On Saturday evening, Jake Stringer will achieve something less than three percent of AFL players will ever achieve. 

The 32-year-old will run out on the field for his 250th AFL game. 

He's been one of the game’s must-watch forwards since joining the competition with the Bulldogs via pick No.5 in the 2012 National Draft. 

From the outset, there was something different about Stringer. Power, explosiveness and an uncanny ability to turn a game on its head made him a player capable of producing moments few others could. 

His journey, though, has been about far more than the highlights. 

Across his career, Stringer has experienced the highs and lows that come with being an AFL footballer. He’s played in finals, tasted premiership success, changed clubs, battled through setbacks and continually found ways to reinvent himself. 

Now, as he prepares to reach the 250-game milestone, the significance of the occasion isn't lost on him. 

“Yeah. Very excited. Be good to have the family there,” Stringer said when asked of the occasion. 

“Hopefully we walk out Saturday night and get the job done.” 

While the milestone is a personal achievement, Stringer's career has never been defined solely by individual accolades. 

Asked to reflect on the highlights of his journey, one moment stands above the rest. 

“Winning the [2016] premiership is probably the main one,” he said. 

“But I've enjoyed my time at all three clubs and I'm very grateful for each opportunity.” 

Those three clubs - the Western Bulldogs, Essendon and his current home - have each played a different part in Stringer's career and helped shape the player he has become. 

Across 250 games, his role has evolved, too. 

Stringer has never fitted neatly into one category. At 192cm, he's been too versatile to be simply defined as a key forward, while his power and ability to hit the scoreboard have made him far more than a traditional small forward. 

“I've always been able to develop my game in different ways and play different roles,” Stringer said of his evolution across his three clubs. 

“I'm sort of at that awkward height where I'm not a key forward and not a small forward. So I'm going to sort of be able to play a bit of both. 

“And I think I've been able to do that throughout my journey.” 

That adaptability has been one of the constants throughout his career. 

The once explosive youngster who burst onto the scene at the Bulldogs has evolved into a seasoned AFL footballer who understands how to impact games in different ways. 

There have been spectacular goals and match-winning performances, but there have also been difficult periods that have tested Stringer and forced him to adapt. 

Reaching 250 games is testament to his ability to keep doing exactly that. 

It is a milestone that places Stringer in an exclusive group - one that very few players who have pulled on an AFL jumper will ever join. 

For all the goals, highlights and memorable moments, perhaps the greatest achievement is the longevity required to still be here after 14 seasons. 

And on Saturday night, with his family there to share the occasion, Stringer will have the opportunity to add another chapter to a career that has already contained plenty. 

A career that began with a teenage Stringer arriving at the Bulldogs as one of the most exciting prospects in the country will now reach 250 games. 

For a player who has always found different ways to impact a game, it is another significant moment in a journey defined by evolution, resilience and an enduring ability to entertain. 

250 games down, and one more chance to do what Jake Stringer has done throughout his career: make his mark.