ON THE eve of breaking the Brisbane Lions games record, Simon Black is still undecided on whether this will be his last year in the AFL.
The 2002 Brownlow medallist will go past Marcus Ashcroft's club record of 318 games but Black yet to make a decision on his future beyond this season, having only played four matches in 2013 due to a knee problem.
"When I came back from injury I thought I'd like to give myself two months of playing just to see where I'm at and make a call from there," Black said on Friday in Perth.
"Quite clearly the footy club is the ultimate decider on that.
"They could show me the door.
"But from a personal point of view it's really about getting back into playing at AFL level and getting my match fitness back and then seeing where I'm at and making a call then, so that's a fair few weeks off," he said.
Black is one of the most decorated players of the modern era, with three premierships, a Brownlow medal, a Norm Smith medal, three best and fairests and three All-Australian jumpers on his glittering football resume.
But he thinks he was very lucky just to get a game with the Lions let alone line up more times for them than any other player.
"It's a great honour," Black said.
"For sixteen years the club has been such a big part of my life. I love the Brisbane Lions.
"(They're) so good for drafting me back in '98 so it's a real honour to become the games record holder for the club.
"It's something I'll cherish when I'm old and grey," he said.
The East Fremantle product felt there was some irony that the record would come in Perth against the Fremantle Dockers.
"I'm a very proud West Australian.
"I'll always say I'm a proud Sandgroper. I love coming home.
"So I suppose there is a bit of irony, playing agains tFreo."
Black is under no illusions about the task that confronts the young Lions side.
"Freo have been fantastic. We have huge respect for the way they've gone about it and justifiably," Black said.
"They're a great defensive side, and they're supporting the coach's game plan and they're really developed.
"They’ve been very impressive."
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was full of praise for Black when asked about his achievement earlier this week.
"Simon Black has got universal respect as one of the great players in the history of the game in one of the greatest teams ever," Lyon said.
"We all admire him. His courage, his perseverance, he stands for everything that's great in the game."
Black believes he may head down Lyon's path and pursue coaching when he finishes his playing career.
"I'd like to coach, whether it's my six-year-old kid or maybe down the track at AFL level," Black said.
"I just don't know. I just love the game."
"I have that real interest in trying to improve any teams performance, obviously it's the Lions at the moment."
Black undecided on future
Simon Black is yet to decide whether he's keen to play on again in 2014