Lance Franklin has been reunited with the ball he used to kick his 1,000th AFL career goal on Friday night.
The ball was caught by Swans fans Alex Wheeler as tens of thousands of supporters streamed onto the SCG and surrounded Franklin, stopping the game against Geelong for around half an hour.
Today, Wheeler and Franklin came together at the spot on the SCG where the Sydney superstar kicked his memorable goal.
"Obviously, it was a significant moment," Franklin said
"To have a packed stadium was very special and then obviously to kick the goal was awesome."
Franklin's family were at the SCG to witness the historic moment including his sister who had travelled from the US.
"I wanted to get it done as soon as I could, but it was obviously perfect timing to get it done here at the SCG, then to have my family come across from obviously America, from Perth, Adelaide, I had a lot of family here.
Franklin said he did not approach Friday night's game with any extra intensity despite the outside pressure of needing the four goals to reach the 1,000 milestone.
"Obviously it was a special moment, but for me I think it's something I'll look back on when I do finish my career and be even more proud of," he said.
Even more so given his run of bad injuries over the years.
"It hasn't been smooth sailing that's for sure. A couple of years ago missing a whole year of football was disappointing and then coming back last year and playing 18 games was fantastic," he said.
He said he was not concerned about his safety despite the crush of 20,000-odd spectators who flooded the field and pressed in around Franklin.
"I was lapping it up to be honest with you," he said.
"When I kicked the 100 goals in 2008 at that stage, I was very young, and I thought if I ever got to the 1,000 goals, I'm really going to enjoy it.
"From where I was everyone seemed in really good spirits and was happy.
"The people that were around me were always talking to me and making sure that everyone was OK.
"The teammates that were there, we had Will Haywood, Nick Blakey, Heens (Issac Heeney), Tom Hickey, like they were the first to me, that will stick with me forever."
Wheeler said he thought he was a good chance to catch the ball.
"From that point on there were so many people rushing the fence, which probably helped me to get the ball, and everyone was filming, so I almost thought I was the only guy throwing the paw out to get it," he said.
"I went head over biscuit straight on to the head and it hurt my head, but it was all fine," he said.
He said he dropped the ball at his house and then went out with some mates.
"We went out to one of the pubs locally for a little while and I just got too paranoid that someone was going to knock the footy off from my house, so I went home pretty early and cuddled it up to bed.
"It's been a big couple of days and I'm exhausted. I had about 100 agents working for me on Saturday afternoon telling me what to do," Wheeler said.
The Swans gave Wheeler a signed guernsey, ball, boots and five years' membership to the SCG.
Whether Wheeler will get to watch Franklin for another five years is questionable, but the man himself said he is enjoying his football.
"This year I feel I'm playing much better football — I've got a lot of confidence in my body," Franklin said.
A premiership with the Swans is now the only thing missing from Franklin's impressive AFL CV and remains his primary motivation.
"It's pretty obvious, the Premiership, that'd be lovely."
Franklin is 35 and in the ninth and final year of his $10 million contract, but keen to play on.
"Oh totally, it's the best job in the world, like being around a professional organisation for so long," he said.
Asked if that meant he would play until he couldn't, he replied, "Totally."
