A fascinating footballer with an extraordinary story behind him, Mark Blicavs' story is already an intriguing tale from an external perspective. 

But internally, his teammates paint a different picture of a person with a significant drive to learn and improve, while also the socialite that keeps the club connected.

Sitting down to discuss Blicavs on the eve of his 300th game, the defensive trio of Tom Stewart, Jack Henry and Zach Guthrie provided an in-depth look into the milestone man behind the scenes. 

Take a look at what they had to say about what Blicavs means to them and the Geelong Football Club. 

What does Mark Blicavs mean to you and Geelong?

JACK HENRY
"It definitely not the conventional way in which Mark has made it to this point. It is well past the point where you need to think of him as an athlete, steeplechaser or whatever he was.

"He is going to be a 300 game player and he is one of the few that get to do that, I think he deserves more credit for his football ability and what he does on the football field. Obviously he has his athletic background, but the way in which he plays the game is quite remarkable.

"To have done that for such a long time is admirable, he has had a huge impact on me. When I came into the club as a younger guy, there were players around that time like Harry Taylor, who I felt like Mark learned a lot off. I tried to learn off Harry in the shorter time that I was with him, then 'Blitz' has just carried on those traits that Harry taught him.

"He keeps on passing that down the group, keeps the accountability around the group with how we train and the standards that you need to go about your football.

"Something that is really special about 'Blitz' is that in my time here, I have never seen a person be able to reach so many different players socially. He is almost like the people's champ, he has such a big reach and so many common interests with such a widespread part of the group. I think he is really good for our culture and that is something that has really gone under the radar."

ZACH GUTHRIE
"He means everything. He personifies what it is to be a Geelong person.

"Just his ability to show up time and time again on the field, but I also think one of his best traits is off the field. He is able to connect everyone so well, makes guys feel welcome from the moment they walk into the club up until the moment they walk out.

"He keeps that connection going, I think he is unbelievable at that. Even staff members, not just the players, he makes everyone feel comfortable and makes everyone enjoy the day to day work.

"I think he is a key cog and a reason why we have had so much success over the years."

TOM STEWART
"It is a phenomenal milestone, considering where he came from and where he has gotten to.

"To come from an athletic background, which is well documented and what he was doing prior to football, to play 20 games in every year that he has been part of the footy club bar one is an amazing achievement. It speaks to his longevity, and his ability to back up and play week to week is something that I really admire about him.

"He is underratedly tough in his ability to play through injury and his ability to be adaptable in his role.

"No matter the moment, no matter the scenario, he is always willing to do what is required which as a teammate, it is something that you greatly appreciate. He has played across every role in the team; ruck, rover, forward, back, tag and he just gets the job done consistently.

"To have the achievement of playing 300 games in itself is obviously astronomical from any capacity, but I think his ability to be adaptable and to find a way to do it in every position is something I truly admire about him."

What have you learned from Mark Blicavs?

Jack Henry
"Something that I have tried to emulate is how in a training sense, he doesn't think he is too good for anything.

"He is always probably the most willing to learn out of anyone, it is hard to explain but he is the guy that if he makes mistakes then he will fix them on the spot. He will keep training to rectify those mistakes, which obviously every player makes.

"The ability to want to correct any flaw or anything that he has not done that well in a session, that is something I have noticed and I have wanted to try and emulate in my game. I can't run the way he does so a lot of the contest work and one-on-ones, I have done a lot of stuff with him on that side of the game.

"It is the accountability within the sessions to keep doing that kind of work, that is something I have really taken from 'Blitz.'"

Zach Guthrie
"He is someone that I always work really closely with. I guess seeing the way he goes about things week to week, how he tries to nail everyday and tries to improve everyday.

"He is someone that a few of us work really closely with, to try and feel as prepared as possible going into games. He is certainly someone that I like to talk to around our tactics each week, each opposition is different so there is always something that is not going to be the exact same. He is someone I always rely on in that aspect.

"Just his ability to play every position on the ground, he has probably played literally every position on the ground. I think that links really closely to his ability to make that work, in a way that he just shows up all the time.

"Every position is challenging for a different reason, but just his ability to put in the effort on the field whether it be the transition running that he does, or in the contest with his physicality that he brings is something we love."

Tom Stewart 
"I think just his willingness to work on the basics of the game. We still do marking drills and stuff together now, even though we have been teammates for the last 10 years.

"The one thing that I have learned from 'Blitz' that I have tried to implement in my game, is you are never the finished product. He is always willing to learn new things, to ask the questions that some others may not be willing to ask because they might be embarrassed.

"He is just so willing to learn, and he is so ready to challenge himself in any capacity which I think as a senior player, you look around and you think you know what it is all about when you have been playing for a long period of time.

"But that is one thing I have taken from him, is that you are never finished in your ability to adapt and your ability to learn, and to be educated on the different nuances of the game. That is an attitude that he takes, that is not something is lost on me is how truly cool of a skill it is.

"The older you get, you start to think that I know which way I want to do things, but he is so willing to try new things and to try little different ways to get better. He has continually done that for a long period of time."

What is your favourite Blicavs Memory?

Tom Stewart
"Any premiership teammate, you have got that one memory of achieving what you set out to do in football.

"I have got that photo, it is one of my favourite photos on my phone and it is just from level 2, we are in pure elation. When you go through what we had gone through in the lead up to that premiership, to share it with somebody you had played so much footy with and somebody you truly admire, not only as a teammate but as a friend, you can't help but smile at those moments.

"I think the over-arching memory that everyone will have with 'Blitz,' was just the role that he played throughout that year. He had been a best and fairest winner twice prior to that, but he was finally recognised with an All-Australian selection.

"To see somebody like that who just gets the job done, just be finally recognised externally when we all value him so much internally, was really cool."

Zach Guthrie
"It is probably hard to go past the 2022 premiership, with him and obviously everyone else involved.

"But I think along the way, it has been the little things that happen whether it be his milestone or others milestones, he is able to make everyone feel like it is an achievement. He does a really good job celebrating those little things because often in a high pressure environment, there is always next week and there is always something else to focus on.

"But I think he does a great job of being able to stop and reflect in that moment, enjoying it for what is is while also having that determination to move on to the next game or the next moment.

"They are some of the things that I really admire and that I really remember about being his teammate."