He joins Jason Sikorski, Tom Weaver, Tyrone Charge and Matthew Collins, who have all played alongside him, and Hans Verbeek in achieving the feat.

All but 23 of his appearances have been in the senior line-up since he debuted in 1999.

The 36-year-old remembers that day well.

“It was against Darley at Darley.” 

Although the ultimate success of a premiership has eluded Dransman – much to his disappointment – he has never considered leaving what has been his football home for almost three decades.

He said as much as he would have liked to play in the grand final-winning team, family involvement and lasting friendships were ultimately the most important things.

“Many teammates over the years will be mates for life.”

Dransman began playing with Melton South as a seven-year-old in the under-10s in the Riddell District Football League and spent his entire junior career with the Panthers.

He graduated to the under-18s when Melton South joined the BFL in 1997 with Melton, Darley and Sunbury.

Dransman said Matt Sproule, Brenton Riordan and Mathew Sutton had been the most influential players and coaches on his playing career.

Most of his career has been spent as a ruckman, but these days as he spends most of his time in the forward line.

For Dransman, the 300-game milestone while still playing seniors is a bonus given he almost initiated the start of a retirement plan a few years ago.

“I was thinking about playing some seconds and fading away.”

Then new senior coach Mark Pederson intervened. Pederson had charge of a young team lacking experience and managed to persuade Dransman to stay as an on-field mentor.

Dransman said while wins had been hard to get, he had enjoyed this role.

Playing is not his only involvement in the game these days.

He is in second year as a junior coach. Dransman coached his son Zac in the under-10 reserves last season, and then kept the family link going this year by stepping up to the under-10 seniors.

And what chance does Dransman give himself of reaching 300 senior games for the Panthers? He is not surprisingly non-committal, especially given he would most likely have to play in the 2018 season.

He says the body is fine, but the numbers might prove too much.

Dransman sits on 276 with five more rounds remaining this season. 

To get the required 19 next year, he would have stay fit and play all Melton South’s home and away games, and then be part of three finals the Panthers. 

He will just have to wait and see.