The 33-year-old ruckman was in reflective mood after marking the milestone with a crucial 38-point win over Corowa-Rutherglen.

"Football clubs get a bit of a bad rap sometimes but they're really good at helping mould a young bloke into a good man," Gaston said.

"I think I've become a pretty good person out of it all.

"Looking back now, it's given me some good discipline in business as well, so it's definitely helped shape me as a person, being around great role models, people who are willing to do that unrewarded effort for others, which you just don't get if you don't play in a sporting club.

"The football club and the community helps develop you into a better person.

"Hanging around a place that's a great, safe, professional environment is only going to improve you.

"That's the over-arching thing; it's turned me into a better person than if I never was around this club."

Gaston's resilience has been tested by a number of serious injuries throughout his career and the road to recovery hasn't been easy.

"Football's a physical battle but when you have injuries, it turns into more of a mental battle," Gaston said.

"You see it at AFL level, the mental side of it when you've got pressure to perform, so coming back and knowing you've got to do rehab, it's very hard and I think it's under-rated, how some players go through a lot of it.

"I know for a fact, when you're in the gym and you're out there all by yourself, you've got to learn to put that discipline on yourself to go do the work to come out the other side, so you can get out there and enjoy your football again.

"It does cross your mind, especially in your later years, wondering whether it's all worth it but when you have a win like we did on Saturday and get around the boys and see everyone happy, it's a good thing to do."

Rovers have reached the interleague bye sitting fifth on the ladder with a 4-3 record.

"The talent we have is equal to anyone in the league," Gaston insisted.

"The talent's there and you can see it in glimpses of games, we can go out and beat anyone in a quarter but it's about getting that consistency and we're just waiting for that click to happen.

"Once that happens and we can do it for four quarters, I don't think there will be a team that can go with us.

"It's very exciting and a lot of people have done a massive amount of work around the club, from board level down to trainers; the support we get as players is unbelievable now.

"Hopefully we can keep developing towards the pointy end of the season and go all the way."

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