After making his senior debut with Gisborne as a 16-year-old in 2000, Comerford runs out for senior game 200 on Saturday when his beloved Bulldogs play Kangaroo Flat at Gardiner Reserve.

Comerford has been at the Bulldogs for its golden era in the BFNL, but he has no senior premiership medals to show for it.

A self-confessed poor attitude in the all-conquering Mick McGuane and Marcus Barham led eras kept him out of Gisborne's four senior premierships between 2002-2006.

One of the greatest individual performances in a final quarter of a BFNL grand final by then Eaglehawk playing coach Derrick Filo saw Comerford and the Dogs lose the 2007 grand final by less than a kick.

Five years later in the 2012 grand final against Golden Square, a Rod Sharp set shot for goal after the final siren fell centimetres short of the goal line and Comerford and Gisborne lost by less than a kick again.

"I've been a bit stiff not to win a flag, but that's footy,'' Comerford said.

"In the early days I wasn't mentally ready to play senior footy. I thought I had the work ethic to play senior footy, but I didn't.

"It took me until 2007 to work out what was really required to play senior footy consistently.

"It's a case of what could have been, but I wouldn't change anything."

Pulling on the red, blue and white Gisborne jumper each week is Comerford's motivation.

At the age of 34 he could be chasing money and/or premiership success at district level, but his love for Gisborne keeps him at Gardiner Reserve.

"A lot of my mates left after Rod Sharp exited. I thought about leaving and trained with other clubs, but I don't think winning a flag at another club would have satisfied me,'' Comerford said.

"It would have been great to win a flag somewhere else, but it wouldn't have meant as much to me as winning one at Gisborne.

"That's kept me at Gisborne and, to be honest, I just love the club.

"We've had a lot of highs and we've had a few lows to get through as well."

The Bulldogs haven't played in the finals since 2014, but there's signs this year that the new crop of young Dogs have what it takes to return the club to September action.

Comerford hopes to be a part of the next finals campaign, but if he's not he'll be content that he's played a part in rebuilding the senior side in recent years.

"It's been great to work with a lot of the young blokes around the club in the last few years, so that's been fulfilling,'' he said.

"With this great crop of young talent coming through the club is not far off doing something special."

The young Dogs should give Comerford a 200th game to remember by defeating Kangaroo Flat.

"I'm pretty proud considering where I've come from,'' Comerford said of the milestone.

"It's taken me a long time to get to 200. I've had a few injuries the last few years which has halted it. 

"I guess 200 games is something special that I can look back on down the track."