Milestone-man Harry Himmelberg admits there’s one particular match in his 149 outings as a GIANT that fuels his hunger for ultimate team success, as he prepares to embark on another finals campaign. 

From being overlooked in his draft year to becoming one of this year’s hottest free agents, Himmelberg will line up in game number 150 on Saturday when the GIANTS’ mission for a maiden flag continues with a clash with the Saints in an elimination final at the MCG.

And while the team-first swingman was focused firmly on the task at hand come Saturday, he took time to reflect on his journey and reveal how a 2019 clash with the Magpies ignited his thirst for premiership success at the GIANTS.

“All the finals that I’ve played in so far have really stood out, but when we won the prelim against Collingwood [in 2019] was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Himmelberg said.

“Just knowing you’re playing in a grand final was an unreal feeling.

“That’s the feeling that drives me to get back there, and it’s a big reason why I wanted to stay here and build this club back to that level,” he said.

Last month the high-flying 27-year-old turned his back on free agency to sign a monster six-year deal with the GIANTS to remain at the club until the end of the 2029 season.

As he prepares to celebrate game number 150 and qualify as a life member of the club, Himmelberg says belief in the GIANTS’ future is what won the battle over lucrative offers from rival clubs.

“I think success is just around the corner at the footy club and it’s something I don’t want to miss out on,” Himmelberg said of his decision.

“To see how quickly ‘Kingers’ [coach Adam Kingsley] and the coaches have turned this footy club back around, and the way we’ve been able to really buy into a gameplan and into something I think will take us to where we want to go to, that was the biggest factor.

“I’ve also got a lot of mates here that I’ll be mates with forever and that’s something that really stood out to me as well,” he added.

While game milestones admittedly aren’t a goal of his, the third highest goalkicker in GIANTS history acknowledged he’d come a long way since fighting for his first senior game back in 2016.

“When I played 100 games I looked back and reflected and I remembered back to when I was just trying to get my first game, which I thought was nearly going to be impossible,” he said.

“This is something I’ll look back on and I’ll appreciate later in my career, and it’s definitely a nice milestone to reach, but there’s other things I’d like to tick off before game milestones - getting back to a grand final and winning one, that is the ultimate goal.”

The GIANTS Academy product says he’s hoping to repay the club for the faith shown in him since he was a teenager.

“The club means a lot to me and there was a lot of talk around being a free agent this year but when it came down to it, for me I really value the club and the way that they were able to give me a chance,” he said.

“I wasn’t good enough [to get drafted] as an 18-year-old and they let me play in the GIANTS Academy as a 19-year-old and then play state [footy] through that pathway which was unusual.

“I probably credit the GIANTS and the Academy for how I got to the league.

“Now on my end, its repaying the club for that value they’ve showed in me.”

Turning his attention to this weekend, Himmelberg will look to show why his signature was so highly sought-after against the Saints on Saturday, with the gun defender upbeat ahead of the do-or-die clash at the ‘G.

“Obviously we had the week off and we’ve put some training into play that we think we can build on, we are always improving, we are never a finished product,” Himmelberg said.

“We are really fresh and ready to go and it’s great we get Sam Taylor back and awesome to get ‘Snooze’ [Toby Bedford] off [from suspension], so there’s a lot of excitement around.

“There’s a lot of guys playing their first final which is awesome for them, and I can’t wait for them to experience that.”

In what will be the first finals meeting between the sides, the GIANTS and the Saints will face off at 3:20pm on Saturday at the MCG.