Nine years, 10 months and 14 days.

That’s how long Adelaide utility Andy Otten has had to wait between his AFL debut and game 100.

Few players have waited, or rather persisted, longer.

Dual Essendon premiership defender Dean Wallis holds the post-World War II record, taking 11 years and 57 days to notch 100 matches.

To put Otten’s journey into perspective, some members of his 2007 draft class including Richmond captain Trent Cotchin (203) and Geelong star Harry Taylor (230) have already passed the double ton.

On Saturday night, Otten will finally reach the 100-game milestone that has been in his sights so long.

“It’s definitely a roller coaster, but it’s been a good ride to be on,” Otten said.

“Absolutely, there were times I didn’t think I’d get there (to 100 games).

“At the end of last season, I had played 98 games and selfishly I thought, ‘I hope I get it done early and don’t have to stress about it all year!’

“Looking back and being a bit older now, I’m pretty proud of being able to achieve it after what I’ve been through personally and what we’ve been through as a side as well.”

The first two years of Otten’s career gave him a false sense of security.

He arrived in Adelaide as a starry-eyed and fuzzy-haired teenager who had a locker next to Andrew McLeod, and was immediately introduced to full training as was coach Neil Craig’s way with draftees.

“I remember my second week in, ‘Goody’ (Simon Goodwin) was beating the crap out of me at training and all of a sudden I was in a fight with my captain!” Otten said.

“I had no idea what was going on, but other players were coming in and we were all wrestling.

“Afterwards, Goody was like, ‘Loved it! Just wanted to test you out! We’re all good.’

“I was thinking, ‘Why, would he do that?’ But Craigy said, ‘Love it, Otten! Now, keep training’.”

Andy Otten had a locker next to Andrew McLeod in his early years at Adelaide

Drafted from the Oakleigh Chargers with pick No.27, Otten debuted in his first (2008) season and finished runner-up to Brisbane Lions onballer Daniel Rich in the Rising Star in 2009.

“I played every game in my second year and I thought, if this continues it’ll be a pretty good tally at the end,” he said with a wry smile.

“But you never know what’s around the corner and I found that out the hard way.”

After a standout season as a third tall defender, Otten was moved into the midfield – where he played much of his junior footy – for the 2010 pre-season.

The then-20-year-old was training that new role when his left knee gave way in December.

The awful sound of his ACL tearing was heard by his devastated teammates, and travelled as far as the support staff standing around the edges of Max Basheer Reserve.

“During a training drill there was a bloke running towards me. I went to change direction and heard the big ‘snap’,” he said.

“From hearing other people’s experience with knee injuries, I knew it was pretty bad straight away.

“Looking at the faces of all the boys around me, I think they knew as well.

“I was only young and pretty naïve. I thought, ‘I’ll be right. I’ll get back, I’m only early in my career’.”

Otten underwent a traditional knee reconstruction and missed all of the 2010 season.

Unable to do what he’d been brought to Adelaide to do, the Victorian distanced himself from football.

He tried to keep his mind occupied with university studies (he’s still studying now) but the isolation of rehabilitation and lure of his long-distance girlfriend, Emmalyn, friends and family at home was strong.

“I was probably a bit detached that year. I switched my mind off from footy because I knew I wasn’t coming back that year,” he said.

“Emmalyn was still living in Melbourne and being injured I had a lot of down time. I was gravitating towards going back to Melbourne whenever I could, every second or third weekend.”

Otten overcame homesickness and a “tough” rehab program under the supervision of former fitness boss Stephen Schwerdt and was ready for the start of the next pre-season.

He was training with the midfield group again and, although he didn’t realise it at the time, took being back on the field for granted.

Otten also discovered that returning to full-time football after a long-term injury was taxing on the body, developing groin soreness and playing only four of the first 11 games.

“Coming back from injury, I think I was just so excited to play again that I went away from working on my craft and things to get better at,” he said.

“I wasn’t playing as well as I could and I had sore groins, and I found myself out of the side pretty quick.

“Craigy gave me same hard truths, which was good because I had to hear them.

“I started doing those extras after training instead of just being happy to get through a session.

“I came back and ended up playing the last 11 games.”

After an indifferent 2012, Otten played all 22 games in 2013.

He spent time up forward, where he kicked 15 goals, and in the ruck as well as his familiar role in defence.

Otten became known as Adelaide’s ‘Mr Fix-it’ and was recognised with the Coach's Award for his willingness to fill any role in the team as needed. He also finished in the top five in the Malcolm Blight Medal.

After a pre-season hiccup with his ‘bad’ knee, Otten recovered to play 11 consecutive games before seriously injuring his ‘good’ knee against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in Round 20.

He lay inconsolable behind a curtain in the changerooms with his father, Theo, by his side.

“The second time was a real dagger to the heart,” Otten said.

“Going in for surgery again … that youthful excitement and naivety had gone and in front of me was that long, painful rehab road.

“A couple of times I was like, ‘Do I do it again? Is this worth it?’

“You’re limping around and out of contract and you think, ‘Jeez, this could be a sad ending’.”

The stretcher is called for Andy Otten at the Gabba in 2014

In a show of mutual respect, Otten stuck with it and the Club stuck by him.

The resilient Crow did his best to stay upbeat around his teammates and coaches, saving his darkest moments for when he was away from West Lakes.

Otten completed his second comeback in the SANFL in July 2015.

He played the rest of the season at state league level … and then all of the next year.

Although frustrated at times and desperate to get back into the AFL team, Otten established himself as a leader and a mentor for his young teammates and development squad players.

“The competitive side of me said, ‘Let’s prove these people wrong’ because a few people had probably written me off. I wanted to get back and show my teammates I belonged out there again,” he said.

“It probably took a bit longer than I thought to get back in the AFL side, but it was part of the long journey I was on.

“You definitely need to show some resilience and a bit of fight and grit throughout the time.

“Doing that is probably how I’ve been able to keep on the list for so long.”

Otten returned to AFL for the first time in 960 days against Greater Western Sydney in Round One, 2017.

The ‘swingman’ played 19 games for the season, again plugging holes at both ends of the ground and even kicking a career-best four goals against Fremantle.

An untimely hamstring injury to Mitch McGovern created a window of opportunity for Otten to play in Adelaide’s ill-fated Grand Final – an experience he describes as the toughest of his career outside of the death of coach Phil Walsh and his second knee reconstruction.

His 99th game, against the Sydney Swans last week, came about in a similar fashion.

A sore Achilles late in the pre-season pushed him back in the selection queue, and it was only when teammate Curtly Hampton pulled up sore the day before the game that travelling emergency Otten was elevated to the starting 22.

Otten wasn’t even certain he’d be playing again this week until Wednesday night when defenders Kyle Hartigan (hamstring) and then Jake Kelly (hand) were ruled out.

The 28-year-old, who signed a 12-month contract last September, is aware of his football mortality.

He’s survived and thrived being a dependable role player, who’s never the first person picked but never lets you down either. It’s this trait that endears Otten to his teammates and coaches.

“Being a realist is pretty important as a player in our industry,” he said.

“I’m not one of the highest paid players, or the guy that gets all the free stuff given to them.

“I’m the middle guy, the team man … just playing whatever role is required of me any given week and contributing, hopefully, to a win.”

Another of Otten’s standout attributes is how he ‘sees’ the game.

The former SANFL acting captain uses this understanding to not only benefit himself, but educate others.

He’s doing some work at Henley High alongside former SANFL champion Ben Kane and has completed a coaching course in preparation for a possible career post-football.

During a training session last pre-season, Otten stopped a drill in which his team was dominating to point out where the opposing team was going wrong.

“Even when you’re competing, at training the end goal is for all of these guys to play AFL and for us to get better as a team to win,” he said.

“Even when I’ve played SANFL, I’m pretty loud out there and the reason is to fast-track these kids and help them to get into the AFL team. That’s what I want for them."

Otten’s wife Emmalyn (the pair was married last October) and her family, his parents and two brothers and a group of close mates will be in the stands at Adelaide Oval to watch him run through the banner on Saturday night.

High School sweetheart Emmalyn is pregnant with the couple’s first child, which is giving the level-headed Otten even more perspective on life.

“It’s super exciting,” he said.

“When I’m down now, I just think about the little baby coming and it brings a smile to my face every time.”

The most perfect day 💕

A post shared by Emmalyn Otten (@emmalynotten) on