250 games is a lot of footy. At least 15 years worth of turning up week in week out, pulling on the jumper and putting your body on the line. Talking with Andrew McIntosh before his milestone game this week, you get the impression he wonders where the years have gone.
For a bloke that started playing 1st grade football as a 16 year old it has certainly been a varied life at the Belconnen Footy Club. Macca has played at least 20 games in every grade. He has won grand finals. He has lost grand finals. He has played for the RAMS (where he lost another grand final). He has played 4th grade. He has been an assistant coach in 3rd grade. He has been a best and fairest winner and runner up on a number of occasions in a number of grades. He has played with outstanding coaches. And coaches who were not so outstanding. But through it all he has kept playing.
He obviously had highlights in his time at the club; winning a premiership in reserve grade, playing in (numerous!) other grand finals, making representative sides and making lifelong friends. But he was really reluctant to talk about himself, preferring to change the subject to this or that or how Colllingwood were sure things this year. So in the interests of good journalism I struck out and spoke with some other sources about their memories of Macca as a footballer.
It was really disappointing. Normally when you are writing something like this everyone is keen to be a comedian and come up with the best sledge they can find about a bloke. But on this occasion almost everyone I spoke with just wanted to stress how much they enjoyed playing with Macca, how he was a good bloke to have in the trenches with you when the action is thick and fast. Nobody really wanted to dish any dirt. Although admitedly it was pretty funny being reminded of the time when he wore the footy in the face on a 2 degree pouring rain day at Jamo and still didn't know where he was 3 hours later (thanks Lavo). And it was pretty funny when he went on a spending spree that night at the players auction back in the days of $2.50 pints at the club.
My overriding memory of Macca is his loyalty. He is loyal to his family. He is loyal to his mates. And he is loyal to his footy club. Here is a bloke who, despite a number of setbacks, has stayed loyal to this footy club, a club he started at in under 10 or 11 (photo evidence attached - check out the tube socks and acid wash!). He has been offered significant sums from rival clubs on a number of occasions but has always stayed true to his club and jumper. 250 games is a fantastic achievement and he should be congratulated when he runs out against Cooma at Jamison this Sunday. I'm proud to be waddling out next to him.
Ugg
Last Modified on 27/05/2010 22:14