He's always been somewhat of a quiet achiever, but while he plies his trade in the AFL with minimum fuss, Ben Cunnington certainly makes his voice heard off it.

Sam Cunnington plays for Redland in the NEAFL, and says his older brother has been an amazing role model. 

“He’s been the biggest influence on my footy, hands down,” Sam told The Standard. 

“I don’t think I’d be a senior player if it wasn't for the advice Ben has given me over the years.”

Growing up in the country, the Cunnington brothers employed some interesting training methods to ensure they kept pace with their metro counterparts.

“We didn't have a bench press so we’d chuck a ute tyre on a steel bar,” Sam said.

“… to work on our tackling techniques we’d jump into a pen full of sheep and and try and tackle them.”

Sam said the family had a great sense of pride in Ben's milestone. On Sunday, the number 10 will become just the tenth North player to reach 200 games. 

“It was a dream to get drafted and no one, not even Ben himself, expected 200 games,” Sam added. 

“It will be a good moment to reflect on his career.”