Retiring Swan Brett Kirk says he wants to farewell the Sydney faithful, who've been such a part of his illustrious career, accordingly, as he prepares for his final game at the SCG, against the Western Bulldogs this weekend.
Kirk, a premiership player with the Swans in 2005, will run out for his 238th game against the Dogs and admitted it would be an emotional farewell at a ground that he holds close to his heart.
"Yeah there will be (a lot of emotion)," Kirk said. "But I guess at the moment I'm just preparing to play a game of footy like I always do. I'm very meticulous about the way I go about my preparation."
Kirk listed the day Michael O'Loughlin broke the games record for the club against Fremantle and Nick Davis' match-winning goal against Geelong in the 2005 finals as memories at the SCG that most stuck in his mind.
"The SCG's got plenty of heart and it holds a significant place within me. I love the place and I've got so many different memories of different things that have happened out there."
"It's just an unbelievable ground to play at, the crowd just seems so close and the atmosphere is just one of a kind."
And Kirk was quick to pay tribute to the many supporters that have helped him on his 12-year journey, having started his playing days on the Swans' rookie list.
"I'm really passionate and I care about this place and I care about the supporters that have followed me for a long time now."
"There's obviously a lot of my family and friends coming up from Albury and there is going to be some emotion there but for me I'm just going out there to give my best for the footy club."
"Even through the not so good times a lot of people were behind me and supported me so I just hope a lot of people can get here this weekend to give us a good send off because they've been as much a part of it (my career)."
Despite the occasion, Kirk was wary of the Swans' opponents this weekend, the Western Bulldogs, who'll have a sting in their tail after last week's 101-point hammering at the hands of a rampant Geelong.
"We're coming up against a side on the weekend who had a bad loss on the weekend but they'll turn it around pretty quickly. I'd imagine they would have analysed the game (against Geelong) pretty savagely and they'll be coming steaming up here on the weekend. They're the best contested footy team in the competition and for us to win the game we need to match them in that area."
In an added twist, former Swan Barry Hall will line up against his old teammates but Kirk said it wouldn't be an issue playing against the big man.
"Not at all mate. You put anyone out on that other side and I'll be going 100 miles an hour, it's just the way I go about things."
"To be honest I'm not going to think of Barry as a Bulldogs player when my career is over. We've spent so many great times together and achieved a lot together and he was one player I really loved to play with because you knew what his effort was going to be every week ... and he's doing really well this year, I'm really happy for him and I hope he finishes off his career the way he wants it to."
Asked if he holds any animosity towards Rodney Eade after the former Swans coach didn't want him at the club, Kirk said: "No not at all ... things worked out the way they did and Roosy came aboard and gave me more of an opportunity and that's probably just what I needed."
"Sometimes you just need someone to see something in you. You see that all the time when players struggle at clubs and then they just get an opportunity somewhere else and it just breathes life into them and that's what happened to me and I'll be forever in debt to the club and to Roosy (coach Paul Roos)," he said.