From high flying forward to unsung key defender, Chris Tarrant has covered all corners of the football spectrum. Set to play his 250th AFL game against Port Adelaide on Saturday night, Tarrant has cemented himself as one of the most reliable full backs in the competition.

Tarrant made a return to Collingwood during the trade period last October, having begun his career at Victoria Park in 1998 before leaving for Fremantle at the end of 2006.

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Although his first stint at Collingwood started during one of the lowest ebbs in the club’s history, Tarrant’s rise to stardom coincided with a Magpie revival. He was a key member in the 2002 and 2003 Grand Final teams, and led the club’s goal kicking in five successive seasons (2001-2005). His career as a tall forward peaked in 2003, when his 54 goals led him to All-Australian selection and second placing behind Nathan Buckley in the Copeland Trophy.

Following a handful of underwhelming seasons, Tarrant was traded to Fremantle in exchange for Paul Medhurst and the eighth selection in the 2006 National Draft (Ben Reid). Although he began life as a Docker at full forward, new coach Mark Harvey switched Tarrant to defence in 2009. He soon began to display his adaptability, illustrated by match ups against both key position players (such as Lance Franklin and Nick Riewoldt) and the smaller forward pocket types (including Stephen Milne).

Tarrant was struck by injury midway through 2010, derailing a season that appeared destined to result in All-Australian honours at full back. He later voiced his desire to return to Melbourne, and Collingwood gladly welcomed him home, trading picks 44 and 56 overall in the national draft back to the Dockers in exchange for pick 45 (Alex Fasolo) and Tarrant.

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Since returning to the club, Tarrant has shown exactly why the coaching staff was so keen to acquire him. The retirement of Simon Prestigiacomo and injury to Nathan Brown meant that a vacancy sign hovered over the full back position, and Tarrant has made it his own.

Much has changed both at the club and in Tarrant’s game during his stint at Fremantle, but he remains a crowd favourite at Collingwood, highlighted by his goal celebrations in the win over Adelaide in round nine.

Despite a number of individual highlights, including the Mark of the Year in 2003 and kicking a goal after the siren to defeat Adelaide in the same year, Tarrant craves team success, and is a pivotal component of Collingwood’s charge towards back to back premierships.