“Once you get to 370-odd, you may as well go for 400.”

These were the words of Hawthorn Captain Ben Stratton on his teammate Shaun Burgoyne.

Burgoyne is set to break the Indigenous games record when he takes to the field this Friday night against North Melbourne.

But Stratton has suggested there may be more in the 36-year-old’s legs yet.

“His passion for the game is still as strong as ever,” Stratton said on Tuesday.

“The way he talks about the game – it’s been his whole life.

“I think he might have a few years left in him as well which is the scary thing.”

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Stratton said the element of Burgoyne’s career that impresses him most is his resilience and ability to overcome hardship.

The Hawks skipper is well-placed to comment on Silk’s time in the brown and gold, given that his own career started the same year as Burgoyne arrived from Port Adelaide.

“I remember his first year, he had a few injuries and a lot of doubters, a lot of people were thinking what’s Hawthorn done bringing him over from Port.

“But I think he has proved a lot of people wrong.

“10 years later, he is still playing some pretty powerful and freakish footy so that’s a credit to him and his passion and competitiveness.”

Chad Wingard also gave a glowing endorsement of Burgoyne, commending his influence on the Indigenous community.

“For the Indigenous community, I think he has shown what you can strive for,” Wingard said.

“He’s impacted the game in so many ways, he is a true role model to look up to.”

Wingard said Burgoyne’s hunger for improvement and high standards was the element of his teammate that had taken him most by surprise since his arrival at the club last October.

“The way that he attacks training and wants to get better at his age is pretty remarkable.

“You’d think he’d let up and maybe struggle for motivation but the motivation he has at each training session and game is the reason why he is still going.”