PAUL Roos will achieve a significant milestone when he coaches Melbourne against Carlton at the MCG on Sunday, becoming just the 10^th person to have coached and played 600 VFL/AFL games.

Roos, one of the game’s greatest names, said manager of football operations Josh Mahoney informed him on Monday that he was set to reach the remarkable figure.

“I had no idea [about the milestone]. You never think you’re going to be in footy for a season, let alone 600 games,” he said on Roos’ Views.

“I’ve enjoyed it and I’ve been lucky, and I’ve been involved in three fantastic clubs and I’ve met some great people.

“That’s probably the thing that you reflect on – the amount of enjoyment that you’ve got out of the game and there are a lot of lows as well. [I’ve made] so many friends and [I have] great stories and memories.”

Roos played 356 VFL/AFL matches, including 269 for Fitzroy and 87 for the Sydney Swans from 1982-98. He played with the Roys from 1982-94 and the Swans from 1995-98.

He had an outstanding playing career, finishing third in the Brownlow Medal in 1985-86, and winning five best and fairest awards in 1985-86, 1991-92 and 1994.

Roos was also captain of Fitzroy from 1988-90 and 1992-94 and led the club’s goalkicking in 1990.

An All-Australian in 1985-86-87-88, 1991-92 (both as captain) and 1996-97, Roos also represented Victoria in State-of-Origin football 14 times.

Roos was also named in Fitzroy’s team of the century.

This weekend, he will coach his 244^th match, which includes 186 with the Swans and after this round, 42 games with Melbourne.

Kevin Sheedy holds the record for the most games as player and coach: 919 matches, comprising 251 games as a player and 668 as a coach.

For the record, three men in the top 10 have had an involvement with Melbourne: Ron Barassi, Norm Smith and Roos.

Here is the list …

The top 15 people to have played and coached the most VFL/AFL matches

1 – Kevin Sheedy (919 games comprising 251 games as a player and 668 games as a coach),

2 – Michael Malthouse (892 games comprising 174 games as a player and 718 games as a coach)

3 – Jock McHale (878 games comprising 261 games as a player / player-coach and a further 617 games as a coach only)

4 – Leigh Matthews (793 games comprising 332 games a player and 461 games as a coach)

5 – David Parkin (729 games comprising 211 games as a player and 518 games as a coach)

6 – Ron Barassi (719 games comprising 254 games as a player / player-coach and a further 465 games as a coach only)

7 – Norm Smith (659 games comprising 227 games as a player and 432 games as a coach)

8 – Allan Jeans (652 games comprising 77 games as a player and 575 games as a coach)

9 – Robert Walls (606 games comprising 259 games as a player and 347 games as a coach)

10 – Paul Roos (599 games comprising 356 games as a player and 243 games as a coach)

11 – Rodney Eade (592 games comprising 259 games as a player and 333 games as a coach)

12 – Tom Hafey (589 games comprising 67 games as a player and 522 games as a coach)

13 – John Kennedy (575 games comprising 164 games as a player and 411 games as a coach)

14 – Percy Bentley (546 games comprising 263 games a player / player-coach and 283 games as coach only)

15 – Dick Reynolds (517 games comprising 320 games as a player / player-coach and 197 games as a coach only).