DESPITE his advancing years, Luke Power gives an insight into his competitive desire when he says he wanted to "play every minute of every game" in his debut season with Greater Western Sydney.

As a 32-year-old with 282 games, three premierships and 14 years as a Brisbane Lion under his belt, that appeared an unrealistic aim.

But boy has he come close.

Power has played 17 of a possible 19 games in his first year at the club and brings up game No. 300 against Melbourne at Manuka Oval this Saturday.

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy seemed more desperate for Power to reach the milestone than the player himself, using him as a substitute in rounds 13, 16 and 20 in an attempt to nurse him through.

Power - who only missed round one with a hamstring injury and round 15 due to broken ribs - wasn't thrilled to don the green substitute's vest.

But he knows Sheedy's heart was in the right place.

"He's been looking after me," Power told AFL.com.au.

"Sheeds had a couple of players at Essendon I think who fell a couple of games short of 300 and he was really keen for me to get there.

"I've had a bit of soreness, but being the competitors that we all are, I wanted to play every minute of every game. So I didn't love the idea [of being the sub].

"But he did it anyway, I didn't get much of a say in it, but I'm grateful he's looking after me and wants the best for me."

Sheedy openly confirms he used Power as a substitute to do his best to ensure one of his player/coaches made it to 300 games.

The master coach used the example of off-contract Sydney Swan Jude Bolton, who is currently stuck on 297 games following a knee injury, but is due back on the eve of the finals.

"When he (Power) cracked his ribs against the Swans, it put his 300 games in jeopardy," Sheedy said.

"So I had to balance that out.

"Putting him sub through a couple of games was important to get him to that 300 mark.

"I don't want to see what happened to Bolton at Sydney, who is on 297.

"Luke most likely won't play again [next year] and I don't want that to potentially happen to him."

Most have assumed 2012 will indeed be Power's last year as an AFL player before he moves full-time into coaching.

But suggest that to him and his competitive desire quickly re-emerges.

"I haven't thought too much about it," he said.

"I'll speak to Gubby (GWS football operations manager Graeme Allan) at the end of the season.

"At this stage I'll probably move into coaching, but you never say never.

"I'll have a chat at the end of the season and see where we're headed."

Power would also like to collect four points from at least one more game, starting with this week's clash with the Demons.

"We think we're a big chance," he said.

"We enjoy playing down in Canberra and it's good for the people to experience AFL footy first-hand and have a team to follow.

"We consider ourselves to be a team not only for western Sydney, but also for Canberra and the regions around there.

"I'm looking forward to it."