Statistics alone have never provided an accurate assessment of Nic Naitanui’s impact.

It’s never been about possessions, it has never been about how many marks he takes. It’s about his influence around a contest, his aggression at the ball, his deft touch and his intuitive connection with the Eagles midfield.

The same could be said Naitanui the man.

There are so many layers to him, if he was a department store he’d rise to at least five levels.

The basement would house his vast array of shoes and apparel, a collection of which even Amelda Marcos would be proud. The ground floor would be his family and his faith. On level one would be his community connection, the capacity to be everyone’s favourite player – literally from four-year-olds to centenarians, they all love Nic Nat.

Then, on the second floor, is his philanthropic work – both as an AFL multi-cultural ambassador and many other commitments in which he engages. As he said at his press conference during this week he surrendered his privacy even before he was drafted.

Rather than wrestle with his profile, he has embraced it and uses it to address issues on a global scale. To make the world a better place, as much as one man can.

To always remember his roots and to do whatever is possible to support the Fijian village of his heritage, that remains home to his broader family.

He is a world vision goodwill ambassador, travelling to South Africa in his off-season a couple of years ago to do what he could to assist on the ground.

Level three would feature his media responsibilities. A constant on Channel 7 for more than a decade, he is also the most sought-after player at the club for interviews – anything ranging from fashion shoots and profile pieces in arty magazines to traditional football requests.

He is one of the most identifiable figures in the game. And his demeanour is what media organisations call ‘good talent’.

It was the reason that Amazon, when granted unfettered access to film the documentary ‘Making their Mark’, targeted Naitanui as the player they would follow from the Eagles. He gave them what they needed.

And on the top floor is football, the engine that drives almost every other aspect of his life. Nic loves  his teammates, the club and the game. Such a compassionate and caring man off the field, he sets that to one side when he crosses the white line.

For two-and-a-half hours it’s about doing everything possible to win.

Tomorrow Naitanui will become the 27^th player in the Eagles history to play his 200^th game. It will be time to celebrate the career of a truly generational player.

An All-Australian, a John Worsfold medallist, best emerging talent and last season’s player of the finals. He is one of the most influential players in the game.

It will be a time when statistics do matter. Despite a glowing list of achievements, none of it has come easily.

He has endured devastation on a personal level through the sudden loss of his mother, Atetha in 2015.

A beautiful person, her demeanour and values are ingrained in her son. She did so much to keep a 200cm giant with a wingspan that could stretch from port to starboard on most recreational fishing boats, grounded.

He was a bonafide star, but that did not excuse him from the household chores, including the dishes. He did his bit and so did his twin brother Mark.

Naitanui’s battles with injury are also well documented, most particularly two knee reconstructions, the second of which cost him the opportunity to play in the 2018 premiership.

The fire to experience the ultimate burns deep within him. There is no guarantee the game will give him what he deserves. But football, alone, will never define this man.