STATISTICS alone don't do Simon Black justice, but they tell a hell of a story.

The 33-year-old Brisbane Lions champion is due to line up against Geelong at the Gabba on Saturday night and become just the 65th player in League history - and only the second Brisbane player, behind Marcus Ashcroft - to chalk up 300 games.

Black has achieved the ultimate team and individual success in his 15 seasons, but remains as humble and likeable as ever.

He was a cornerstone of the Lions' hat-trick of premierships from 2001-03, winning the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground in the 2003 Grand Final against Collingwood. He won the Brownlow Medal in 2002 and is a three-time club best and fairest winner.

There is no greater compliment for a player than to be named his club's best in a premiership year, and Black did it twice, in 2001-02.

He played in a superstar team with household names, including skipper Michael Voss, Jason Akermanis and Alastair Lynch, yet Black still stood tall.

He was not blessed with blinding speed and has never appeared overly strong, but the boy born in the same north-west Queensland town as Pat Rafter and Greg Norman - Mt Isa - sure has had a knack for finding the footy.

Aside from his football smarts and on-field brilliance, Black's durability has been incredible. He once played a streak of 107 consecutive games, from 2000
until the 2004 Grand Final against Port Adelaide.

But numbers tell only half the story of the skinny No. 31 draft pick from East Fremantle who made his way across the country to the Gabba at the end of 1997.

Just 12 hours after another dominant display (31 disposals and eight clearances) against Gold Coast in the third QClash last weekend, Black was more than happy to talk about his long journey to 300 matches following a morning recovery swim session.

He said the club helped turn him from a nervous teenager into a man.

"Never in your wildest dreams do you think you'll get to play that many games," Black told the AFL Record.

"I thought I'd be shown the door a year or two after I arrived.

"Not thinking I was good enough has driven me over the years. The fear of failure is something that drives a lot of athletes.

"I had some great mentors at the club, including Michael Voss and Nigel Lappin. Those guys were terrific players, but more so great guys and that was very important for a young guy coming across.

"It was only three or four years later when we started becoming that really strong side and there was a lot of good characters in the team and it was a pleasure to play in that side.

"It helped my development as a person as much as a footballer."

Black's face lit up when mention was made of the Lions' golden premiership years.

He agreed there was an enormous pool of talent that helped them achieve the ultimate goal, but he said the character of players including Craig McRae, Shaun Hart and Brad Scott - "the unheralded guys" - was critical to the team's sustained success.

And then there was coach Leigh Matthews.

"Leigh was huge," Black said, taking on an even more serious tone.

"You look back and realise what a profound impact Leigh had on the club and the individuals.

"He was the type of coach who gave you confidence knowing he was in your camp in the box when you ran out for the big games.

"Knowing Leigh was sitting up there and part of your team gave the group enormous confidence."

One of Black's finest performances of his 299 games was against Collingwood in the 2003 Grand Final.

With fellow 'Fab Four' member Lappin carrying broken ribs into the game, Black said he felt extra responsibility to play well.

Thirty-nine touches and a complete dismantling of the Magpies' midfield later, Black had played a key role in the Lions winning their third consecutive flag.

It remains his career-high for disposals.

Although the occasion was special, similar performances have not been out of the ordinary.

Black finished runner-up in the Brownlow Medal in 2007 and 2008, despite the Lions missing the finals.

The traits that delivered him success more than a decade ago still do so today.

Black's sometimes-languid style is deceptive, for he always seems to have a half second longer than anyone else in congestion.

His left foot is deadly and he almost always finds targets. And his kicking on his right foot is one of the most underrated parts of his game.

He also has great hands, often feeding the ball to teammates in better spots before opposition players have noticed.

But for all his polish, Black said it was something else that kept him ahead of the pack.

"I've got to stay on top of my reaction time," he said.

"I've got to be sharp around the stoppages and try to react first, move and keep on the move.

"If I'm not quick, I've just got to keep moving and that's something that's a bit of a trigger for me. I can't be flat-footed.

"I'm not quick after 10 metres, but I think my first 10 metres are OK and, if I
react quickly, I've found I can get to the ball."

Black admitted the long drought since the Lions' last flag continued to eat at him.

It's something he and close mate Jonathan Brown often discussed.

"It's been eight-plus years since we were in that side - that's such a long time. It's been tough going," he said.

"We've been building for a couple of years. It's important now we take a few steps forward.

"We've had 'Vossy' coaching us for a couple of years and I think, as a team, we've grasped what he wants and it's important for individuals to step up and make regular, consistent contributions.

"That's what we need as a club."

Black has seen hundreds of players come and go, but he continues to rack up impressive numbers. He is still making an impact.

His love of the game endures, and it's not hard to understand why he continues to thrive when you listen to him talk about motivation.

"I've always wanted to get better. You have expectations and a level you want to play at and, more often than not, you don't achieve it," he said.

"That will to strive to be better all the time is what drives me and has year after year."