confirmed Gabba clash with the Western Bulldogs, the now 277-gamer will go past Roger Merrett at 36 years 155 days.

Along the way Zorko will go past Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray at 36 years 74 days and 1944 premiership player Bert Clay at 36 years 117 days, leaving only four ‘Lions’ ahead of him.

The oldest Fitzroy player is 1913-16 premiership player Charlie Norris, who was  37 years 18 days in his 124^th and last game in 1918. He ranks 27^th in AFL history.

Others ahead of Zorko are Percy Parratt, a 1913-16-22 flag winner and Team of the Century choice, 1944 premiership player Clen Denning, and one-time AFL games record-holder and Sherwood QAFL coach John Rantall.

The oldest AFL player all-time is St.Kilda’s AFL Hall of Famer Vic Cumberland, who was aged 43 years 48 days in his 176^th and last game in 1920.

A premiership player with Melbourne in 1900 before he joined St.Kilda in 1903, Cumberland retired at 38 in 1915 but after serving in the First World War in France returned to Australia in November 1919 and made a comeback to play 10 games in 1920.

In 1927 Cumberland was involved in a motor bike accident in suburban Ferntree Gully in Melbourne when he was hit by a cow. He died in hospital several months later aged 50.

Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher is second-oldest, having played his 400^th and last game at 40 years 23 days in 2015.

Others beyond 37 from the modern (AFL) era have been 38-year-olds Shaun Burgoyne, Craig Bradley, Brent Harvey and Michael Tuck, and 37-year-olds Paul Salmon, David Munday and Robert Harvey.

Also in the super-veteran category is Lions assistant-coach Dale Morris, who was 36 years 211 days old in his 253^rd and last game with the Western Bulldogs in 2019. He is third-oldest among Dogs players.

Three current players are older than Zorko – Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury turned 37 on 7 January, Essendon’s Todd Goldstein will turn 37 on 1 July, and Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak will turn 37 on 1 August.