Chris Dunbar loves Aussie rules, which is just as well because today’s he’s marking his 400th match with the North Mackay Saints.
Dunbar, 41 this year, started playing at 18 when a mate convinced him to have a go.
“I played one game and I loved it and I’ve been playing it ever since,” he said.
Dunbar has since clocked up 345 senior matches and in recent years has been running around in reserves, which he will play on Saturday for North Mackay Saints when they take on arch-rivals Mackay City Hawks at Harrup Park.
In more than two decades of playing with the Saints he has some wonderful memories, including four premierships in 2001-3 and 2008. CD has also earned AFL Mackay rep honours.
“I played in the ruck in my first game in Mackay, and I’ve played there ever since,” he said.
“I like the freedom, it’s a free-flowing game. In the ruck you can go anywhere.
“It’s an outlet to get out there and run around and just enjoy yourself.”
Dunbar grew up on a Carmila cane farm, where tennis, cricket and basketball were the sports on offer.
“They’d never heard of AFL in a country town like that,” he said.
The weekend is all about sport for the Dunbar family, with mum Katrina and youngest son Cody, 10, playing hockey and Bailey, 13, into soccer.
“We’re on the go from 7am to 5pm on a Saturday,” Dunbar said.
“For the kids it’s sport in the morning and for us it’s football and hockey in the afternoon.
“Sport is good for the kids; it’s hard to wear them out these days.”
The future? “I’ll get through this year and see how I go. I’m too old to play seniors.”
Casual record keeping in the early days of Footy in Mackay makes it hard to know if he is definitely the 1st one to reach the milestone but we believe he is.
CD played his 1st game at 17 ish, and has since played in 4 senior flags, 4 runners up, 2 reserves flags, 3 reserves runners up, Mackay rep games, played on the Gabba in a curtain raiser to the Lions, won Players Player Awards at Nth Mackay, Nth Mackay Life Member, AFL Mackay Life Member.
Once of his early coaches, Julius Caesar of the Roman Raiders, said he always knew CD would be a Centurion. CD shocked the Raiders when he transferred to the Greeks and was Best on Horse in the season defining match at Troy. CD was also amongst the best for William’s Conquerors’ in that famous final of 1066 at Hastings. He was robbed of yet another finals series in 1665 when the season was called off due the London Plague. The late 1800’s saw CD yellow carded for the 1st time for swearing at an umpire. It was the Victorian era and profanity was still frowned upon. Another interruption to footy came along with CD’s service at Gallipoli. Charles Bean described CD as inspirational, “ He just kept tapping those hand grenades down, right on the spot every time “. But even CD’s efforts were not enough to prevent a Turkish win. The early 1940’s saw CD signing up with Curtin’s Crusaders, coming away with a victory in the Pacific League after early heavy defeats. By the 70’s CD was playing closer to home, resisting generous offers from the VPL ( Vietnam Premier League ). He is currently in his 23rd season with Nth Mackay, his shortest stint at any club but we are hopeful he will remain a Saint for the rest of his career.
Well done CD!
Last Modified on 28/05/2012 10:47
