It's hardly a new tale: star player in his mid-30s thrives in positional change.
In 2025, it's Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield who won a Brownlow in the midfield and is building a compelling case for a ninth All-Australian blazer, this time as a forward, with 17 goals across the opening nine games of the season and several moments of sheer match-winning dominance.
Seventeen years ago, it was Richmond great Matthew Richardson who in the twilight of his career moved from the goal square to a wing and almost won footy's highest individual honour himself, finishing equal third with Gary Ablett Junior, behind runner-up Simon Black and winner Adam Cooney in a count that went down to the wire.
According to Richardson, the attributes that have made Dangerfield one of the modern-day midfield greats are his weapons forward of the ball.
"What Danger's been doing is amazing -- he's kicking goals, he's creating, he's a hard match up because he's a really good mark for his size and always has been," he told ESPN. "He's got so much power and has always been a goal kicker even as a midfielder.
"Those shorter bursts are helping him maintain his explosive power. I was the opposite, I'd lost a bit of pace but still had good aerobic ability and was struggling inside 50 to get separation from the man.
"He looks so energetic and looks like he's just loving being down there, loving being inside 50 and the main target."
While Dangerfield has demonstrated forward craft across an 18-year career, his move appears to be just another stroke of Chris Scott genius in Geelong's bid for another flag.
The circumstances were different, but the outcome also successful, when Tigers coach Terry Wallace blooded a young Jack Riewoldt as a key forward in 2008, sending his veteran up the ground.
Richardson kicked 5.2 in the Tigers' opening-round win over Carlton but the Tigers would go on to lose their next two games, comprehensively to North Melbourne then Collingwood.
In the lead up to Round 4, Wallace called Richardson, then 33, into his office and asked "a favour".
"I had a lot of anxiety ahead of the first game, we played Fremantle in Perth and I was a bit worried if it didn't work, I'd be out of the team," Richardson recalled.
"As soon as I got out there, I realised it was a lot easier than playing in the forward 50 because you don't have someone on you all the time, you've got more space and freedom and it turned out to be great for me as a player, in what would be my second last season, and for Richmond."
The move had immediate impact with Richardson teaming 25 disposals with 15 marks and four goals in a drubbing of the Dockers.
Richardson couldn't forecast what would unfold -- his sensational form or feeling of rejuvenation.
"It took the mental performance anxiety off me, there was a mental freedom," he said.
"I was playing more consistently and didn't have the rollercoaster of being a forward -- kicking five goals one week, the next week you don't kick a goal -- you're always on edge.
"There was not as much pressure on a wing. Back then, as a key forward you'd stand in the forward line and the ball might not come down there for five minutes but you were always around the contest on a wing and in the game."
In a campaign that netted him All-Australian status for the first time since 1999, Richardson still managed 48 goals to win the Tigers' goal-kicking award for an eighth consecutive season.
He believes the sky's the limit for Dangerfield and the Cats.
"Realistically, he's 35 so there might come a time later in the season he's a bit sore and tired, but Danger might be enjoying a breather in the forward line, he's always been a midfield guy so when the ball does come down he's ready to win it and use his unbelievable power."