Celtic stalwart on verge of curious club first that has been 10 seasons in the making

Celtic’s hosting of St Mirren this evening could hold special significance for Tom Rogic.

The Australian’s renaissance under his fellow countryman Ange Postecoglou will be encapsulated in one notable outcome should he be handed a place in the first XI for the cinch Premiership encounter.

The 30-year-old has started 28 games for Celtic in the current campaign. Now in his 10th season with the club he joined in January 2013 from A-League side Central Coast Mariners, Rogic has never started 29 games in any of his previous nine seasons in Scotland.

He has made more appearances than the 38 he has racked up since July in one previous term, with his 41 in 2017-18 supplying him more competitive minutes than he has yet to bank in the on-going campaign. In a career often undermined by injury problems, though, he has never been so regularly fit and relied upon to make an impact from the first whistle.

Tom Rogic (right) is on the verge of setting a new personal record for most starts in a single season for Celtic. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

And even if Rogic has exhibited a certain weariness in recent outings as his most concerted run of games for four years perhaps has begun to catch up with him, Postecoglou’s unswerving belief in the playmaker’s abilities to influence matches will ensure he continues to be an integral performer for the top flight leaders as the club chase a 10th title in 11 years.

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