Carlton veteran Ryan Houlihan thought this day would never come - the chance to play in another AFL finals' series.
After all Houlihan, along with spearhead Brendan Fevola, is the only survivor left from the Blues' last finals appearance way back in 2001.
The 27-year-old has been there for every day of the Blues' agonising eight year wait for another finals appearance - following that semi-final loss to Richmond in 2001 which was so long ago that it came just days after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
Never in Carlton's proud history has the AFL's equal most successful club had to endure such a long wait between finals appearances and Houlihan counts himself extremely lucky to have survived the journey during a period where countless players were shown the exit door.
"I was thinking back yesterday of the journey from the start ten years ago and how many players have gone through the club and Fev and me are the only ones that have survived so that is a positive for me," Houlihan said on Monday.
"I have been here through the good times when I first started and played finals football (in 2000 and 2001) and then the very low times and you do think 'Am I ever going to play finals football again' but it's just good that we have finally made it and I am really looking forward to it."
Houlihan admitted there were times when he really felt desperate about the club's plight as the team went into decline following the severe draft penalties they received for salary cap breaches with the Blues finishing last or second last in five of six seasons between 2002 and 2007 before Brett Ratten's arrival as coach in late 2007.
"There were definitely times during 2003, 2004, 2005 when you sit back and wonder if you are going to play finals football but then we got Juddy and young players like (number one draft pick) Marc (Murphy) and Bryce (Gibbs) and the club started to move forward."
"And now it (a finals appearance) has probably come quicker than I thought it would."
The Blues face Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night in one of two elimination finals this weekend with Houlihan and Fevola part of a small group of just five Carlton players that have finals experience with the others in captain Chris Judd, vice-captain Nick Stevens and veteran midfielder Heath Scotland having done so with their previous clubs West Coast, Port Adelaide and Collingwood.
Houlihan said with so little finals experience amongst the Carlton players and with so many of the club's talented youngsters heading into the unknown this week, he would do his best to ensure his young teammates were ready for the September stage.
"Obviously I will try and get around to the younger guys during the week and share my experiences about finals football," he said.
"I'm sure the younger boys know that this is what you play football for but it is a time when you have to step up and enjoy it and take your chance because you never know when it is going to come again.:"