KATE Hore will become Melbourne’s first AFLW player to reach 100 games when she takes to the field on Friday night.

The forward said the milestone was a special one, particularly given the calibre of players who have represented the red and blue since the competition began.

“It’s really cool. It’s very special,” Hore said.

“To be the first Melbourne player as well, I look at so many amazing players that have played for this great club, and to be the first is a real honour.

“I’m mostly just excited to get out there on Friday night and hopefully get the win.”

Hore has been a consistent presence across Melbourne’s AFLW journey, having played through the early years of the competition, when teams featured in significantly fewer matches each season.

“In my first couple of seasons we played seven games, so hopefully from now on girls can reach this milestone a little bit quicker than what I did,” she said.

“I just love the game, I love training, I love playing and I love being around my teammates. When you love what you do, that always helps.”

The game has evolved rapidly across Hore’s decade in the competition, with players now able to dedicate more time to their football.

“Footy was definitely my five-to-nine job along with my nine-to-five,” Hore said.

“To now be able to dedicate a lot more time to training, playing and being a professional athlete, it’s been amazing to see the game grow so much.

“You see physically how much the game has changed, and skill-wise as well. Our young kids coming in are completely different players to what we were 10 or 11 years ago.”

Hore will enter Friday night’s clash with North Melbourne full of confidence in Melbourne’s ability to meet the challenge, following a strong start to the season.

She credited the group’s self-driven approach over the off-season for helping it adapt through change and set the foundation for its early form.

“The way that the group stuck together as a team, still came in and trained together, and was so determined to get better was probably the thing that stuck out most to me,” Hore said.

“I knew that we were a really self-driven group, and I feel like that’s shown at the start of this year.”

North Melbourne presents another major test, with Hore acknowledging the reigning powerhouse will be determined to respond after its recent loss.

“They’re a scary prospect no matter whether they’re coming off a win or loss,” she said.

“They’re such a strong team, they’re so well coached and they’ve got stars all over the field who all just come in and play their role.

“It’s going to be a pretty tricky task for us, but hopefully we’re up to it.”