If Peter Bell was starting out in football today, Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said given his physical attributes he might struggle to get a look in.

Luckily for both however, Bell's first game was way back in 1995, with his 277th in the top flight taking place this weekend for the Dockers against Richmond.

The full significance of the number was revealed by the club on Wednesday, when they confirmed the fixture will see their former captain equal former Collingwood legend Wayne Richardson as the West Australian with most games in the AFL/VFL.

And while Bell, famously reticent with the media, was not on hand to talk up his own achievement, Harvey was quite happy to do it for him.

"It is a fantastic achievement for Peter Bell ... and I just thought I would get that out there, because knowing where Peter has come from and knowing how hard he has had to fight for a career it is a significant achievement," Harvey said.

"He is a fantastic thinker of the game, and he has manipulated himself in the game where he has always been above the opposition he has played against.

"You can never value the knowledge and direction when you are a coach and you are not on the ground with him, but I know the players really miss him when he is not out there."

Bell, 32, has never been allowed to do things the easy way, born in Korea and adopted at three years old by an Australian couple.

After earning a law degree at the University of Western Australia, Bell also earned a place on the inaugural list of the Dockers - with his debut 13 years ago notable for his kicking two goals with his first two kicks.

But that effort failed to impress coach Gerard Neesham, who thought Bell too slow, and the club delisted him.

Denis Pagan and North Melbourne obviously saw something Neesham didn't, drafted Bell and turned him into a premiership player in his first year at the club.

Four goals and 31 possessions in another victorious grand final in 1999 was followed by a club best and fairest the following year - at which time Bell chose to rejoin the struggling Dockers.

Another best-and-fairest in his first year hardly made up for two wins all season, and since then he has consistently been Fremantle's best in an underachieving outfit.

On the brink of retirement last year, Harvey and the Dockers persuaded Bell to go around one more time - allowing him to pursue business interests in Geraldton, 400km from Perth, and commute to train and play.

And Harvey said as he had done for most of his footballing life, Bell was proving the doubters wrong.

"He is coping very well, and his performances are what I expected, and I think he has silenced a lot of the critics," Harvey said.

"He knows his preparation, and he told me he only needed a game and a half before he goes into the season and it has proved to be right."

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