WHEN Marc Murphy runs outs in the Navy Blue tomorrow on his 33rd birthday, he will officially qualify for AFL Life Membership.

It will be Murphy’s 300th official game, combining 275 premiership games, 23 pre-season games and two International Rules games.

Since his debut in the opening round of 2006, Murphy has been one of Carlton’s stars over the last 15 years, captaining the Club for six years and winning two John Nicholls Medals.

These are just some of the No.3’s best Carlton moments.

2006: A debut year to remember

Murphy became Carlton’s first ever No.1 draft selection in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft, and he was quick to prove his wares.

Making his debut in Anthony Koutufides’ 250th game, Murphy instantly hit his stride at the elite level, kicking his first goal and earning a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in his debut game. 

Murphy looked a certainty to win the NAB AFL Rising Star later that year, before a shoulder injury cruelly ended his first season.

However, the impact of his first season was clear amongst his peers, acknowledged as the AFLPA’s Best First Year Player: he was ultimately pipped for the NAB AFL Rising Star by Danyle Pearce.

2009: His highest-scoring season

Murphy has always had a knack for hitting the scoreboard as a goal-kicking midfielder, and that was never more evident than in 2009.]

As he finished second in the John Nicholls Medal for the second straight season, Murphy produced 31 goals for the season: third only behind Coleman Medallist Brendan Fevola and Eddie Betts.

He kicked a career-best four goals against North Melbourne in Round 18 that season, ultimately finishing in the top 10 in the Brownlow Medal for the first time.

2011: Awards everywhere

Murphy finished second in the John Nicholls Medal in his third and fourth seasons, and was once again on the podium in 2010 after finishing third.

However, his best season at the elite level was duly acknowledged when he took home the 2011 John Nicholls Medal, eclipsing Chris Judd at the fourth time of asking.

There were few better in the competition than Murphy in 2011, becoming the first ever Carlton player to win the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.

He would also be named as an All Australian, Carlton’s Best Finals Player and the The Age’s Footballer of the Year.

2013: Captain of the Carlton Football Club

At the conclusion of the 2012 season, Judd announced that he would be stepping aside as captain for the final years of his career.

Up stepped Murphy, who would later describe the role as “the proudest time of his career”.

Murphy would hold the role for six seasons and eventually undertook the same process as Judd, passing on the baton to Patrick Cripps and Sam Docherty at the end of 2018.

Murphy eventually led Carlton for 111 games: the fourth most in Carlton’s history.

Round 23, 2013

This one deserves its own special mention.

In his first year as captain, the Blues looked to be on the brink in Round 23, 2013: trailing Port Adelaide by 39 points in the third quarter and needing a win to secure a finals spot.

Enter Marc Murphy.

Arguably his finest performance in Navy Blue, Murphy kicked three goals from midway through the third quarter, including two clutch goals in the final term.

In one of Carlton’s most memorable comebacks, it was on the back of the captain, who was the clear best-on-ground with three Brownlow votes.

2017: Another John Nicholls Medal

As Carlton’s new wave settled into the Club, it was as important as ever for the leaders to stand up when it came to their transition to football life.

After a 2016 ravaged by injury, Murphy did exactly that in 2017, ultimately crowned John Nicholls Medallist for the second time in his career.

Narrowly beating All-Australian Sam Docherty and Matthew Kreuzer in a close count, Murphy averaged his highest disposal tally in his career on the way to his second best-and-fairest triumph.

He now has two John Nicholls Medals and four second-place finishes, while also sitting fourth in Carlton’s all-time Brownlow Medal vote count.

2018: Becoming a father

Murphy has literally grown up in front of Carlton supporters' eyes, arriving at the Club as an 18-year-old back in 2005.

Part of a famous football family which saw his father and grandfather both play at the elite level, Murphy become a father when he and wife Jessie welcomed Max Murphy in January 2018.

Speaking on The Two Tones last year, it seems like Max is already a big fan of Dad's work.

Round 15, 2019

The sidestep, the banana.

Murphy produced some absolute magic in front of goal in 2019: none more so than in Round 15 against Fremantle.

You know the one.

It wasn’t the first time that Murphy produced some banana brilliance — take it away, ‘Murph’.