IN HIS own words, Allen Christensen is only celebrating "a little milestone" this weekend.

But the Geelong midfielder's 50th match for the Cats shapes as one of the club's biggest for the season.

"The Hawks at the 'G in front of 80,000 – it's going to be great," Christensen told AFL.com.au.

"When you start you don't know how many games you're going to play, so it's a little tick along the way."

Christensen admits it feels like his 50-game milestone has "come up pretty quickly".

Yet the 22-year-old has achieved plenty since he was selected by Geelong with pick 40 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

After spending the 2010 season plying his trade in the VFL, Christensen not only made his debut in 2011, he made such an impression that he became a key part of the Cats' team that won the flag.

And he was more than a bit-player against Collingwood on Grand Final day, gathering 15 possessions and laying three tackles.

"I think it was my 18th or 19th game, and it was an amazing day with an amazing build-up," Christensen recalled.

"We were lucky enough to win, and I still think about how we did that and how we can get that feeling back again.

"I guess we're all playing to get that feeling again. And we've got a few boys who have played in two or three flags. They know what it takes to get there, so hopefully we can do it again this year."

Despite battling a wrist injury and a couple of bouts of concussion, Christensen played 17 games last season.

He has played in all of Geelong's matches so far this year and is averaging 21.5 possessions and 3.6 tackles per game.

"He has the talent and the attributes to be a really good player," teammate Mathew Stokes said.

"And if he keeps learning and understanding the game, and respecting it, he will go a long way."

Away from the club, Christensen has been indulging in one of his other passions, horseracing, by working at Rosemont Stud, a training and breeding operation owned by former Richmond board member Anthony Mithen.

At the club, meanwhile, he has begun taking the club's first- and second-year players under his wing.

"He was one of the guys that got around me when I first came to the club," second-year midfielder Jordan Murdoch explained.

"He's a great young leader."

Christensen has his eye on winning a place in Geelong's leadership group in the future.

"I think we have a lot of good leaders to look up to, especially people like Joel Selwood, James Kelly and Joel Corey," he said.

"The leaders around the place are what has made this club so great.

"So if players like me, Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt and George Horlin-Smith can take over leadership roles off-field as well as on-field, it's going to hold the club in good stead for things to come."

For now, however, his focus is squarely on doing his bit against the Hawks and celebrating his 50th game in style.
"It's just a little milestone for me," he said.

"But, at the end of the day, we play a team sport and I feel very lucky to have played 50 games in the hoops."

Adam McNicol is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter @AFL_AdamMcNicol