Robert Murphy has dazzled Dogs fans with his sublime skill since debuting as a skinny 18-year-old at Princes Park against Carlton in round 19, 2000. 

Fast forward to today, and as Murphy prepares for game 300, Dogs fans are still savoring the footballing gifts of the man they call 'Bob.'

But Murphy's impact on his football club is perhaps best measured by the influence he's had on those around him; on his teammates, his comrades, over his long journey.

Marcus Bontempelli, writing for the Herald Sun on Sunday, said the influence of Murphy is two-fold.  

There's a physical presence, and 'a more spiritual one'.

"The physical presence of Bob is the one that can inspire you into action, can wrap his arm around you in a time of need and with the same level of reverence steer you back in the right direction if he catches you straying," Bontempelli said.

"Over time I’ve understood that his pre-game addresses speak to his values of heart, trust and humility, which I sometimes think would resemble that of a captain marshaling his troops in the heat of battle.

"Rich with emotion, the results of his inspiration stem from his understanding of people, and himself, which I think allows him to connect with individuals on a deep level."

He 'gets' his teammates, Bontempelli said, and he knows what levers to pull to get the best out of them.

For all of his dash and slicker than average ball use, it's this ability that might be his greatest gift of all. 

To be sure, Murphy can also play football, and play it very well.  He was part of the last Victorian team in 2008, was a key cog in the Bulldogs sides that played off in three straight preliminarily finals between 2008-2010 and has been an All-Australian twice, including as captain in 2015. 

But Murphy's most impressive singular performance may have been last season.

He played just the three games in 2016 after injuring a knee in the dying stages of a heart-breaking loss to Hawthorn.  

But it was what he did next, for his teammates, that may be the Murphy legacy. 

"What he did for us last year was incredibly selfless," says Bontempelli.

"He must have been torn emotionally because of course, he wanted to be a part of it, part of the build-up to a premiership."

But it's here where Bontempelli's words tell a story.

"He may not have been on the field, but the foundations had been laid, so firmly that our behaviours were driven by his echoes."

And those echoes will ring for many years to come.